Why are GP receptionists so rude?

[cosmikdebris]

Every single one I've experienced,especially now I'm a mum, seem to act like guardians of the nhs. I've been trying to sign up to my local GP since JUNE LAST YEAR! They've lost my sign up forms 3 times, told me my information is wrong twice and straight up told me to 'sign up else where if i don't like how they practice' and have also told me I'm an irresponsible parent for missing my daughters first jab date (I missed it because they lost mine and her sign up forms may I add).

I tried another go slightly further away yesterday, only to be treated with more attitude and rudeness. I'm so desperate for some help with my mental health, and I've got a backlog of different physical things I need checked, I don't understand why they're all so eager to work against you! Surely they should be required to be calm and compassionate towards people, considering doctor's surgeries are generally full of unwell people.

I just don't understand it. Maybe it's more stressful than I think it is? Maybe I'm just unlucky! Or maybe they're required to put up a front so people don't waste the time of doctors? It's not difficult to just be nice to people though...is it?

Most of my contact with our GP receptionists are fine but the way things are organised seem ridiculous at times which can make the receptionists seem unhelpful. I don't think it is their fault.

One example is everytime I need a letter for my bus pass I make the request in writing as they ask. I will then ask if it has been done for a few weeks and get told 'oh, it can take up to 4 weeks to be done'. Eventually after about 6 weeks the receptionist will contact the secretary about it who will then complete it there and then! Happens every time!

I also had a situation where I was seeing the GP for my mental health and they said I must be seen weekly. After every appointment they would personally book me in for the following week. Except one week I missed the appointment as I was in A&E due to my mental health. I phoned up to try and book an appointment, explained the situation and that the GP said I must be seen weekly. They just said they had no appointments and to phone the following day. This went on for over a week with me becoming more desperate in trying to explain the situation. Eventually I just burst into tears, asked the receptionist to tell the GP I'd tried to get the help they said I needed but was unable to and I couldn't carry on so would be killing myself. All of a sudden an appointment was available! I wish that they would look at your record or speak to a GP in those kinds of circumstances instead of just saying 'no appointments available'. It would be nice to be able to hang on to a little dignity!

Doctors could be a bit more proactive with people who they know need frequent or urgent appointments especially when it's known the appointment list is usually full. They should be communicating with the appointment teams to let them know which patients need to be prioritised.

They are very rude at my surgery (well one of them is).
I am a very shy and socially anxious person but I try not to come across that way. Last time I had to drop in a sample of urine as I was suffering from a UTI. I handed it over in a clear bag and was told sternly 'no, take it out and put the bottle in here' (a different clear bag). There was a man standing near me and I think he took a few steps back as he felt awkward too (also rather embarrassing that I had to pass my sample in full view). They speak to you like you're a child! I have witnessed them speaking to other patients like this too. I already don't like to visit the doctor because of my anxiety, so experiences like this really don't help.

@SnuggyBuggy

Doctors could be a bit more proactive with people who they know need frequent or urgent appointments especially when it's known the appointment list is usually full. They should be communicating with the appointment teams to let them know which patients need to be prioritised.

In the days when you had your own regular GP, mine was really good. He'd often want me to go back to see him in a number of days, and when I told him that it was hard to get receptionists to give me an appointment, he'd come out with me at the end of the consultation and tell the receptionist to give me an appointment on a specific date - funnily enough, they could do it if he told them to (none of this crap about appointments not being released that far ahead etc!). Other times for really quick things, he'd say to bypass reception and just sit in the corridor outside his office and he'd call me in between patients when he saw me there. That's probably 20 years ago, so receptionists were obstructive back then, but the GP told me how to by pass them! (Of course it would have been better if he and the other GPs took the receptionists to task to stop them being obstructive!!).

@Trinacham

They are very rude at my surgery (well one of them is). I am a very shy and socially anxious person but I try not to come across that way. Last time I had to drop in a sample of urine as I was suffering from a UTI. I handed it over in a clear bag and was told sternly 'no, take it out and put the bottle in here' (a different clear bag). There was a man standing near me and I think he took a few steps back as he felt awkward too (also rather embarrassing that I had to pass my sample in full view). They speak to you like you're a child! I have witnessed them speaking to other patients like this too. I already don't like to visit the doctor because of my anxiety, so experiences like this really don't help.

In a previous job, we took on a new receptionist and she was really horrible and unhelpful, not only to clients but to other staff as well. Everything was too much trouble for her - everything you asked her was answered with huffing and puffing. The partners got rid of her within a few weeks.

Then a few months later, she appeared as the new receptionist at my local GP surgery. She acted just the same. I got to the point when if I rang them and she answered, I'd just hang up and try again later. Whenever I'm in the waiting room, if she was on reception, you could almost guarantee she'd have an argument with a patient in just the 5-10-15 minutes I'd be waiting. She's been there about a decade now, so obviously found her niche as a rude/obnoxious/unhelpful receptionist where her employers don't mind her being like that!

I'm job hunting at the moment and was interviewed for a GP's receptionist role and ended up retracting my application partway through the interview as I would not be prepared to do the job for less than minimum wage.

Perhaps if they were respected for the role they perform by their employers
They would behave differently to patients.

I understand where the old dragon receptionist stereotype comes from as I have met a number who are downright rude and unhelpful. However, I have also encountered many who have been thoughtful, kind and very helpful.

I wouldn’t be in a hurry to say it is because the practice is disorganised because I am talking about receptionists from the same practice. I think some people are just horrible and they don’t bother to filter this out when talking to patients.

I think if you’ve got to 17 pages
Then we can concur
Overall they’re rude mother fuckers

OP mines is awful too! Years ago they had different staff at my surgery and it was well managed but now it’s gone down hill.

@Trinacham

They are very rude at my surgery (well one of them is). I am a very shy and socially anxious person but I try not to come across that way. Last time I had to drop in a sample of urine as I was suffering from a UTI. I handed it over in a clear bag and was told sternly 'no, take it out and put the bottle in here' (a different clear bag). There was a man standing near me and I think he took a few steps back as he felt awkward too (also rather embarrassing that I had to pass my sample in full view). They speak to you like you're a child! I have witnessed them speaking to other patients like this too. I already don't like to visit the doctor because of my anxiety, so experiences like this really don't help.

In fairness, urine samples can only be sent to the lab for testing in a particular type of clear plastic bag, which has a special pocket for the lab form. The receptionist wouldn’t have told you to put in a different back for no reason.

And understandably, she probably didn’t want to handle the tube of your urine herself...

I think it’s somewhat unreasonable to expect someone else to transfer your urine sample for you.

Regarding the ‘embarrassment’, GP receptionists have people handing them urine samples all day everyday - so they probably forget that it’s a bit embarrassing for other people.

Like how doctors look at so many people’s genitals that they think nothing of it, whereas patients get so anxious about having to show the doctor their privates...