To be a bit miffed at this?

[shadowfax07]

Sorry this may be a bit long, but I don't want to drip feed facts.

My GP practice has two surgeries, the main one (let's call it The Lodge surgery) and a smaller one in the next town (Main St surgery). When you go for a hospital appointment, Main St surgery does not come up on the list, only The Lodge does. So I am quite used to confirming my GP practice as The Lodge in a medical situation.

Until a year ago, I lived around the corner from the Main St surgery, and I'd been registered there for about 17 years. We moved, but although we are closer as the crow flies to The Lodge surgery, it is quicker for us to get to the Main St surgery. It is also on my OH's way to work, so easy for him to drop his repeat scripts into. We therefore decided to remain with the Main St surgery after the move.

I recently have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and had my first chemo last Thursday. I started to get a sore throat on Monday, and rang the Oncology nurse today for advice. She advised me that I needed to get to my GP for blood tests and an appointment, and asked if I was still registered at The Lodge (this was my mistake, I should have clarified that although their records state The Lodge, I'm actually with Main St). The Oncology nurse rang me back and told me to get there as soon as possible.

So I jumped in the car and drive to Main St, there was obviously confusion when I got there and had to announce in front of a crowded waiting room that they should have been rung by Oncology about me appearing suddenly. All sorted out, and I asked if they would let the Lodge know what was happening, and this is what has annoyed me. Whilst I was sat in the waiting room, the receptionist was on the phone to someone and it was blatantly obvious that they were talking about me. I heard the receptionist saying to one of her colleagues 'Yes, but she's decided to turn up here', and then continued to grumble about me in front of the entire waiting room! Er, no, I was told to go to my GP, which is why I turned up at Main St, rather than at the Lodge, where I've never been treated.

Would you be annoyed at the lack of confidentiality if you were me?

I would banish all thoughts of the staff and concentrate on myself.

They would have been as put out and discommoded as you were and dealing with administration hiccups is frustrating, as it can hamper treatment.

That you overheard was unfortunate, but as eavesdroppers never hear good about themselves, and you were upset at the time, just means you have let an everyday stupidity gain more importance than it deserves.

Basically, sod 'em and concentrate on you xx

Thanks Nomama, but I wasn't eavesdropping! The receptionist was sat behind the reception desk, looking straight at me while she was talking on the phone about me.

I would have been annoyed too and I don't have your other issues to. deal with. At your next appointment with your GP, why don't you explain the confusion over the surgeries and the fact that only one shows on hospital lists. Tell your GP what happened as a result of this and how it made you feel. Then I'd let the GP deal with reception staff or not as they see fit and let it go. You need to concentrate on looking after yourself.
Best of luck with your treatment.

I would have been annoyed as well, but I hope they got you in quickly and your doing better today.

Good luck with your treatments. Don't sweat the small suff, concentrate on beating C and getting well.

Ridiculous!!!
Hope your treatment goes really well x

I would ask to speak to her.

I actually did this. The receptionist gave away personal info on why I was there (pregnant) at the main desk quite loudly along with other stuff which upset me. The next time I went in I asked if I could speak to her privately. I explained how I was upset by her actions (actually teared up a bit as hormonal) and she was really sorry and said she hadn't realised. She is now extra nice to me. If she hasn't responded well I would have told the surgery manager. Think she genuinely didn't realise what she had done.

Sounds like yours knew, call her out and/or let manager know if she seems like she knew.

Erm, phone calls should not be made/taken at the front desk. Period. He potential for confidentiality breaches is huge.

Surgeries should ensure that telephone conversations are held in back offices / away from public areas.

This is practice management 101, it's not a difficult concept to grasp

When I went for my therapy session for OCD I had the receptionist announce loudly to the whole waiting room 'oh you're here to see the therapist' or something similar - I live in a village and often know various people in there - luckily I didn't that day but I was really pissed off.

I would speak to the practice manager - you don't have to even say which receptionist it was if you don't want but at least it can be discussed in a team meeting or something. It's not on and I'm sorry but sometimes power tripping receptionists need bringing down a peg or two.

This isn't the same as eavesdropping IMO. I was upset recently when my sort of ex (complicated) didn't hang up and spent 10 minutes trashing me to his mate. That's his best mate, I should expect it and like PP said if you eavesdrop you're not going to necessarily like the results, however when you're talking about a professional I'd expect it to be handled professionally which means not talking badly about a patient where that patient and others can hear!

I would defnitely be bringing it up to the PM!

I agree entirely that she shouldn't have made the phonecall where anyone else could hear her.
If you don't want to talk directly to her then send a note to the Practice Manager, it absolutely is not acceptable for receptionists or any other member of staff to be discussing a patient within earshot of other patients.

I feel for you OP.

I saw the same doctor A at our local medical centre for 20 years via prearranged appointments and the local hospital had his name as my contact there. I had to go to the duty doctor B at the medical centre for an eye condition and was referred to hospital. Since then, the hospital has had Dr B as my GP for everything - never Dr A. Now Dr A has retired and the medical centre has me down for new Dr C. I will, in future, ask for appointments with Dr B because I know her.

To lighten the mood, does anyone remember that scene where Victor Meldrew is in Reception at his local surgery and the receptionist bellows out to all and sundry about his piles?