AIBU to think people feel entitled to be rude to GP Receptionists?

[alpacasandwich]

I've got a job stacking shelves in a supermarket. I love it. People are mostly kind, friendly and above all respectful. If someone asks me where something is, they are so apologetic about me abandoning whatever I'm doing.

By my third shift in a GP surgery I'd been sworn at, regularly told I was responsible if someone died before they could see a GP, been given the line "I pay your wages", been hung up on over the phone multiple times, I barely went 20mins without someone angrily eye rolling and shouting and being hideous.

Why do people treat people like that? I always heard retail is hell, but the odd moany customer is the exception. As a receptionist you're treated with absolute disdain no matter how hard you work and how nice you are. I used to cry in the toilets.

AIBU to think people feel entitled to behave this way, maybe due to the idea that receptionists are evil witches?

Should disclaim I am a HCP (not a GP receptionist though). The receptionists at my GPs and the vast majority of other GP receptionists I have encountered are fab. Professional and helpful. Also doesn't bother me if they ask questions- they are asking them for a reason.

Unfortunately so many people seem to hate GP receptionists (as threads like this always show) that it doesn't seem to matter what you do you will never win. It is a difficult, unappreciated job but, any receptionists, please know that some people do respect and appreciate you .

and got threatened by a patient for nothing more than politely doing my job and following rules laid down by the practice management.
Been there

I am extremely fortunate. I have 10 or 11 receptionists at my surgery, and they are all, without shadow of a doubt, lovely. Kind, chatty, friendly, and helpful. Not been the case with every surgery though, and several surgeries I have been registered with have had rude and obnoxious receptionists.

Not sure if it's years of being shouted at, or because they think they're something special because they work for the doctors. I used to know a woman who worked as a receptionist for the police (in the 1980's,) and she didn't half think she was something. So did my mother and aunts They looked up to her like she was fucking Royalty, because she answered the phones at the police station.

But yeah, I also agree that you can't compare customers in a supermarket to people at the doctors who are likely to be stressed, upset, in pain, worried, or just pissed off that the prescription request they put in 4 days ago isn't ready yet.

And yes, I have seen people speak to receptionists like they're a piece of shit AND the staff in the pharmacy. Not everyone, but enough for it to affect the enjoyment of their job.

I can actually laugh about it now! After calling me a cunt she said she knew where my kids go to school - err yes love, I see you in the schoolyard 5 times a week!
She didn't even say boo to me next time I saw her at school

TooStressyForMyOwnGood
I think unfortunately some receptionists are bad.
I have only ever encountered one ( she was awful though! Refused to give you an emergency app unless you went into detail what your problems were , very rude on the phone, wouldn't put prescriptions though unless they were on repeat, ( at my surgery you can request items you don't have every month) ,
But i don't think all are bad.
The ones at my surgery are wonderful! I enjoy chatting to them when i go in.
They help people, more than their job.

I worked as a GP's receptionist for a short time. Do you really think receptionists are just nosey? They have undoubtedly been asked by the GPs they work for to ask patients for the reason for wanting an appointment. The GPs who also decide how many patients they will see on a particular day. The receptionists only do what is asked of them.

I remember a GP receptionist telling me loudly in front of the que that I couldn't have any condoms and I'd have to go on the pill. I think some receptionists feel they're entitled to be rude to the patients as well.

Some of it got cut, meant that some have tainted it for all for some people.
I don't think all receptionists are bad though.

Narconomics if someone has ignored the telephone recorded message what to do in the event of chest pain and speaks to a Receptionist we advise them to ring an ambulance. We've rung for ambulances for patients who just book an appointment for chest pain without saying anything at all to a Receptionist and come in to see a GP. The questions ambulance control ask "Is the patient breathing?" "Is there anyone with the patient?" and other questions we couldn't possibility answer if the patient is at home and we are in the surgery.

Most of the replies on this post makes me feel undervalued for somethings out of my control. Too many patients wanting appointments when there are not enough appointments available. Acting on our bosses (GP's) instructions.

It's not my fault that I am unable to order medication you have never been issued with or you had it once, 3 years ago and therefore you need to see a GP.

It's not my fault your favourite GP is on holidays for a fortnight but you are quite unwell and you won't see another available GP, I have an appointment, honest, but you will wait for him to come back.

Please don't tell a newish member of staff one of the other girls will make you an appointment with the GP who is on his holidays when you know that it has never happened before and they will tell you exactly the same thing.

People do feel entitled not just to be rude to Receptionists but entitled in all sorts of ways to get what they want. When they are unable to get it the entitlement and rudeness is breathtaking.

kali, yes, absolutely, I'm sure some are bad. As you say though, that doesn't mean they are all bad.

I agree lots of receptionists are arse holes - and I used to be one!

I was a GPS receptionist for a couple of years from the age of 18. I never had any issues with rudeness - but that because I did my job diligently and politely. Some of my colleagues however thought it was a terrible job and couldn't understand why some people were rude to them

I have had issues with an old surgery when I went to collect my prescription ( wheezing loudly due to asthma). Receptionist decided it wasn't the right time for handing out completed prescriptions that were right in front of her, and said I had to come back later. My only other option would have been A&E so I asked her to write her name down on a bit of paper so that when I was asked why I hadn't got medication, I could hand it over.

TooStressyForMyOwnGood
No i agree with you.
I may have encountered one, but i think it's unfair to tar all!
That would be the same as saying all retail staff are bad.

I've never been rude to a receptionist but I've had several receptionists being rude to me. Sorry that happened to you op though.

So nellie you don't think that people's attitudes to receptionists sometimes make the ones sho are rude the way they are?
So devastated you don't want to know me btw, honestly. .... as you obviously don't like people who think differently.

ahaha you know what I spent all week taking shit from patients because of things I can't control I'm not gonna do the same with my Friday night.

Have a good weekend everyone :)

I worked for a while in the NHS dealing with patients who required operations but were very high risk. Therefore they were very likely to be anxious, stressed and very worried.

I got a lot more abuse from other members of staff then I ever did from patients. Once a patient realised I was going to be friendly and try to assist them however I could, they were 99% of the time very grateful. I was sworn at, mocked openly in front of others, obstructed and belittled by a lots of different receptionists and secretaries. Nice ones were the exception and I can see what patients were unfortunately up against. My own GP surgery receptionists are awful, rude, nosy and condescending. Unfortunately I live in a large town and if you have a GP surgery you are not allowed to deregister and reregister somewhere else.

minionsrule you have just confirmed my thoughts about you. You make general assumptions about people you don't know.

I have to say I was put off GP receptionists when, whilst pregnant with DD and bleeding, I made an appointment with my GP and the receptionist asked what it was regrading. I sobbed "I might be having a miscarriage" and she made the appointment and then said "do try to cheer up a bit won't you." in chippy, clipped and if I'm honest quite robotic tones. I know it's unfair to everyone who came after her but she made me slightly hate GP receptionists.

When you have tried to ring the GP and find that it's closed before work, after work and during your lunch hour and have to spend 20 mins on the phone whilst you should be doing work and having to listen to the "Your call is important to us" every 10 seconds (I did time it) every day for nearly a week just to find that there are no appointments that you can book, then yes tempers do get rather frayed.

The majority of gp receptionists are doing a decent job under a great deal of pressure.

However, there are a minority of not very bright, jobsworths who enjoy their little bit of power in both gp surgeries and hospitals.

Those that run surgeries should be much better at weeding out these ones that give all receptionists a bad rep. There's no excuse for rudeness, indiscretion or a lack of humanity. If people thought they'd lose their job (like they would if they were working for a private practice) they'd be more professional. But unfortunately in the public sector there's a 'job for life' attitude.

If this was done I honestly don't think most members of the public would be rude.

Since registering at our local surgery two years ago.

1. When we registered dd was ill, old Dr had advised to get her seen at new Dr asap because of referral to a commissioned service under a different trust. Receptionist said we couldn't make an appointment until they had her notes and to go to the old Dr meanwhile. Created a three week delay.

1. I had to have a full blood screen within a short while of joining. Phones for results and told all fine. Got a print out and one result wasn't fine. When giving print out receptionist made a song and dance about cutting something off the sheet because I mustn't see it. If was utter nonsense.

1. Had to call for dd who has given her consent for them to deal with me to get blood test results. Told it was illegal for her to open the record to see if I had given consent. Rang back half hour later and a more helpful one dealt with it straight away

1. My consultants secretary phones me to see if I could help 're something to do with the referral because they were so unhelpful.

1. Regularly lost results or referrals not sent.

6.. requested repeat prescriptions for me and dd. DD's are crucial. Because there was one envelope they didn't put DD's in it for data protection reasons I was told over the phone although mine hadn't come either. DD had four days of one medication left at this point. Special order. Capsules put of stock and had go speak to Dr on phone to write a new prescription for tablets. Dr, salaried, mewled because tabs more expensive and asked how many chemists I"d tried but wrote prescription. I double checked it was at reception for chemist to collect. Chemist arrived and it wasn't. I had to leave work at 3.30 to sort out something that shouldn't have happened in the first place. When I arrived and quite cross I was shouted at for feigning to ask where my prescription was. So sorry yes I did note that the NHS was free at the point of delivery only and better service should be provides. The woman then shouted "THIS IS THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE AND IT'S FREE - IT'S THE NHS. It isn't actually it"s funded by the public for the public.

1. My surgery repeatedly takes more than 20 minutes to answer the phone - very large practice - zero respect for patient time - I once had to post a note through the door at 7.30am to cancel a 9.20 apt because they didn't pick the phone up.

1. My son is back from uni. Went to the other surgery today to register him there because ours is so bad. I collected the forms last week. DS completed them they asked me to complete another chatted away while I did. Then said "oh you aren't registered here so he can't be, our list is closed to new families". Yes, I was a bit rude duebto the time they had happily wasted while chatting away about Jack shit.

Sorry but was it a GP receptionist who asked why the public are rude? It happens out of sheer frustration because people are sick and tired of being messed around.

And for a bit more feedback, if you've ever to the doctor by title please do not assume you may use my first name because I am not subordinate go the doctor. If you want to use first names then use the doctors first name too. That also goes for the doctor.

There's a little notion called mutual respect. It needs to start being exercised in health care settings.

I have never found a GP receptionist easy to deal with and that includes my own Aunt who is a lovely Aunt but just as terrifying as the rest of the receptionists.

However, I also work a job where people become frustrated with me easily so I do try to remember they are working within a system which is desperately overstretched and underfunded and they have to deal with the public at their worst: when they're worried or ill.

I am a GP receptionist. I wish people would realise that we are only doing as the doctors and practice managers tell us - if we book someone in for a same-day appointment when it isn't deemed necessary it's us that get into trouble, the same with home visits etc. We don't ask questions because we're being nosy, it's because that's what we're paid to do. Our lives would be a lot easier if we just booked every patient in exactly when they wanted with whomever they wanted, trust me!

No i speak about what i see, i have (shock) opinions. I see people doing their job and getting slated for something that they are told to do.
I also don't blow whistles down the phone at cold callers from india either whilst others find it hilarious as they hate being called at their inconvenience.
I am respectful of other people.
Now find something in that that that makes me assumptuous. Sorry for being a decent person btw

Like others, I have often found them to be sullen and in effect rude. What is it about those people? Only traffic wardens come anywhere close in terms of "popularity".