AIBU, to feel sorry for Dr receptionists?

[DUFFDADDY1]

Hello. I am waiting in a Dr surgery as I write this . Previously I have been frustrated with surgery reception staff finding them rude , uncaring , and generally unhelpful!
Although as I sit her with the constant phone calls, the repeated explanation " sorry I can't help you , repeated to the same caller, it's x department you should call , I feel a slight guilt that it's possibly more me wanting answers immediately , and thinking I am the only one with an illness.
AIBU

Its part of being a receptionist in any job. I have never met a friendly receptionist in a GPs and any that do start friendly either turn or leave. My attitude to them doesn't change, I've nevee been rude to them so I dont see why they have to be so ignorant tbh

The receptionists at my GP surgery have a professional manner; they're not curt, rude or abrupt and definitely not 'ignorant'.

YANBU. I work out of a GP surgery and the abuse they get is awful. Their jobs have significantly changed too so that now they are not allowed to book some stuff that they used to and patients abuse them. Not all and not the majority but some.

The ones I work with do their utmost to help people but sometimes they get awful abuse for it.

Nope I'm a pharmacist and feel for them too Not only do they have to field calls from the public but from different pharmacies when the prescription dose is unclear or just plain wrong. Most surgeries don't have a special line for hcp so I cam get straight to a dr or nuse to discuss what is wrong with a prescription or inappropriate prescribing. They are constantly berated on here for asking why you are calling but triaging is part of their job, you can of course refuse to say what the issue is but be prepared to go to the bottom of the pile. They too have been hit by staff sickness due to covid, being so short staffed you either answer the phone or just don't get any other work done. Part of the problem is joe public just thinks they answer the phone and book appointments, there a lot more to it. Some people also take it very personally if they can't get a same day appointment but that is not the receptionists fault they aren't deliberately stopping you from getting an appointment but working in a system that is not for for purpose.

I'd say no one should be abused for simply doing their job, it's unacceptable. However some receptionists (not just in GPS) can be horrendous. I called my GP and was spoken down to like I was absolute dirt, I was mortified and genuinely upset. I rang back to complain and got told "oh she's had a bad day", which is fine but I can't be rude to people at my job no matter how bad my day is!

No, its there job

I’m a GP and am lucky to work with a fantastic team of receptionists. They are kind and helpful, but having to tolerate a significant amount of abuse from and rudeness from a small number of patients. Have experienced this first hand a few times when I’ve been in reception taking down forms/scripts etc and have helped out with queries at the front desk. Some people have come in with aggressive attitudes and been very demanding about things like requesting a late prescription, for example. I have been able to sort it there and then (being able to issue and sign the script) and when they’ve realised they’re speaking to a doctor instead they’re suddenly as sweet as pie

Thank you OP!

It has got even tougher over the last 2 years, everyone is more anxious, and fuses are shorter.

Having said that, I've met appalling medical receptionists and secretaries, and it makes me so angry. Interestingly, they always seem to work for doctors I wouldn't work for in a million years.

I've been at 4 practices in the last few years. The receptionists have been pleasant and polite without fail. They have a difficult job which has become almost impossible in the last 2 years.

Last time I was at the GP for blood tests the receptionist was sat at the desk eating his salad - very unprofessional .

@Cas112 it's their job? Would you say the same to anyone being abused by a member of the public when at work?

I once rang 30 patients to explain that the surgeon had to cancel a whole day of patients because, when he was on call, he ended up operating on a child all day. He had already done 8 hours, taken a break and was already 5 hours into the second procedure. This was an emergency admission.

29 patients were absolutely lovely, very kind, and probably just grateful it wasn't their child.

One man took the time to come in to the hospital, and stood over me screaming in my face.

Someone in the next office had called security because she heard shouting through the wall, and honestly, if the guard hadn't arrived I'm not sure what would've happened.

Did I deserve that? Was that just part of my job?

My gps receptionists are all lovely. I own my mistakes ie late booking for a routine injection and i think this helps. I dont fight them when they ask whats up its not their fault, and tbh i doubt they are interested just something they are required to ask. I dont get the hate they are only people doing a job.

Ours are mixed. It doesn't help that some assume when something has gone wrong that it is always the patients fault when no, their prescription team has made a mistake again.

@Floralnomad

Last time I was at the GP for blood tests the receptionist was sat at the desk eating his salad - very unprofessional .

Maybe they couldn't get a lunch hour and were having to continuously staff the desk...

The receptionists at my old surgery were objectively terrible.
They often ignore letters from consultants and wait for patients to call and ask for them to be looked at. But apparently it's not ignoring they just don't look at them.
They've cancelled my appointments and blood tests without telling me, they use a text message service when you book and a reminder the day before but couldn't send one out to tell me it was cancelled.
The final straw was being told that I don't need my insulin! I don't expect all GP surgery staff to have intimate knowledge of all medical conditions but knowing that type 1 diabetics need insulin is pretty basic.
I always tried to be polite and calm but the last one was the final straw and I did shout.

[quote lborgia]@Cas112 it's their job? Would you say the same to anyone being abused by a member of the public when at work?

I once rang 30 patients to explain that the surgeon had to cancel a whole day of patients because, when he was on call, he ended up operating on a child all day. He had already done 8 hours, taken a break and was already 5 hours into the second procedure. This was an emergency admission.

29 patients were absolutely lovely, very kind, and probably just grateful it wasn't their child.

One man took the time to come in to the hospital, and stood over me screaming in my face.

Someone in the next office had called security because she heard shouting through the wall, and honestly, if the guard hadn't arrived I'm not sure what would've happened.

Did I deserve that? Was that just part of my job?[/quote]
Sorry can you just show me the part where I say abuse is part of there job love?

I'm replying to sorry I can't help you , repeated to the same caller, it's x department you should call which is literally part of there job

The receptionists at my surgery are absolutely brilliant: empathetic when appropriate; patient; kind and not at all like the officious ones I've come across in the past.

However, the doctors at the surgery are the same and I think it's a conscious decision that they all want to create a caring practice.

All throughout the pandemic it's been easy to get access to a doctor and seen in person whenever necessary.

@Floralnomad

Last time I was at the GP for blood tests the receptionist was sat at the desk eating his salad - very unprofessional .

Why would you care about that? They decided to answer calls whilst having lunch to ensure people were dealt with quicker. I have no idea how that's unprofessional.

They often ignore letters from consultants and wait for patients to call and ask for them to be looked at. But apparently it's not ignoring they just don't look at them.

This is nothing to do with the receptionist - I don't dispute that they may have been crap in many ways but this isn't their fault/job/remit.

I was a receptionist in the good old days when people weren't so demanding and workload was more manageable. I have also been a practice manager (10 years). There are rubbish receptionists as with any job and practics aren't always good at managing that. There are also alot of really good ones who get worn down and leave because of the constant abuse they get about things which they have absolutely no control over.

I have been told by someone that they hope I had a terrible accident on my way home, that I shouldn't be in charge if I couldn't take abuse on the chin, that it would be my fault if they/their Mum/their child died. I have had full sample pots thrown at me and have been walking through a waiting room as patient pickked up a chair and smashed it against the wall.

It's a shit job and they don't get paid enough.

I think the same , I am always very polite to the receptionist as it gets you further . Face it who is going to rush a prescription through and get a doctor to sign it quicker ? Are they going to do that for an abusive patient!
That said I am nice to everybody, sometimes too nice.

I feel for the nice and helpful receptionists definately. I do not feel for the rude male receptionist in my surgery. His attitude is appalling even to very polite patients, he is so unapproachable and everything is a major bother for him; he is certainly in the wrong job.

@Cas112 - easy error, given that you didn't include a quote. How on earth would I know what you were referring to?

Now I've gone back and seen your reference I have another question. If a patient keeps asking for help with something that isn't something the receptionist / her dept can help with, how is THAT their job?

Oh, and thank you for the "love", but you'll find it easier to patronise someone if your sentences make sense.

I called about my suicidal son once and the receptionist actually made me breathe deeply and spoke in such a kind, humane way with me that I will be forever grateful to her. She saved my heart that day. I don't even know who she was and I have never met her, but she made me realise the difference a small thing can make.

Thank you anonymous GP receptionist. Thank you so much.

Mine was fathered by Satan. She's really angry and the nicer you are her the nastier she becomes.