GP receptionist - to not have put up with receptionist attitude

[HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend]

To order repeat prescription at my GP surgery you are required to call between the hours of 2-4pm...

Unfortunately I work during those hours and (normally in meetings) & can only call during my lunch break... always between (12-1.30).

Practice is open until 5.30pm, however I finish work at 5.150m and need to get Ds2 at 5.45pm.

I joined the surgery end of 2017, and completed an online booking application, however at the time they hadn't received our notes from previous surgery and therefore couldn’t add me to the system.... when they eventually received our files it was 5 months down the line, in which they THEY lost the application forms.

Second set was sent out and completed in July 2018 however apparently I’m still not on the system... after I contacted them 2 weeks ago to advise I couldn’t get access to the booking system.

Ds2 requires less medicine in the winter than he does the summer.

Ds seen his consultant Jan 2019... who reviewed his medicine and some were then issued on a as and when required Basis.

consultant was very happy with his current treatment plan, (Allergy anaphylaxis/asthmatic) as I am obsessively strict in maintaining in ds treatment plan.

On receiving the letter, I called ds surgery to confirm they had received acknowledgement of the letter, receptionist confirmed they had and assured us that they would change his script to the consultant recommendation.

So today I called for his scrip (after failing unsuccessfully 4x to get any further information regarding the online booking system) on my lunch break (12.30) to be absolutely berated by the receptionist as didn’t I know how busy they were during this time

I explained all of the above, however was then endured a phone call last 28mins and 34 second berating of the following...

1, I needed to do an online application

2, in-depth explanation as to what a repeat prescription is to that of prescription given on a as when required

3, the difference between his inhalers and why they are important

4, I needed to manage my time better

5, one of ds medication was not on his as and when required prescription and how was she to know without looking at the notes... I asked her to get the GP to have a read of his consultant letter in Jan, and if there was any issue I’d call his consultant completely ignored me saying this and further berated me

6, On asking her to confirm his medication order... I was then subjected to another 5 min of tyrants of wasting her time... eventually after getting her confirm his medication she missed 3 items off his order...

I’d had enough at this point... told her very abruptly and firmly she needs to stop interrupting me, listen to what I was saying and to stop being argumentative at every point of what I was saying, when I was explaining the above.

Apparently she was only doing her job and I just didn’t understand

All I wanted to do was bloody get a prescription which has taken me over 2 weeks to bloody do!!!

Complain to the practice manager. One of the receptionists at my last practice made a point of bitching loudly to her colleague as soon as she had finished most phone calls to patients about the patients. That or loudly talking about their illnesses. The front desk staff at my new practice are universally lovely - polite and friendly - wish I had changed years ago!

I've had a mix of receptionists. Current ones seem OK but I wouldn't recognise them, I have managed to avoid too many trips to the surgery because I'm so shit I'd rather be really critical before dealing with their extra high reception and lack of staff so you're waiting ages but have mobility problems not so fussed on their set up.

The first receptionist I ever dealt with on my own in my midteens was so, so rude about me. And continued to be, every single time I went into the practice. But I was a doormat.

At the last place, I wrote in and complained but that was an entire practice issue. They can get stuffed now I'm not under them.

And I've also had some very kind ones like the ones who took.me straight into a nurse's room when I rocked up crying because I couldn't hear and was in agony (ears were mega blocked, it happens now and then) and had my ears syringed by the nurse as an emergency (I was unable to walk straight, admittedly).

I'd complain. She sounds like she was really picking on you. Not everyone can ring in one two hour slot every day.

Complain, complain, complain. The service won't improve unless you do.

It's such a shame - I have found in my own experience that gp receptionist are either lovely and helpful or absolute arseholes with a huge chip on their shoulder. If more people complain about the unacceptable behaviour of the arseholes then hopefully it will pave the way for a better quality service.

I sympathise.
I've recently been diagnosed with an illness that requires multiple different appointments with a variety of therapists, new medications and other things. This has screwed us financially. One of these services requires payment in advance (?!) for appointments. I explained I couldn't afford to do this for a period of 10 days, yet have had two calls from a snotty receptionist demanding I book and pay or she'll "report me to the doctor for not complying with instructions". I found it embarrassing enough to admit I can't afford to do this once, but was super pissed to be humiliated twice in two days by this bitch of a receptionist.
Some receptionists can be great but this one should be working for the bailiffs.
You need to nark her out to the practice manager.

At our GPS you can only order repeat prescriptions in person. Absolute psin as it is a 15 mile round trip

Just to add, you don't need to wait for your notes to come through from your previous practice to set up online access. Assuming you're in the UK? Apologies if not. That receptionist was out of order and I would definitely ask to discuss the situation with the practice manager.

In the uk @nonameslob, I was able to get his medicine however at the time needed to make an appointment to do so, rather than just get them in repeat prescription.

Apparently as they didn’t have his notes, they couldn’t add them to the repeat prescription list... as his previous surgery closed down, tbh I just assumed this was logical

OP, have you actually been in person and seen a GP? A receptionist is just that. They cannot decide what should and shouldn't go on a prescription, the GP has to do that. Your post sounds a tad exaggerated I'm afraid. Maybe you were on the phone that long because you were arguing with them. You rang at the wrong time and expected the person to deal with you. I cannot think why you didn't ring at the right time? I think you need to make an appointment with the Practice Manager to sort this out. Please be aware though, that if you were rude to the receptionist, the GP can remove you from their list.

None of what you have said is accurate soontoe60, my call was recorded, so they can listen to it themselves which I have requested.

And I physically haven’t been to the surgery, there is absolutely no need for me to do this.

I should just be able to use the booking in system... they told me they would get the receptionist to call me who deals with the booking in system.

I then called a few days later... again told the same thing on Friday when I called... called Monday, advised I needed his script, told someone would be in touch....

Then yesterday I couldn’t wait any longer, as he needs his script today as I need to get his medicine ordered.

I am well aware the receptionist cannot give a script hence me requesting for her to get the GP to look as his consultant letter in Jan.

The whole thing has just been an exceptional farce.

I don’t need to be lectured and berated by a receptionist for something entirely of there own wrong doing.

I cannot phone between the hours of 2-4pm, my work schedule simply does not allow me, hence me trying to TWICE sign up for the online system.

If in doubt, put your request for a prescription in writing, either via email or post a letter

Can you DH phone them if his hours work better around the surgery’s?

As well as complaining to the practice manager you can also complete careopinion.org

No one should have to deal with what sounds like a very incompetent receptionist.

I remember walking into the GPs office in a state of delirium during a high fever once - face swollen, visibly flushed, wearing about 6 jumpers because I felt so cold but perspirating. Thought I was going to die. Receptionist flat out refused to make an emergency appointment for me. I collapsed onto a chair sobbing and she threw me out. In the end I had to go to hospital because I was so ill.

I feel like some receptionists are so wrapped up in procedure and protocol that they lose all empathy for people who are in pain, suffering, and emotionally fragile.

Most GP receptionists I've encountered have been cold and a bit "Computer says no" with little level of flexibility or even common sense. They'd rather waste their they'd berating you rather than spend the same amount of time helping.

Do complain about her. A 28 minute tirade of insults and lack of care warrants an official complaint.

Bollockwort God! poor you it does amaze me how some people havent got the basic humanity they are hopefully born with.

That would have not happened at my GP's practice at all in fact i did turn up there one day with a DD which i thought might have a chest infection and it was the receptionist who realised she was actually in the throes of an Astama attack within less than a minute she had 2 GP's in attendance with oxygen and nebulisers and within 10 mins there was an ambulance outside to wisk her off to hospital!

Could not have been handled any better at all!

Seems I've just been unlucky then! Maybe I should move house

A few years ago, my GP surgery completely screwed up my care by cancelling my appointment because the GP had had a bereavement. This led to a case of infected eczema and complications arising from this. When I did finally get to see a GP, it was by walking into the surgery and showing the receptionists my hands - which were quite a sight. When I did see a GP, she insisted that I should write to the practice manager and complain. I got a very apologetic letter back. It seemed to me there was just one receptionist who was not very tuned in to patients, I'd had the misfortune to deal with her on several occasions.

I think that to sort your son's meds out, you need to bite the bullet, arrange some time between 2-4 when you can ring for an appointment, and see a GP face to face about it. I appreciate this isn't easy for you.

Op can't you register online with patient access and order your repeat prescriptions from your surgery online..

Or just pop to the toilet at work, take your mobile with you, call surgery and say it's such and such, I'd like to order repeat prescription of such and such medicine...then hang up and go back to your desk ,

That sounds like a nightmare. The receptionists at my GP are very lovely and helpful thankfully. I hope the PM gets back to you today.

Ours are mostly pretty decent - last practice we were at had horrendous ones. Their party trick was randomly to change the times you could ring up to request an appointment (stated policy was no advance booking allowed - ring up on the day and hope you got lucky between two specified times) and not publicise it by anything more than a note on the notice board in the surgery. So you'd ring up for the times you thought you could ring for - and not only get no appointment but get a right bollocking that didn't you know it was now you needed to ring up between 8.17 and 8.24 for appointments and no we couldn't book you in for a few days time if you were happy to wait. Seemed very much they only wanted to see the odd patients they had regularly who of course all saw letters changing the phone times, and mysteriously were allowed to book up in advance for future appointments.

We are not allowed to call the surgery at all (with a few exceptions). You have to go online on a service called Ask My GP - Put in what's wrong with you and someone will contact you to discuss. Sometimes works well unless you work in a different town to the surgery, as I do, they only offer same day appointments and won't book for next day etc so only any good if you are actually sick at home.

Why is a receptionist giving advice on the medications and why it’s important?!

Seems a bit above the role of admin staff

She sounds awful YANBU.