I’m a GP receptionist and prepared to be honest about my job.

[TwistedSisterUK]

Hi all, as title says, I’m a Gp receptionist. After reading all the irate, insulting, rude and misinformed threads on here I have made this account!

Please feel free to ask me anything and I promise to answer honestly, even though my opinions and thoughts are likely to make me very unpopular here. I’m prepared for it , having read dozens of previous threads where we are called lazy, rude, power mad, bitches and more…..

I have done this job for 12 years, it’s hard work but can be at times extremely rewarding . I work with a great team. My opinions are only about my job, my day to day dealing at the surgery I work in.

First of all, to the ppl who think we just answer phones and ask patients to please take a seat - I wish!! Lol.

I deal with chemists, pharmacists,hospital secretaries, emails, post, 100s of clinical letters and test reports, arrange all referrals, do all test requests, type all clinicians letters, new patient files are refilled, files from patients leaving must be found and returned, clinical letters received are scanned , coded and actioned, translators requests, letters to be typed up and patients to be called to arrange reviews, Imms,smears etc, the loaning out of medical equipment - there’s lots more but hopefully you are getting the idea that my job involves far more than answering the odd call.

So, the bits you, the patients see and hear are a small bit of my job.

I have to go out today but will be happy to answer any questions any of you may have but I’ll start the ball rolling here about the “ magically appearing appointments “.

I read a lot of complaints here that you call and there are no appointments….then….lo and behold,….after more conversation an appointment is found! This is because I can put it down as an urgent call. If it is NOT an urgent call I will be reprimanded by my manager and if this continues I would possibly lose my job.

I am simply not allowed to continually add more and more patients to be added as “ extras” They are called extras as there genuinely are no appointments left.

When I return I’ll move on to the why we ask the reason for your call! Please be assured I do not think myself in anyway medically trained nor do I even like asking - I have to ask - it’s my job.

I promise any questions or comments will be answered in all honesty! I’m wearing my hard hat…..lol

[throughtheair]

people were always rude and that is what she expected with every call

This I think is the problem. GP receptionists obviously deal with a lot of abuse, patients are scared or frustrated or perhaps just rude, and some of them are unable to treat every patient as a fresh slate.

The receptionists at my surgery are absolutely lovely, which is in real contrast to previous surgeries where I've been routinely spoken to like crap for no reason whatsoever. I think it takes a particular skill to treat every patient individually and it's obviously something a lot of people find hard to do, and they aren't suited to the role.

[RagzRebooted]

@StripeyDeckchair

Why is everything so antiquated? Is it lack of funds or what?
I had a day off last week & called in to my GP to request a repeat prescription. They wouldn't let me into the building so I had to yell through the door mechanism and then told me I had to write in with my request.
Write in! Can't email or phone I have to write. Which means it doesn't get done for days, because I work FT & now have to write the letter & make a trip to deliver it I've now run out of my prescription.

This definitely varies a lot. My own surgery are similar, has to be in writing and refused my asthmatic son inhalers as I couldn't get in to give them a written request, they said it was a rule and they absolutely were not allowed to take verbal requests. The surgery I work at do it all the time and would bend over backwards to make sure no one is without essential medication. The glaring differences between my own surgery and the one I work at make it really difficult for me to accept their excuses! Not the receptionist's fault, they do what they are told they are able to.

[janj2301]

I handed my notice in in Feb, can't take the abuse and entitlement from patients anymore. No other job to go to (I am 70) so am staying until they find a replacement. I was absolutle amazed at the patients who never collect their blood or urine tests or their referral or never turn up to hospital appoinments we've arranged for them SO MUCH WASTE I used to think it was all the hospital managers but I now see lots of it is patients at GP level.

[Papayamya]

The GP receptionists here are fantastic, no complaints here- what's abundantly clear is the disparity between GP surgeries in this country (none of which is the fault of the receptionists). Thank you for the work you do, although the rude comments stick with you I'm sure you've helped far far more and they are thankful for your work.

[MariaOnCorrie]

What are GPs actually doing right now if they are not seeing all the patients they used to?

[catsoop]

@HumunaHey

I have no problem with the receptionists at my surgery. They're professional and quite friendly.

My gripe is at things that they don't control. At our surgery, you can only get an appointment on the day you call. This means, alot of the time, you are unsuccessful at getting an appointment at all. You either call first thing in the morning and wait in a queue for hours on end. I was number 48 in the queue once! Or you call an hour or two after opening only for all the appointments for the day to be gone.

I understand the obvious problem there would be with booking appointments days in advance, but it would be very useful to just let it spill over for a day or half a day. E.g. calling at 1pm on Monday and being able to get an appointment for 10am the next day.

Does your surgery only allow appointments to be booked on the day? If so, why?

This is hilarious!!

You've certainly found your destiny.

[Itsbackagain]

I've been a witness to the abuse all receptionists take - medical or not and 100% they do and ask what their bosses tell them to. You all do a fabulous job. There will of course always be exceptions but on the whole - you're all fab and thank you!

[Qazwsxefv]

Verbal meds requests usually not allowed patients have been harmed or drs have been sued due to getting them wrong - either the patient misspoke or the receptions misheard but harm has occurred/people have sued. There is no evidence trail.

Written requests reduce errors and so are usually preferred. However this isn’t a full letter needed - you can tick on the back of your repay slip/write on a notepaper and you can order online using the nhs app and most pharmacies offer a repeat ordering service. Many surgeries will if asked also allow phone ordering in certain circumstances- a blind housebound patient for example and would be open to challenge under disability legislation if they didn’t

[LaChanticleer]

I’ve never had anything but kindness and helpfulness from my GP practice reception people. I’m always polite and try to be cheerful, and they are always lovely.

Thank you for everything you do.

I’d also like to stick up for practice nurses - one once pretty much saved my health and happiness, just by noticing me and what was going on.

[ThisIsNotThePostYourLookingFor]

I used to work in the out of hours so I completely sympathise. Some of the public are shockingly rude. They honestly believe GP’s sit there and hide away without realising the amount of work GP’s and their practice staff actually do.

[ivykaty44]

I have been with two surgeries in the last 15 years, I was unhappy about having to leave my last surgery as the reception staff were so beardy brilliant, kind and incredibly helpful.

Fortunately I have fund the same so far at my new surgery, they are so lovely on the phone and helpful. One lady receptionist actually cried when the district nurses phoned to tell them about the death of a family member of ours. They do have feeling and must deal with so much distress.

I don't know where all these people go to tat find them unhelpful and power mad bitches?

[EgonSpengler2020]

What is your practices policy regarding receptionist making clinical triage decisions and how do you square that with the fact that anywhere else in the NHS staff making these decisions will be registered HCPs, accountable for their actions, or working to a strict script (Ambulance call takers and 111 operatives) and regularly audited?

What safety measures, accountability and auditing are in place to ensure GP receptionists aren't making grave mistakes?

[tribpot]

There were 26.9 million appointments in general practice in January 2022 (stats here) - 1.2 million were Covid vaccine appointments but GPs are continuing to have appointments with patients, as they have throughout the pandemic. There were 15.4 million face-to-face appointments in January and 9.1 million phone appointments. Dashboard here.

So that's what GPs are actually doing right now.

[Gonnagetgoing]

You do a great job!

For 5 years I was a legal secretary and receptionist so know to some extent how general public can be which is appalling.

I was actually years ago a temp GP receptionist on a council estate in Vauxhall which involved handing out formula milk and condoms which I think the men loved to see a young woman (21) doing (me) to try to see me embarrassed!

[Gonnagetgoing]

The current receptionists at my practice are great. I can ring up in the morning at 8am to get a same day appointment but most people seem to be polite with them.

Staff turnover can be high though unsurprisingly.

[LabiaMinoraPissusFlapus]

The receptionists at my GP surgery are very good. They are polite and very conscientious. Some of the other staff there are less great unfortunately (some of the doctors and nurses).

[SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound]

The receptionists at my practice are absolutely lovely. They’ve been so kind recently, I’m bringing them a big box of sweets the next time I go. They’ve made a horrible time a bit easier.

[Riverlee]

I work in admin in a gp’s surgery. Whenever we have new members of non-clinical staff, they are amazed how much goes on behind the scenes - scanning documents on, registering new patients, inputting data from letters, sending out medication review reminders, writing referral letters etc. Gp receptionists et al DO NOT just answer the telephone and book appointments!

[Boorfi]

@EgonSpengler2020

What is your practices policy regarding receptionist making clinical triage decisions and how do you square that with the fact that anywhere else in the NHS staff making these decisions will be registered HCPs, accountable for their actions, or working to a strict script (Ambulance call takers and 111 operatives) and regularly audited?

What safety measures, accountability and auditing are in place to ensure GP receptionists aren't making grave mistakes?

Exactly this!

[MervynGothic]

Thanks for doing a very difficult job.

And now you’ve reminded me of “We’re Not Going To Take It” so I’ve added that today’s playlist. ✅

[Riverlee]

@MariaOnCorrie

What are GPs actually doing right now if they are not seeing all the patients they used to?

In the surgery I work at, gps (and advanced nurse practitioners) do a mixture of face to face and telephone calls.

[ChuckGarabedian]

Personally I find the receptionists at my GP surgery lovely and very helpful. Sometimes hard to get through on the phone, but that’s not their fault.

[Mellowyellow222]

The receptionists at my gp surgery are wonderful. Caring and professional.

It must be such a hard job, and I am sure you take a lot of abuse.

[PinkiOcelot]

@UmbilicusProfundus

Your GPs should be using autotranscription software. Waste of time to be typing letters surely?

The auto transcription software I have come across is absolutely crap. Spent more time going over and correcting the errors. Quicker to type from scratch.

OP I know how your job is, I used to be a receptionist many moons ago. I don’t have a problem with the receptionists at my surgery and have never and would never be rude. My only gripe is the length of time it takes to get through. I can be only hold going through the queue for anything up to 50 minutes, which is ridiculous. That’s my surgery though and I think they should sort this out.

[Helendee]

I joined a new practice a few years ago and in my first visit, not knowing how everything operated, committed the unforgivable sin of queuing the wrong way. The receptionist shouted at me “Are you stupid or something?”
I walked out and never returned.