Doctor's receptionists - are they picked for their distinct lack of social skills/empathy?

[SummersMahoosiveClipOnFringe]

Bit of an offload needed.

My mum has a blood cancer which is on the government list for most vulnerable. She is not in remission but is monitored and likely to need another chemo.

She has had no letter from NHS re being in the shielded group. Government advice is that you contact GP if you think you are in this category and haven't heard by 30th March. Mum contacts surgery yesterday seeking clarification.They promise a call back but don't get round to it.

She calls again today to have the receptionist ask her 'why she needed a shielding letter as they were only for people who work' and she was 'too old for work so what is the point' ? This upset my mum - the receptionist talked over her when my mum tried to explain and minimised her concerns. She said my mum's cancer means she isn't in the most vulnerable group and that she can go out. My mum explained that she doesn't have the internet and wanted to remain informed as to what she should be doing given her condition and the receptionist responded by telling her to just 'follow the normal guidelines'.

My mum asked me to step in . I get through - she signs heavily and is abrupt and I get the same script. I relate that we are following government guidelines and she is incorrect about only people working need the shielding letter. She then claims I am not listening and that she is going to put the phone down on me despite the fact that she is the one getting really exercised and talking over me in a misinformed and rude manner. She was really domineering, didn't check her understanding of the situation and was volatile.If I was rude in response I would own it - but I calmly challenged her when I could get a word in edgeways

I ask to be put through other manager who was by stark contrast really helpful and listened. Still no clarification though.

Would I be unreasonable putting in a complaint or should I just let it go given that this is a stressful time for everyone?

I have never dealt with anyone this obnoxious before and she crossed way over the line.

In the end I telephoned by Mum's consultant's secretary- who did not seem to be aware that they could put people onto the shielded list and thought it was down to GPs. She confirmed that my mum should be on the list and was going to ask the consultant to look into it. She was a very kind and helpful person too.

My mum now feels really uncomfortable about contacting the Dr in future as she feels really intimidated by this receptionist.

it’s luck of the draw here. Get the nice one and you’ll be ok. Get the officious one and you’re likely to die.

She should get a letter so as she can then register and apply for additional help.

Complain. That behaviour could leave people at risk of harm.

Other people in your mum's position might not have someone like you to step in and advocate for them.

Definitely complain. It won't only be your mum who has been treated that way and is therefore less likely to contact GP when they need help.

Definitely complain. It is unacceptable to be rude like that. Pressure or not, it is no less effort to be polite and professional than it is to be rude and aggressive. You never know, the practice manager may have prior similar comments and this may be enough for him/her to take action.

(By coincidence I have just had a cheerful and friendly response from my surgery about a completely non-urgent/admin query I raised before CV hit, so I was fully expecting it to go on hold (no problem). Life is still going on regardless.)

Re your title, yes I think that's exactly why the GPs who employ them chose to do so.

Yes, of course we're all picked for that 🙄

I hate that a few give us a bad name.

Re: shielding, we had an internal email at 11.30 today that needs more clarification. We aren't getting much info....you probably know more than me at the moment! However, we do book same day callbacks so the pt can speak to the doctor.

Some of us are nice. Maybe she'd just found out that all NHS staff have had their Easter bank holidays/ time off taken away! Sorry she was rude.

Complain - The practice manager will listen to the calls and act accordingly. This works both way - when a patient was rude to me when I worked as a receptionist the call was listened to and he was told to find another surgery.

Complain.

I’ve had issues with the stereotype of a dragon-like doctor’s receptionist in the past and was only able to resolve it by visiting the practice in person.

However, in contrast, the last two surgeries that I have been registered with have had absolutely lovely receptionists. And the doctors have been fantastic too.

I'm sure they start off as normal people, but the job seems to fossilise their hearts.

Yes they're under pressure at the moment, but so is everyone, and they should still be doing their job and responding to queries in an efficient and professional manner. In other words, they shouldn't pretend they know it all just so they can get off the phone; ask the questions and get back to that person who needs to know.

I'm not generally a complainer, but I think in this instance the receptionist really needs a refresher course on how to respond to questions they don't know the answer to, so that other people with nobody to fight their corner is convinced they're a time waster.

Complain.

Most GP receptionists are lovely. Some are officious arseholes who allow a tiny bit of power to go to their heads.

Just to give the other side, the receptionists will literally have the same information as you. There are no extra medical briefings/info. Everything that comes from the government is available for all to see. Education is the same, press embargo on the food voucher announcement meant that HTs found out the details at the same time as the whole country.

Complain. I had to complain about a receptionist via Care Opinion & directly with the Practise Manager.

Worked a treat! Extra training provided to all reception staff and I have to say - the whole team are bloody lovely and very knowledgeable.

(I think the shouty one left and replaced by a lovely person)

Don’t let one bad egg ruin it!

Thing is, sometimes doctors' receptionists are rude. If they were rude before the virus hit, they are still going to be rude now. If it just rankles a bit you could brush it off, but if they are going to cause mistakes to be made that could affect someone's health then definitely complain.

She didn't understand, she didn't know, she escalated the situation. Bit of a loose cannon I'd say.

@SummersMahoosiveClipOnFringe

I am so sorry for you and your mother's troubles.

My GP surgery receptionists are quite nice though. Although I have experienced some pretty snooty/awkward/rude ones in my time (in previous areas I lived.)

I’m convinced that there must be some sort of X Factor style auditions set up for medical receptionists and you only make it through to the next rounds if you can prove how utterly rude, unhelpful and nasty you can be to vulnerable people needing help.

It's not good, no. Maybe voice your concerns but please don't expect a full reply. I'm only just getting my head round the letters and whose getting what and why. As GPs we are really really finding it hard. I think there will have been a lot of confusion about it. There's shielding, distancing, isolating and the information is coming out thick and fast.
There's pages and pages of stuff to read, letters coming at different times. The government have extracted data from us to send letters but only using medication data from 2months so new medication will mean people slip through the net.
We have over 2000 records to go through to upload data centrally. Then we have to phone all the people on the very high risk list.
In summary, they should not have been rude and they need to get their facts right. Maybe phone them back in a couple of days.
As a GP i would want to know though if incorrect info is being given out. The staff have had to learn so much in the last 2 weeks. I have never worked harder in my career of 34 years.

Regarding the shielding letters, GP practices have not yet received full information regarding them. Due to the current circumstances it was all rather rushed through .
If a letter has not been received from the government then specialists such as oncologists are able to add their own patients to the at risk register . At present this is not something GP’s can do but it may well be in the pipeline .
What I am advising patients is that for now , if you think you should be in the shielding group, to exercise the same cautions as the shielding group are until we can dig a little deeper into their case .

I think this is all a new system trying to play catch up with itself at present.

Well, just to add to this, our DS has a congenital heart defect. In fairness I wasn't expecting a letter as the heart charity forum I belong to had assumed these were more aimed at adults with underlying conditions.

Then a few of the forum reported their kids had been sent letters about shielding. So I contacted the GP. Our (very nice and helpful) receptionist called me back to say as DS's condition is complex the GP doesn't feel in a position to confirm if a letter is needed and to contact his consultant.

Consultant's secretary emails back: I am not sure where these letters are coming from as they are not something our Trust is doing and assume they are coming direct from NHS England.

Then advises me the best people to speak to are ... the heart charity I belong to as they seem to have analysed all the government information!

So the government has told us something is coming that no-one else seems to have any guidance on.

You seriously couldn't make it up. Good luck OP. I hope it all gets sorted out. I am now off to email the heart charity to see if they know more than the medical team who look after DS...

The government are writing and changing policies on a daily basis. I'm not surprised that people are confused.

The receptionist does sound rude but please cut her some slack. She probably has the same information as you.

I do genuinely believe that some nasty people are drawn to certain jobs because it gives them a chance to be nasty to vulnerable people.

One of the midwives who “looked after” me when I had DS 2 for example; absolute bitch who was physically unnecessarily rough, verbally spiteful and clearly got a huge kick out of making me cry.

Your mum needs to feel like she can reach out to local services in a way that she is able to communicate - through telephone and letter rather than internet searches.
I this current situation, feeling more cut off and isolated and being made to feel minimised for asking questions makes life even more harder.
Yes, complain.
Next time someone calls, they may not have a family member to advocate for them.

I think a lot of them just learn to be tough or even a bit mean having to deal with the public all day. They are probably trying to protect the gps from the worst of things and to guard resources. Its annoying when you're the one they are unpleasent to but its probably just a result of the job!

The receptionist was incredibly rude . However I would weigh up if it is worth the extra stress on you and your mother by adding a complaint to an already incredibly difficult situation ( both with your mums cancer and also the Coronavirus)

In answer to your question, bar a few, the answer must be a definitive yes. It's too often occurring and widespread a phenomenon to just be chance.

Same with the majority of Job Centre/benefit assessment staff.

The purpose is to act as a provocative filter in order to cause as little take up of the service on offer as possible.