To ask if you are a gp receptionist or used to be one

[BrownEyedGirl80]

What was the worst thing you had to deal with?
I don't think many people appreciate that it's not just answering the phone and can be a very mentally exhausting job at times.
I was one for 7 years,the worst thing was a man approaching the desk with a handful of empty medication capsules.He had overdosed.I had to.press the emergency button to alert the Gps and he was was blue lighted to a&e.I also took a phonecall from a woman who had overdosed and was in hotel room.

@Papergirl1968

Part time - the only downside being the morning shift starts at 7.45am, and the afternoon shifts don't finish till 6.30. Great training so far. And shifts do go quickly. I think once I've learned the ropes, I'll really enjoy it, and the staff seem very fond of the majority of the patients. The team are really lovely which is a big positive.

Thank you What size surgery? May I ask the pay? How many shifts do you do a week? What breaks do you have on those hours?

@Papergirl1968

Sorry if you think I’m nosy!
Just that similar hours to what I’ve been offered
And didn’t want to ask about breaks!

If started at 7.45-1.30 when do you have lunch
And if doing 1-6.30pm - when do you have a break?

Have you found training hard? How long does it last?

TIA

Egghead I used to work in a doctors many moons ago. If I had your morning shift you'd take lunch at 1.30 when you finish! So either drive home or have something with you. It saves you having an (unpaid) lunch hour within your shift- so less time at work overall.

We didn't have set breaks but went to go and get a cup of tea/go to the loo as and when. I wasn't on front reception though. I think those 2 would check with each other so someone always there.

Not gp surgery but a&e reception. Regularly called a bitch or c**t!

@Motherof3dogs

Not gp surgery but a&e reception. Regularly called a bitch or c**t!

But otherwise enjoy? Chalked bed? Not bored?

My mum is one, worked in different practices of different sizes. The level of abuse is absolutely unreal. Combined with the staffing pressures (mostly because people can’t cope with the abuse!) and some crappy management, she’s at breaking point.

She’s been spat at and assaulted verbally. On a good day, people are just hostile and rude. On bad day, its personal insults and threats. Honestly, it infuriates me when people slag receptionists off.

*assaulted physically

@Egghead81

Can be boring, I left because I lost empathy for the the rude, ignorant and timewasters. However you are taught that people react differently when in pain or scared. Trouble is that doesn't apply to a lot of aggressive parents or people who've come to a&e because they've drunk 3 energy drinks and feel a bit dizzy

[quote Motherof3dogs]@Egghead81

Can be boring, I left because I lost empathy for the the rude, ignorant and timewasters. However you are taught that people react differently when in pain or scared. Trouble is that doesn't apply to a lot of aggressive parents or people who've come to a&e because they've drunk 3 energy drinks and feel a bit dizzy [/quote]
Unlikely to be too frequent at semi rural gp surgery!

You'll probably really enjoy it and get to know the regulars.

No worries, Egghead.
There are just under 3,000 patients. Two GPs, two practice nurses and a healthcare assistant.
I do three shifts a week of five and a half hours, so 16 and a half per week. The salary is £9.17 an hour, i think. One of my colleagues was telling me however that because we're employed by the surgery, not the NHS as such, they got a five per cent pay rise last year, when the NHS only gave one per cent.
No lunch break or official breaks but you can go to get a drink - free tea and coffee - or go to the toilet whenever you need to. They don't mind us snacking at the desk - there always seems to be boxes of biscuits etc, brought in my grateful patients, I assume.
The training was elearning which took up most of the first week covering data protection, safeguarding, diversity, fire safety, chaperoning etc. It wasn't hard. A bit boring but necessary. There is a little test afterwards, which you have to pass, but just note down the answers to the questions you get wrong in case you have to retake it.
Now I'm doing on the job training - shadowing my colleague whose job I'll be doing while she's on maternity leave, learning how to book and cancel appointments, update records, what to do when a patient dies, etc. I take patients'temperatures when they arrive, take prescriptions out to them if the pharmacists are busy, do the shredding etc. Not sure how long the shadowing will last - till I know more or less what I'm doing, I guess!

@Papergirl1968

No worries, Egghead. There are just under 3,000 patients. Two GPs, two practice nurses and a healthcare assistant. I do three shifts a week of five and a half hours, so 16 and a half per week. The salary is £9.17 an hour, i think. One of my colleagues was telling me however that because we're employed by the surgery, not the NHS as such, they got a five per cent pay rise last year, when the NHS only gave one per cent. No lunch break or official breaks but you can go to get a drink - free tea and coffee - or go to the toilet whenever you need to. They don't mind us snacking at the desk - there always seems to be boxes of biscuits etc, brought in my grateful patients, I assume. The training was elearning which took up most of the first week covering data protection, safeguarding, diversity, fire safety, chaperoning etc. It wasn't hard. A bit boring but necessary. There is a little test afterwards, which you have to pass, but just note down the answers to the questions you get wrong in case you have to retake it. Now I'm doing on the job training - shadowing my colleague whose job I'll be doing while she's on maternity leave, learning how to book and cancel appointments, update records, what to do when a patient dies, etc. I take patients'temperatures when they arrive, take prescriptions out to them if the pharmacists are busy, do the shredding etc. Not sure how long the shadowing will last - till I know more or less what I'm doing, I guess!

That’s a brilliant response Thank you

How do you feel at end of shift?
Three shifts - do you feel like still lots of the week left to do other stuff or in the afternoons are you quite dead after being so busy?
Do you prefer morning or afternoon shifts?
Are you enjoying it? Do you think busy and interesting twiddling thumbs sometimes ?

Thank you!

This one has 6.5 thousand patients though

I am tired at the end of a shift. Because there's only one chair for the reception desk, which is too high to use a normal chair with, and I can hardly kick the pregnant colleague off it. I was given a stool today but that was bloody uncomfortable. I think it will be better when I'm on my own and in the proper chair though.
The afternoons can be quiet, especially after 5pm. It's a bit early to say if I like mornings or afternoons better but Monday mornings are busy, with the phone going constantly. Personally, I thought this week that once my morning shift was over, I'd got the rest of the day free, whereas the afternoon shifts give me a lie in, but I feel like I'm constantly watching the clock to make sure I'm not late for work. Swings and roundabouts, I guess.
I don't know how to link a thread but there is one trending called From GP Practice Managers which has a YouTube video about the abuse staff have to put up with.

Reading these stories might explain some of the awful experiences people complain of having with GP receptionists being rude! It sounds really tough.

Having said that I love our GP receptionist. She is lovely and I often see her out and about and she's so friendly.

I didnt/don't work in a gp surgery but I was second in the queue behind a man who wanted an appointment. Receptionist told him there weren't any gp's in the building but she could book him in for the next week. He walked out, annoyed. He came back in a few minutes later threatening to kill himself, jump off the bridge at the train station, if a gp wouldn't see him that day.

I’ve get shouted at probably every day, to one degree or another. I’ve been told if someone dies, that it’ll be my fault. I’ve been told someone will be waiting for me in the car park to stab me. I’ve had a man scream in my face because he was too late to his appointment to be seen. I could go on... On a much more minor level, I get talked to like I’m stupid or just shit on their shoe every day.
Believe it or not I actually enjoy my job. I like helping people and so many are so lovely, they make the bad apples much more bearable.

@Ughmaybenot

I’ve get shouted at probably every day, to one degree or another. I’ve been told if someone dies, that it’ll be my fault. I’ve been told someone will be waiting for me in the car park to stab me. I’ve had a man scream in my face because he was too late to his appointment to be seen. I could go on... On a much more minor level, I get talked to like I’m stupid or just shit on their shoe every day. Believe it or not I actually enjoy my job. I like helping people and so many are so lovely, they make the bad apples much more bearable.

Never dull at least

And I suppose that actually quite appeals to me

Thank you al for your responses, so helpful

Egghead you have asked the same question basically 15 times now 🤦🏼‍♀️

What question?

But appreciate your contribution!

I recently quit as a GP receptionist, it was a very stressful job for not very good pay.
I've had death threats, been physically assaulted, received suicide threats, threats to burn the practice down. The verbal abuse was pretty much daily, and included very graphic sexual harassment.
Apart from that, I loved it. It took me getting signed off by my own GP to realise this is not ok.

I'd forgotten the "it'll be your fault if I\they die then"

I do not work in a GP surgery but we work directly with them and one of our clients had a man come into the surgery and slit his wrists in the waiting room. Blood was everywhere, ended up on some of the other patients and several of the staff members ended up taking sick leave for stress after this.