To genuinely not believe how rude receptionist was?

[Neverendingtodolist]

Rang drs and lovely receptionist said would I like a callback, I said I couldn’t due to what work (no access to phone during) and she said no problem we do afternoon ones for extreme cases like yours and to just ring when I finish work. I made sure to check that this was definitely ok.

Phone after work

• Hi, I spoke to x this morning and she said it would be ok to request a dr callback for today
• We do NOT offer afternoon callbacks
• But when I spoke to X I made sure to ask if it was ok and she said in extreme cases like mine then you could
• Well she should never have said that
• Ok ...,,
• Is it even important? Can you not wait until tomorrow

Today I’ve felt like on the verge of a breakdown and ... just being spoken to like shit has made me feel a million times worse.

My GP surgery sends out a letter every year telling me I need to make an appointment for my annual health review. I rang last year to book one, and the nurse doing them can only do them on Tuesday afternoons. I work Tuesday afternoons, so can't go. Then I get a bloody letter asking me why I haven't attended.

There is one receptionist at the practice who is lovely and helpful, and the others couldn't give a shit. The GPs themselves are generally nice, if you can ever get to see one. At one point, our surgery was in such chaos that questions were raised in the Scottish Parliament about it...

How "rude" a receptionist is a reflection on how well the practice is run and the support given by GPs and other practitioners to alllpw us to help patients and convey information. It can be utterly demoralising because of the certainty of so many patients that we are going out of our way to be rude and to not even try to understand that we are just doing what we are told and have usually come into the job with no clinical background. Speak to the practice manager if you are at all concerned but trying to focus on destroying a person who is on the front line of a constant shit storm isn't fair.

This is why we can never move area. Our GP practice has lovely, helpful receptionists.

When my DS was a couple of weeks old he was poorly and they said he could have an emergency app and to come in at half 5. Got there a bit early and she had a right go at me and said I shouldn't have come until 6, when I told her I was told half 5 she basically told me I was lying and no one would tell me that, I had even double checked the time on the phone so I knew I had 🤷🏻‍♀️

I feel a bit sorry for her really because she jumps on people when she thinks there's even a hint of negativity and it escalates instantly, I've seen it too many times with her but it's obvious she's at the end of the tether with the whole place!

I knew before opening this thread it would be about a GP receptionist

Don’t even start me on one of the women at ours, the rest are lovely.......I long for the day she retires.......

@welliesarefuntowear
No, some people are just rude.

Ours are lovely. Again never moving from their practice area.

I knew this would be a GP receptionist too!

I had an argument with one last week who told me I can only have a smear test on a Tuesday morning, because that's when the nurse (who works full time) does them

Most of the receptionists at my GP surgery are like this. I literally see a different one every time I go & all of them are the same. Must be in the job description to be a moody arse hole.

I love being even ruder back. But I’m petty & rather a bit of confrontation than being spoken to like shit unnecessarily!

We have some nice ones at our local surgery, but I've recently dealt with the nasty ones and it can be quite upsetting when you are concerned about something and you are made to feel like an inconvenience.

Although I bet working at a GP surgery can be rather soul destroying as most of the customers are stressed out or worried, and there just aren't enough resources to ensure that everyone gets the service they require when they require it...

I'm sorry you were spoken to in such a manner. Not that it excuses their behaviour but they are generally over-worked, stressed and deal with multiple patients all expecting them to move the Earth's axis. I've always said: if you can't handle the heat get out of the kitchen, as that's the nature of their job. But I hope you manage to eventually get through.

My GP surgery sends out a letter every year telling me I need to make an appointment for my annual health review.

My DH received a letter last year asking him to make an appointment for a review of his ongoing medication. He wasn't on any.

Our DS received a letter last year saying they were introducing annual health checks, including taking bloods, for those with learning disabilities. We attended, only to find that (1) nobody in the surgery can actually take a paediatric blood sample and (2) the annual health checks were meant for adults with LD, not children.

I'm on daily medication (thyroxine). Somehow they never write to me to remind me about an annual health check or medication check ...

I did end up making a formal complaint to the Practice Manager after the wasted visit with our son.

OK... Not on, but given your thread title not remotely as bad as I thought.

I run a GP surgery.
There are definitley surgeries where patient feedback is not listened to.

We don't have set days or clinics as we understand that people cannot always fit with us and should not have to take annual leave to come in.

We have appointments put aside for the same day, the day after and 2 days later - urgents are seen the same day and routing in 3-5 days. It can be done. You GP practice is contracted to deal with you from 8am-6.30pm - just don't call at 6.15 and expect to be seen at 6.35 - you will be referred to out of hours our the GP would never leave the building!

We do have patients who do not want to speak to our reception team. Our receptionists are highly trained in GDPR and confidentiality - they do not diagnose conditions. However, they do sit there with a list of over 30 minor conditions the GP has told them can be seen by a pharmacist. The receptionist is trying to ensure the GP only sees patients that require a GP like cancer reviews, anxiety/depression, complications of chronic diseases - rather than ear infections, warts, shoulder aches that a pharmacist can see.

99% of our callers are lovely - but 1% are abusive, threatening, inimidating and condescending when trying to be helped.

However, to add some balance, I know of another practice where the receptionists are made up of 99% unhelpful/abrupt and 1% wonderful - Oh, how I would love to manage/sort that team!!!

OP, I hope you get the appointment you need very soon.