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?

Ours are the same OP very rude and dismissive and make it actively difficult to get an appointment, so much so I have actually had to pay to use the superdrug online doctor before and tbh would again as it's worth the cost for the convenience

@FrostyChocolateMilkshake

My mum is an NHS receptionist and has been for many years. She would be horrified at you tarring them all with the same brush! My mum goes out of her way to help people and is very polite. She once drove a patient to the hospital as the Doctor didn't have time to see him - turns out it was an oncoming heart attack and my mum pretty much saved his life.

What an angel! I wish your mum could run every front desk...

I had to register at a new gps recently. It's was complicated as we have lived abroad and it was taking a while to sort it properly. I was with the receptionist for about 15 min, she was being incredibly helpful. However in that time I witnessed three people being incredibly rude to her. The poor woman was working so hard and trying to help and people where plain rude for no reason at all.

I find hospital receptionist nice but GP receptionists in my experience have been horrid.
It's like it's part of the person specification when they apply for the job.... are you a people person?...No.....tick.....

@cosmikdebris thank you she is a diamond. She genuinely enjoys her job though.

I am a GP receptionist and I find your post offensive.
I understand people who don't work in the surgery may think we are 'gate keepers' for the GPs but actually we are only doing what we are told to do.
Unfortunately there are people who believe their minor ailments are a top priority for the doctors and this is why we have to decide a sensible use of the doctors time.
I always work on the basis that if i needed medical help for myself or a loved one, I would want to be treated with respect and given the appropriate help, which is the way I handle patients too.

Mine are very kind. When inwas pregnant I got terrible depression and phoned up in floods of tears. Within the hour she’d arranged the community midwife to visit (just before lockdown) and got me an appointment with my GP.

@bananaboats

Ours are the same OP very rude and dismissive and make it actively difficult to get an appointment, so much so I have actually had to pay to use the superdrug online doctor before and tbh would again as it's worth the cost for the convenience

I've never heard of this? Seems like it'd be super useful,I'll do some research!

I've had 4 different surgeries in about 5 years, I've never had a problem with the receptionist but what I do hate about my experience (guessing it's relatively common?) is how backwards services are, filling out paper forms, having to physically go in (during Covid) to sign up for the online system, it really should be more advanced than what I've experienced, how much of their time is wasted on date practices. And also just generally bad management of services, one surgery didn't allow you to book appointments in advance, you had to call on the day even for non emergency, that was ridiculous. I hate that we are supposed to feel grateful for these services rather than being allowed certain expectations of service.

Well known stereotype, I’ll say no more...

Most of the ones as my practice are really nice and helpful, as well as being respectful if want to keep the reason for your appointment private.

Except for the time I needed a vaccination for overseas travel - she told me those appointments carried a six week waiting list, which would have been fine except that I was due to fly out out in six weeks. I had an appointment with a nurse booked for something else the following week and asked about the vaccination then - the nurse rolled her eyes and did the jab for me there and then. That receptionist didn’t seem to last very long.

Mine are absolutely wonderful and I'm very grateful for them.

Agreed.

I've belonged to many GP surgeries and the majority have been rude and abrupt.
I've always wondered why they always seemed to have a bee in their bonnets.

I've been with my current GP surgery for about 10 years and the staff turn over is quite high but they seem to be quite nice.

I was in a very busy city before with horrifically high heroin issues and now I'm a quiet, small town with lots of elderly people so perhaps that's why.

@FrostyChocolateMilkshake

My mum is an NHS receptionist and has been for many years. She would be horrified at you tarring them all with the same brush! My mum goes out of her way to help people and is very polite. She once drove a patient to the hospital as the Doctor didn't have time to see him - turns out it was an oncoming heart attack and my mum pretty much saved his life.

Whilst that is very kind, I'm pretty sure your mum should have called an ambulance.

Thank goodness the person didn't have a full heart attack and die in her car, there would have been a LOT of questions.....

I agree op, the vast majority of GP receptionist I have encountered are rude and unhelpful. Hostile and obstructive and just churn out standard phrases as to why procedures are so customer unfriendly.

I’m afraid GP’s have a captive market and can treat their clients as badly as they choose. I’m not sure if it’s always a reflection of the practice and the way it is run. Unfortunately my GP practice is currently very poorly run with a chaotic inconsistent GP service but it used to be absolutely excellent with 3 full time hard working committed GP’s and it was well run.unfortunately all 3 GP’s retired within a few years of each other and now the practice is a shambles. Regardless of the GP’s the receptionists have always been like Rottweilers.

@OBitchPeas

I've belonged to many GP surgeries and the majority have been rude and abrupt. I've always wondered why they always seemed to have a bee in their bonnets.

I've been with my current GP surgery for about 10 years and the staff turn over is quite high but they seem to be quite nice.

I was in a very busy city before with horrifically high heroin issues and now I'm a quiet, small town with lots of elderly people so perhaps that's why.

Sadly I live in a small quiet village with lots of elderly and still have rude and abrupt receptionists.

@OBitchPeas

I've belonged to many GP surgeries and the majority have been rude and abrupt. I've always wondered why they always seemed to have a bee in their bonnets.

I've been with my current GP surgery for about 10 years and the staff turn over is quite high but they seem to be quite nice.

I was in a very busy city before with horrifically high heroin issues and now I'm a quiet, small town with lots of elderly people so perhaps that's why.

Good point, I live on the outskirts of my city,my area is a little dodgy,which might explain why mine are so hostile!

The ones at our surgery are amazing. I do think it's a culture thing and I suppose self fulfilling, I phone expecting someone to be nice and friendly so I'm relaxed and calm and it all runs smoothly. I've heard them
dealing with more difficult patients though with the same level of calm politeness.
At our last surgery the lead receptionist was a bit of a dragon but was definitely on your side particularly if you got to know her.

I think the stereotype is not without foundation, but the staff at my surgery are fine. There’s one lady who’s called me a couple of times who is particularly warm and it always takes me be surprise.

I once had one yell across the waiting room at me. "Your smears overdue, do you want to book another one". There was only one other person waiting - dd's deputy headmaster. I was incandescent when I reached the Dr who apologised profusely.

Ive had mixed experiences. In an inner city location with lots of nearby deprived areas the receptionists were very blunt and clearly harassed (although from the behaviour I witnessed in the waiting room I could see why and you couldn’t pay me any amount of money to have their jobs). In a student area, the receptionists were also quite curt (used to unreliable students I guess), in my current practice in the suburbs in an area with mainly homeowners and lots of families they are nice and helpful - I can always get a same day appointment with a GP so I guess they are not very overworked.

The receptionists at my current surgery are professional and helpful. At a previous surgery one wasn’t pleasant, but I think she just wasn’t a very nice person. It wasn’t anything to do with her being a receptionist.
TBH I felt a bit sorry sorry for her being so grumpy. She can’t have enjoyed her role and I wondered why she had chosen it.

I think you've been unlucky. I akso think it must be a very difficult job.

I've always found dentist receptionists to be really horrible. The two in our practice take rudeness to a new level.