To tell doctors receptionist I was correct in what I said.

[ponyexpress22]

A while ago we had a letter through the post informing us that our GP was resigning. We were given a list of 3 gps who we could apply to. However none of them were taking on new patients so we got assigned one.

When I phoned up to make contact with new one I mentioned that our old doctor had resigned. She answered me very harshly and said "he's retired not resigned." It was like she thought I was implying something distasteful? I apologized and said "sorry I meant retired". So when I got home I reread the letter and I was right. It did say "resigned". Why was she insistent that he'd retired, and should I just forget it? Sorry if it seems trivial. Aibu?

The signatory on a letter like that isn't always reflective of who wrote it. Or the receptionist might have been responsible for sending the info for that particular practice through to community healthcare .

@ponyexpress22

Doctor only mid fifties I'd say. I was so upset, he was so lovely.

We had a lovely one that got to retire at 56, right before the pandemic.

I’m sure someone told me that they (or did at the time they qualified) only have to do 30 years before they can get their pension.

Forget it op, I know people say receptionists are a certain breed but the stuff I’ve seen ours put up with I will forgive them for having an off day.

@ponyexpress22

But the letter didn't come off the receptionist. It was off the community healthcare.

She's probably fed up of people speculating why he is supposedly resigning and her default answer is now to respond with he isn't, he's retiring.

There's honestly no way if he is resigning they would tell all his patients via letter, it's madness to think that's actually what is happening.

You seem very invested in this OP. To be upset that a GP is leaving. It really would not register on most people's radar.
What does it matter really?

I mean, if I knew that the person holding up the call queue when I finally got to number 2 from 37, was phoning to complain about wording on a letter about a GP that doesn’t work there anymore, I’d be pretty irate. Infact, I think my head would explode. Don’t waste people’s time with this.

While I fully sympathise with your wanting the record to be put straight, I really have learned that it's not worth giving something like this any headspace at all.

What do they say in Frozen 'let it go'.

Some years ago we received a letter saying our GP was resigning. It came out later that he had been struck off the medical register for fraud. He had been paid to take part in 3 medical trials and had not done the necessary work and had forged the results.

I'm not suggesting anything like this for your GP but maybe the receptionist associates resigning with something unsavoury.

why does it matter?

@Buddywoo

Some years ago we received a letter saying our GP was resigning. It came out later that he had been struck off the medical register for fraud. He had been paid to take part in 3 medical trials and had not done the necessary work and had forged the results.

I'm not suggesting anything like this for your GP but maybe the receptionist associates resigning with something unsavoury.

I really want to know if it's the same as the one @Popitdontstopit mentioned in their post

Probably riding him

I can understand how you feel, op. If these type of people are never pulled up about their snotty behaviour it's no wonder it flourishes.

I remember reading an article years ago by a practicing GP who said that nasty receptionists are there because that's the type the GP's want and they're fully on board with it.

It doesn't matter OP. People could be constantly mentioning it and she got irritated or shes irritated they've been forced to take on a chunk of people when things are so stretched.

Let it go.

It was a typo in the letter that she might not even be aware of. Saying he's resigned might have triggered anxiety about behind-the-scenes politics that you're not aware of (in fact that might have prompted the typo in the first place!). Alternatively, "resigned" can be a loaded term in the medical world (malpractice etc).

Definitely one to forget about, unless you want the satisfaction of running into the surgery waving the letter at her, with the offending word underlined three times in red ink!

Mid fifties is a decent stint for a GP. Their pension pots can also get too full resulting in large tax bills so he’s probably retired. However I would try not to let this matter detain your thoughts any longer .

I wouldn't worry, OP. It's possible the receptionist knew the old GP or worked for them or feels some 'corporate' responsibility. We've seen a local practice hand back their contract and close down and it may be the letter was reflecting that or some other event as 'resigning'. I hope you develop a good relationship with your new practice and don't worry about the receptionist being wrong.

But this receptionist has nothing to do with the GP who's retired. She wasn't HIS receptionist. But over concerned about a doctor from another practice...... and maybe thinks me saying "resigning" was hinting at some kind of scandal? which I'd never thought for one minute btw. I realise I'm sounding a bit too bothered by it all. I should just forget it shouldn't I.

I would try to forget it.

Maybe resigned was a typo and should have said retired. Maybe the receptionist has had a lot of patients asking why the GP’s resigned and that’s why she was snapping at you.

But the receptionist has probably already forgotten your conversation.
Contacting her again to point out that the letter says “resigned” is far more likely to get you off on the wrong foot than just leaving it would.

Sorry Zilla cross post. You could be right there.

YABU to revisit it with her, it would be pointless.

YANBU to be insanely irritated by the receptionist. I have to meditate before speaking to most of ours. We are always being asked to 'be kind' to them, but some of them are so rude.

I now just stare very disapprovingly at them when they are rude to me, like Paddington Bear. That at least makes me feel better inside without getting me blacklisted.

I should just forget it shouldn't I.

Yes. There's nothing to be gained by correcting the receptionist or overthinking it.

Maybe she typed the letter in the first place incorrectly and is getting annoyed that the error is haunting her 😂😂😂

I should just forget it shouldn't I
Yes, what do you hope to gain by correcting her for correcting you? Why is it so important to be right about this totally irrelevant thing?

The letter was probably wrong tbh.

No, don't let it go, phone them up and put them straight because that isn't wasting anybody's time at all, least of all your own.

I should just forget it shouldn't I.

Honestly yes you should it's really such an odd thing to be so hyper focused on.

Realistically even if the letter says he's reigning it's much more likely it's an error in the letter and he is indeed retiring so technically the receptionist would still be in the right.

Even though she's not his receptionist she's still probably thoroughly frustrated at having to continually correct people enquiring about his resignation and she's probably reached the end of her tether.