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?

@CherryBlossomTree7 I had a call just before Christmas from the really rude one at ours and she said "the doctor says you need a medication review. 10.50 on Friday but it won't be at 10.50, it'll be any time that morning. Bye." I had no chance to say that really wasn't a great day for me as it was the last day of term and I'd be running around doing school drop offs and pick ups at lunchtime and had to do a food shop in between- and a Dr appointment is something you need to have peace and quiet and privacy for, not something you want to do walking to school or in the middle of a supermarket! As it happened, she phoned as soon as I was home from the school drop off, but still, I didn't like the receptionist's attitude!

I should add it was a phone appointment!

Same, every single one has always been unhelpful, rude and often you get different information depending on which one you get which drives me mad. Definitely act like guardians of the NHS. I get they are busy but they seem to aim to make it all more difficult. I’m glad I rarely have to speak to them now because of the app my dr uses.

Too many patients who are demanding, entitled and plain rude.

I've seen receptionists acting quite rudely to patients showing impatience and entitlement turn I to lovely people when speaking to a polite and pleasant patient.

Thinking about it, I've never had this problem with admin or medical staff in hospitals. Any time I've had to rearrange an appointment or ask a question, I've been helped and never been made to feel like a time waster. I was in A&E with my child this week (24 hours after the earlier mentioned refusal from the GP's receptionist), and the receptionist there was a helpful and patient woman, and surely they're under as much stress as any other NHS receptionist.

I think they have to deal with a lot of crap. That said, mine is lovely.

IKWYM but they're generally very good at my current GP practice.

Having said that, there was an occasion about two years ago when I needed an urgent appointment and although the receptionist I spoke to said the GP would ring me it didn't happen, despite my ringing several more times during the day (politely, I might add) to try to get things sorted.

Eventually I managed to find an email address for the practice because they'd once sent me something, and wrote in about 5pm FAO the doctors to explain the whole saga and tell them I couldn't get past reception. I heard from them very quickly then, and the doctors were horrified. One even rang me the following day to see whether I wanted to make a complaint (I didn't).

So sometimes I think GPs don't actually realise how bad it can be trying to deal with an awkward receptionist.

Most of the receptionists at my surgery are helpful and professional. I’ve had the odd one or two over the years that have been abrupt and borderline rude, but the majority have been fine.

My bugbears have been the waiting time to get through on the phone (an hour), no actual time given now for a phone consultation, and the utter crap IT systems. Since Covid, they have had 3 different systems to explain why you need to see a doctor. Not to book an appointment, just to submit info. You then get a text if you need to speak to someone. They can call you anytime, and there’s no point in calling back if you’re in the loo and miss a call.... you can’t get through. Very frustrating, and it must be for the reception staff as well. You go through yet another system to request repeat prescriptions.

Many GP practices have huge numbers of people on their books, and not enough appointments. And many people are rude to staff, as I well know as frontline NHS.

There is one doctor I have now refused to see, as I have always felt he was dismissive, rude and obnoxious. The others are fine, desperately busy, and trying to give good care in a bad situation. I don’t think anyone goes to work to do a shit job, no matter whom they are.

I saw one GP as I’d noticed an exacerbation of my C-PTSD symptoms, and wanted to see a CPN, before my work suffered. He asked my why I had PTSD, so explained that I had previously left an abusive relationship. He looked at me severely, and told me that this was my own fault, as I should stay away from my ex and not keep going back. I advised him that I’d left 4 years before, and had no contact with him since. I also pointed to his screen , where there was a ‘sticky note’ on my notes, explaining my whole situation. He got a whole lot nicer at that point, but recounting everything made me tearful.
I always send thank you cards or notes if an issue has been particularly well handled, as I know from experience that something nice can really help on a crap day!

There's dickheads in every profession and every walk of life.

I'm polite to everyone initially. On the rare occasion it's a dickhead they get treated accordingly.

I worked in one for 6 months. Horrible patients, crap money and difficult Drs to deal with. Awful !

Ours are always awful, I actually thought they all went to a special training school to be obnoxious.

@Ughmaybenot - yes, definitely we do more than 'just' answer phones like you say... Tasks,docman, Edn's, scanning, emails, econsults, post, the list goes on .
@Stovetopespresso - thank you. That's very kind of you although I'm sure many of the patients don't think I'm 'lovely ' when I can't give them what they want!
It's sad to read so many encounter rude receptionists but we're not all like that, honest!

@Suedo I think you might work with me. Sounds exactly like the practice I'm at!

That is really shocking to read, @suedo. Grim.

I go to a small village surgery, the receptionists are fantastic, always cheerful and welcoming but I don't think they have a lot of trouble to deal with, surgery used to be twice a day no appointment needed in the morning, you just sat and waited your turn (granted I have had over an hour wait in the past but other times there was no one waiting and I got straight in) Covid means that is all appointment now but saying that I've never had any difficulty getting a same day appointment, or phone appointment or if I wanted a specific date, time or doctor that's always happened.

Mine are lovely and always really helpful.

Our current practice, at the moment, has lovely receptionists. My last GP’s practice up north had really awful receptionists which used to put me off going. This used to bother me quite a bit because serious conditions were at risk of being ignored until it was too late.
You have my sympathy. I hope you find a satisfactory GP surgery but when you do you should maybe report the first one.

Ours our lovely. Recently one was very rude but I guess she was having a bad day, she’s human. It must be a really stressful job with not much thanks.

Have you put in a complaint about your situation or contacted PALS?

Hmm...medical and school receptionists.

Seems worth noting that the jobs that attract so much in the way of insults and criticism just happen to be ones that are almost always those done by women and are ones where they have undoubtedly been given instructions to carry out by people who earn significantly more than them. Particularly in terms of the complaints that they're uppity, need to know their place, etc.

The receptionists at mine are nice enough.

I don't know why either, but it's true - or at least in a ratio like this:

Officious and rude - 90%
Indifferent and unhelpful - 8%
Absolutely lovely - 2%

I had cause to complain about some advice wrongly given and took the opportunity not to complain about the rudeness of reception staff there in general, but to point out that they have a shining ambassador parked there - curly black hair, called Rita. She's wonderful. The rest not so much.

I hope they told Rita that she was appreciated. I never mentioned the others at all.

Oh I totally agree op. Our are so rude. I have seen them being rude to so many vulnerable old people. Just simply unhelpful. I understand that it is a stressful job but people don't visit surgeries for fun they are old, unwell, vulnerable and imo bit of kindness would go a long way.

I used to work in a GP surgery and the first thing the lead receptionist told me was “I hope you have thick skin, you’ll need it working here”.

It was the worst 6 months of my life. The doctors were rude, the patients were rude and very entitled. I think I have a very pleasant manner and will always smile and be polite but it literally drained me being so nice to entitled dickheads. I was swore at, called stupid, had non-issue complaints made against me (one was for asking too many questions when they were literally to identify you e.g date of birth and address; and checking your contact details were correct). I had someone make threats at me saying they were going to wait for me to finish my shift and attack me in the car park. I’ve had someone launch a phone at my head, been spat on etc. You are expected to use common sense judgement to determine if you think someone has a genuine need of an emergency appointment but have no medical experience, and if we’re busy you have to tell people to go to A&E. I was also expected to act as security and move aggressive drug addicts or homeless people out of the waiting room.

The other receptionists laughed at me and told me I needed to toughen up if I wanted to work here and I could see why they were so hardened and blunt with people. Luckily I managed to get a job as a hospital outpatient receptionist afterwards and it’s so much better. You still get the odd dick head but my managers are very supportive and we have onsite security so people tend to behaviour themselves better here.