Receptionists at the Doctor's surgery

[CallingFromLondon]

AIBU to be fed up of all these jokes and complaints about them? "They don't have a medical degree, they just think they do". Or "Why do they ask all those questions?"

They ask so they can redirect you to the right place or person. If you ring up and want to see a GP about a rash, you're not going to want to see a GP specialising in mental health, are you?!

Sorry, rant over. I know I'm not being unreasonable.

I'd say 80% of doctors receptionists I've come across are rude and unhelpful.

I've just put the phone down after a lovely chat with an incredibly kind, helpful, proactive receptionist. I was calling in for blood test results, told her I was feeling a bit ropey so just wanted to see if there was anything to worry about. She couldn't find them on the system but insisted I have a phone consultation with a GP to discuss my symptoms, even though I said it wasn't serious, and I'm now on the list for the duty doctor this afternoon. Amazing!

The receptionists at my surgery are always really lovely and helpful! I like that they can advise me on who to see, or if I need to go to the hospital/optician/dentist whatever. It saves a lot of time.

@marymarkle they should be taking you away from a busy reception to talk to you quietly and not asking for personal information at the main desk.

I think receptionists are a lot better nowadays - the 'old dragon' is no more (mostly, anyway). At my GP surgery I never have to state why I'm looking for an appointment.

However, going back about 23 years, I went to my GP (then) and the receptionist would not give me an appointment. I wouldn't tell her why I wanted one, in front of a full waiting room (I'd had a MC) and she demanded to know why I couldn't come back the following day for the 'Pregnancy' surgery, stating 'you are pregnant, arent' you!'

Thankfully those days are over.

From the OP:

If you ring up and want to see a GP about a rash, you're not going to want to see a GP specialising in mental health, are you?!

GP = General practitioner, I would expect my GP to broadly be able to treat anything I slap on his desk. If I need specialist MH treatment, I would expect to be referred accordingly, not have a jack of all trades diagnosing anything other than common place complaints such as PND

They’re my worst irrational fear (lighthearted) and have prevented me from getting the treatment I need quite a lot. They always minimise everything you say and try their best to put you off booking an appointment it seems. Interrogating you like they have a medical degree Especially awful when it comes to privacy, had to disclose details of DV in front of several patients behind me to even get a chance at an appointment for anti anxiety meds. Never got one mind!

TheWickerWoman Where are they supposed to take me? There is nowhere.

Well the whole point of GPs is that they don’t specialise in anything.

I experienced a totally unnecessary meddling receptionist at the maternity unit !
She started to criticise me for not having my notes ( midwife was already giving me a telling off and i was very apologetic and explained I was at work .. started to get pains etc but yes I should have been carrying them with me I know) then she took my urine sample
Off me not wearing gloves ( this urien sample was just done in a cup ( I was asked to ) so not even closed or in a bag ! Then proceeded to be making beds whilst the midwife was asking me about what had brought me in and felt she was listening . I’m a band 6 nursing sister and found this very strange behaviour !

I generally have to instruct the receptionist at my place that I DO just need the nurse (who has great availability) when they try to shoehorn me into the tight GP schedule.

They've installed a tv over the reception desk, that plays stupid music (and that annoying NHS advert). You have to shout to make yourself heard, and hear what's being said to you. All in a tiny room.

It has always baffled me though why people are so against talking to a GP Receptionist

I have sat in a waiting area and heard receptionists (nastily) gossiping about an elderly man who had come in with some questions. I knew enough about him - name, conditions, what they were saying, to be able to report it to the nurse I went into see. She was less than impressed, shall we say.

I have also had a receptionist very loudly state I was seeing the nurse for contraceptive reasons, with absolutely no need for the volume she used.

Given the often personal, sometimes frightening, reasons people are visiting doctors, its exactly that sort of behaviour which makes people cross when some frontline staff act so carelessly. It's a specialised type of customer service that many people are really not suited for - fine in Carphone Warehouse, not fine in a Doctor's surgery.

Also I have my referred GPs. There are some things I really don't care who I see. If it is something sensitive then there are only a few I am happy to see. That is not based on their specialism but their bedside manner.

My housemate whinges about the receptionists asking what's wrong, whereas when they ask I'm quite happy to say whatever it is, (whether an ear infection, whatever those mysterious tummy pains are that I'm convinced are due to stress, or my depression.) But I'm someone who over-shares everything anyway. They tell the GP or nurse so the GP or nurse knows what they're dealing with. Also all the ones at my surgery are lovely, so I suppose I'm lucky.

I've just finished writing a thank you card to the receptionist at my surgery because she was so so helpful to me last week when I was panicking about my referral to the breast clinic.

I'm 38 weeks pregnant and found a large lump in my left breast a few weeks ago, so went to doctors and because of the size of it and family history of cancer, I got referred to NHS breast clinic. However, obviously time is somewhat of a concern and after discussing it with DP and my mum, we decided to go privately so it could be dealt with before the baby arrives. I called up with no real idea what to do next and the receptionist was so helpful, suggested what to say when I rang the private provider, and then got my referral copied and sent over that same afternoon (my doctor wasn't in that day) so I could be booked in ASAP. (Lump turned out just to be a big cyst that they drained).

At my doctors the receptionists on the phones talk really loudly and can be overheard by everyone sitting in the waiting room. I absolutely hate them asking about what is wrong for that very reason... a few years ago I was struggling after a MC and needed to see someone, and had a conversation that went:

Me: "I need to see a doctor please, it's urgent"
Rec: "What's it about?"
Me: "I've just MC'd and need to see someone"
Rec: "What?"
Me "I've had a MC"
Rec: "You've had a WHAT?"
Me (in tears now) "I NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR , I've had a MC"
Rec: "A MC? You've had a MC? What's your NAME?"
etc.

It was awful, and I could visualise everyone listening in. They are so indiscreet it's mortifying.

If you ring up and want to see a GP about a rash, you're not going to want to see a GP specialising in mental health, are you?!

How do you know? There's a strong correlation between having some skin conditions and depression / anxiety.

We have Schrodingers Receptionists at our GP

I have to have a blood test every few months to monitor a condition, and when the results come and I ask for them, they will tell me 'all fine' or 'doctor wants to review'.

If I ask for the actual number from the blood test, I get the stock answer 'I can't tell you that because I'm not medically trained'

No amount of 'but I need to monitor the number' will get you any further than 'I'm not medically trained'

However, when you phone up for an appointment, you are asked for a description of your symptoms so they can decide if you need an appointment, and if so make an appointment with the most appropriate practitioner

This suggests a level of medical training over and above that required to read out a number between 1 and 10 from a screen in front of them...

Also it was many years ago, but my partner heard in the surgery I used to belong to, receptionists gossiping about my illness. It was rare for someone so young, and it was obvious therefore it was about me.

I think that it depends what the receptionists at your local surgery are like. There are a couple of good ones at mine (hunted down old notes from my 3rd previous surgery in a different county) and many awful ones. I got refused an appointment because the receptionist decided i just had morning sickness and didnt warrant seeing a GP. Despite me informing her i had Hyperemesis and it was a friday. I couldn't get an appointment until Monday which took 3 phone calls to insist it was urgent. The GP immediately had me admitted to the maternity ward for IV fluids and medication and tried to get me an ambulance to the hospital as i was so unwell. If i had had the appointment on the friday i could have had my medication and avoided hospital.

With my GP it depends which receptionist you get.

There's one who's lovely and asks you what's wrong so she can get the right appointment (either GP or nurse). She just wants a general overview where as the other one wants specifics which quite frankly, she doesn't need to know

The receptionists at our surgery always say 'Sorry to ask, but I need to know, so I can direct you to the best person, what is wrong?', which makes it sound more reasonable than a straight 'What's wrong with you?.

I live in a small town , everyone knows everyone (including the receptionists) I don't want my personal business talked about around the town. That's why I don't want to talk about why I need a doctor.

Our GP receptionists are fab. The only way they try and direct who you see is by asking if the nurse could help instead but if you ask for a GP that's exactly who you'll see.

But then our practice is one of those rare ones where you can always see a doctor or nurse the any day you want if you turn up for the sit and wait morning session. They seem to have attained a good balance of sit and wait vs appointments and the GPs are marvellous. I never plan on moving practices if I can help it.

You're a receptionist, not the triage nurse.