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

I have just remembered friends son 20 years ago. Fell of his bunk bed and bit through half of his tongue. It was really nasty.
Df dashed to the surgery and asked to see a gp quickly.
What is the emergency asked the receptionist.
My ds has bitten his tongue.
Receptionist starts to scoff, understandably.
Stick your tongue out Matthew.
Receptionist gets doctor immediately.
Tbf there wasn’t much gp could do. Tongues just have to heal naturally but df didn’t know this.

I have no complaints about the receptionists at my surgery, they’re always helpful.

@RosesAndHellebores

Oh yes and confidentiality. So often the GP receptionist has before now refused to allow me to change my daughter's appointment (ages 16-18) when she was at school and couldn’t use her phone (there was a note on her record giving her permission for this - cd only be checked when I said in that case the Dr would have a "no show" - but there is no compunction about bellowing my full name, date of birth and post code across the desk? Notwithstanding the number of occasions someone else's prescription has been folded into mine or their referral letter included with mine.

There seems to be a lot of hiding behind not doing things due to confidentiality but in practice a complete disregard for the patients' personal data.

My worst was going in to collect results for DD who had a needle stick injury at work and was unwell, terrified it was HIV. Receptionist not only announced to the waiting room that it was a HIV test she gave me the results, great it was negative. A week later we found out the results hadn't come back from the lab and got an apology for them being late. Fortunately it was still a negative.

How fortunate that DD hadn't decided to go out to celebrate and passed an infection on.

EgonSpengler2020 - really am running late now but had to reply before bolting to front door lol

I never make a clinical decision! That’s a fact.

The triage I do is just making sure patients are being booked it with clinician best suited to their needs.

A few examples:

I need a smear - practice nurse, drs don’t do them ( please remember, I’m talking about my surgery , I do not know about other surgeries )

I needs B12 - nurse

Asthma reviews etc - nurse

I want to discuss getting a coil - I’ll then book with the dr who does this - at my surgery only one dr does this.

My prescription hasn’t arrived - I’ll check it’s been sent to the chemist .if not I’ll order it - no matter what time of day it is. We ask that patients ring for prescriptions after 10.30 till 6 but it’s not set in stone, often ppl are needing to go to work, school runs, other appointments - plus, saves another call coming in at 10.30 lol

I want to check you have received letter from my consultant? I can do that…yep, it’s here. Would you like to discuss contents with a clinician? I’ll check who is dealing with this and book pt with correct clinician.

I have chest pains and struggling to breathe. I then put them on hold and call a GP , explain symptoms, patient name obviously(!) and GP makes the decision for either to be booked in or call 999. ( I then call back regularly to check in to make sure ambulance has been called and reiterate that please call me back if symptoms are worsening or if they are scared ). If symptoms are worsening or long delays with ambulance I’ll call ambulance service and ask for updates and keep them posted on seriousness of situation .

I make no clinical decision when triaging, just try to get patient in with person best able to deal with enquiry. Saves time and appointments!

I must add that I always ask “ May I ask what it is regarding or is it personal?” To make it easy to just say personal as is their right!

Every patient can ask for who they would like to see and say personal - it’s not my call to decide who they want to talk to if they prefer not to say.

All calls are recorded so if anybody did give incorrect advice or advice that they aren’t medically trained to give they would be traced!!

I’ll answer more of your questions later! Oh…somebody asked about wages…I promised to be honest - I’m on minimum wage. I’m free to look for a higher paid job but I’m there as I enjoy my job and do my best!

EgonSpengler2020 - really am running late now but had to reply before bolting to front door lol

I never make a clinical decision! That’s a fact.

The triage I do is just making sure patients are being booked it with clinician best suited to their needs.

A few examples:

I need a smear - practice nurse, drs don’t do them ( please remember, I’m talking about my surgery , I do not know about other surgeries )

I needs B12 - nurse

Asthma reviews etc - nurse

I want to discuss getting a coil - I’ll then book with the dr who does this - at my surgery only one dr does this.

My prescription hasn’t arrived - I’ll check it’s been sent to the chemist .if not I’ll order it - no matter what time of day it is. We ask that patients ring for prescriptions after 10.30 till 6 but it’s not set in stone, often ppl are needing to go to work, school runs, other appointments - plus, saves another call coming in at 10.30 lol

I want to check you have received letter from my consultant? I can do that…yep, it’s here. Would you like to discuss contents with a clinician? I’ll check who is dealing with this and book pt with correct clinician.

I have chest pains and struggling to breathe. I then put them on hold and call a GP , explain symptoms, patient name obviously(!) and GP makes the decision for either to be booked in or call 999. ( I then call back regularly to check in to make sure ambulance has been called and reiterate that please call me back if symptoms are worsening or if they are scared ). If symptoms are worsening or long delays with ambulance I’ll call ambulance service and ask for updates and keep them posted on seriousness of situation .

I make no clinical decision when triaging, just try to get patient in with person best able to deal with enquiry. Saves time and appointments!

I must add that I always ask “ May I ask what it is regarding or is it personal?” To make it easy to just say personal as is their right!

Every patient can ask for who they would like to see and say personal - it’s not my call to decide who they want to talk to if they prefer not to say.

All calls are recorded so if anybody did give incorrect advice or advice that they aren’t medically trained to give they would be traced!!

I’ll answer more of your questions later! Oh…somebody asked about wages…I promised to be honest - I’m on minimum wage. I’m free to look for a higher paid job but I’m there as I enjoy my job and do my best!

I know that GP receptionists have a bad reputation, but the fact remains that a lot of us have had really upsetting experiences with some of them. However, it seems you have all been tarred with the same brush.

The receptionist at my old surgery was an evil witch, with a face like a smacked arse, even though I always spoke to her politely she was just so bloody rude - not just to me, she was rude to a lot of people. However, once we moved the receptionists at our new surgery are absolutely lovely. I guess it’s the luck of the draw!

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.
How? I’d have thought answering the phone was a full-time job. What other admin/ secretarial staff are there, and how many GPs/clinicians?

@RosesAndHellebores
Your GP practice sounds amazing. I've love to be able to book non urgent appointments in advance.

I know there is a theory that appointments made in advance are often cancelled and forgotten about. But modern systems, text messages 24/48 hrs before hand would be amazing- if you no longer need it cancel!

Our surgery has had some pleasant receptionists, but I think some of them have now left.

I think that many of the systems are not fit for purpose and that is what frustrates medical professionals and patients. Referral letters taking ages, or not being sent. Computer systems that aren’t compatible with one another, thus delaying things, online systems whose algorithms don’t allow for expressing exactly what the problem is.

These aren’t the fault of the receptionist, but frustrate the patient.

I have a question- you must become familiar with some patient names… are there some names that you hear and inwardly groan? I’m always ridiculously paranoid that I’m one of these, even though I see the GP maybe once a year so it’s probably completely unfounded 😂

The receptionists at my practice are great. My only criticism is they should have more of them, to reduce the amount of time you have to spend on hold when you ring.

OP, someone upthread mentioned Power of Attorney.

Can I ask how this shows up on a patient's screen records in your surgery, i.e. that someone has POA or the patient has given permission for their medical care & data to be discussed with a relative / carer? Is it obvious to the Receptionist that this arrangement is in place?

I'm going to have to do this, and wonder what's the best way to approach it for maximum efficiency.

Before covid as an immigrant was trying to register at my Doctors Surgery (I was in their catchment area ).

1 they wouldn't let me enroll until I had done my citizenship ceremony,I had the paperwork to show I had already been granted English citizenship.

2 We called in straight after the ceremony, they then wanted to see an employment contract of a minimum of one year my working partner assured them that he could pay any bills.

Because of this, I ended up going to a minor incident clinic at the local hospital also because my partner's surgery wouldn't see me although initially agreed to but when finding out I wasn't in their area they then phoned my partner at work and removed him from their list he had been with them for some years due to his MS so continuity of care for him was quite important.

So I'd love to know why I needed to jump through all those hoops.

I understand your post but it comes with seeing people at their cranky worst. I worked at a Solicitors office, normally people don't want to actually speak to a solicitor, if you are it is usually a very stressful time in your life. Everything from a probate to neighbour dispute. I imagine most patients also don't want to be in the Drs waiting room. You have to understand this to be good at your type of job, which I'm sure you are. Humans do get upset, anxious and frustrated on top of patients feeling generally ill and cranky. Unfortunately there are a few receptionists that aren't suited to the job. I have had negative experiences as well as positive

You have admitted communication skills are key to the receptionists role. So why are receptionists who have poor communication skills employed ongoingly in GP surgeries?

There is 1 at our surgery nicknamed the dragon locally, who is rude and has a superiority complex over patients who has been there for years. Countless complaints but nothing is done. Why?

@NutCheeseBag

I have a question, please,

Is there ever a ‘flag’ put on a patient’s file so you can see that they are (not in so many words, maybe) a troublemaker, or a hypochondriac, or a “frequent flyer”?

Or do you get to know which patients are considered to be any of the above, and if you do, does that affect whether you will be able to grant them one of your extra” appointments?

Thank you for your service, by the way, and for peeking above the parapet with this thread.

You do get to know who are the frequent fliers. However, that does not stop them getting any extra appointment, if there was a clinical need. In our surgery, their request would be treated the same as everyone else.

@SpinningTheSeedsOfLove

OP, someone upthread mentioned Power of Attorney.

Can I ask how this shows up on a patient's screen records in your surgery, i.e. that someone has POA or the patient has given permission for their medical care & data to be discussed with a relative / carer? Is it obvious to the Receptionist that this arrangement is in place?

I'm going to have to do this, and wonder what's the best way to approach it for maximum efficiency.

In our surgery, it would be flagged, so pops Up when you go into that patients records.

@TwistedSisterUK. Sorry, I know this Is your thread - hope you don’t mind me answering some questions also.

@LittleOwl153

You have admitted communication skills are key to the receptionists role. So why are receptionists who have poor communication skills employed ongoingly in GP surgeries?

There is 1 at our surgery nicknamed the dragon locally, who is rude and has a superiority complex over patients who has been there for years. Countless complaints but nothing is done. Why?

Surgeries aren't centrally managed, how would OP know? Why not email the practice manager with your concerns?

Please can you explain how this sort of thing happens? Prepare for a bit of a novel, but I promise that the following is a true account. I'm not blaming anyone, and I'm sure everyone thought they were doing what they were supposed to, I just literally don't understand how this sort of thing goes on, especially given the colossal waste of time and resources for everyone involved.

A while ago I was briefly in hospital after an acute illness. When it looked like I was getting better, the doctor uhhmed and ahhed a bit then said 'Well, I'll let you go home now, but you must definitely get a followup blood test from your GP in the next few days/next week at most'. Okay great, I said, and got discharged. So I phoned my GP the next day who said 'We can't do that, the hospital should have given you a form with written instructions for the test'. Okay, I said, I phoned the hospital back. The hospital didn't know who I was at first (understandably), but after much delay, eventually got back in touch to tell me that no, my GP had to order the test (I knew generically what test it was - a liver health test - but not if it had a specific name or anything). So I went back to my GP. No, says (a different) GP, the hospital must order it. Eventually I went physically to the hospital and did, after much palaver, walk out with a form. My GP then tells me they don't have the facilities, but if I go to X hospital, they can give me an outpatient appointment for the test. X hospital says no, ask your GP. It continues in this vein for several more days. I contemplate giving up, reasoning that if anything were that wrong a) I'd be dead by now or b) someone would have noticed. Bear in mind it takes about five phonecalls to get through to anyone for each of these installments.

The end of the saga is that I got the tests as an outpatient in the other hospital. They sent the results to my GP. The GP then said they couldn't tell me the results because of data protection.

I asked if he could see the results on his system.

He said yes.

I said please tell me the results.

He said well I shouldn't, but they're okay.

I truly felt that I had entered a Kafka novel. I work on a large international research project myself with a lot of moving parts and different organizations/stakeholders so I understand a bit of miscommunication, but nothing at the levels I've described. I'd be fired. Someone would be fired, anyway. And if I - as a reasonably healthy - reasonable sane adult with a support system seriously considered giving up on the process I can only assume that vulnerable people do all the time. What exactly happened here? Why? How?

1. Why Dr's receptionists appear incapable of following my request and instead would rather waste time and frustrate the caller?

I suspect that they find a lot of people start off with "I can only make Tuesdays and Friday evenings after 5:30 and then when they realise there's a few extra days' wait, find that they can actually make Monday at 2:30.
I know I've said before now "After school" and then when they've said "nearest is next Wednesday, but could do today at 2:45" I've decided actually I'll take them out of school 30 minutes early and take that appointment.
Or I've said after 3:30, because I can make a 12:00-12:30 appointment but then not until after 3:30. Giving all the exact times is more awkward, so I'll go for the simple option. Then when they say "tomorrow at 12:00 I'll say yes please". But if I said: "Well I can make Monday before 10, Tuesday over lunch 12-1, Wednesday... actually scrub that, can't do Wednesday, Thursday not before 2... or any day after 3:30, they've probably forgotten half I said-totally understandably.
So they're trying to be helpful and give better options.

2. If the GPs are referred to as title and surname, ie, formally, why do receptionists invariably think they may use my first name or luvvy. Are patients not equal stakeholders in their care? That goes for the GPs too BTW

Growing up our doctors were known as Dr Michael, Dr Richard, Father Reid, and Dr H. That's what we all called them. I remember Dr Michael had a phobia of feet and everyone loved Dr H so much that if he did an extra shift they'd tell you there was a locum to stop people booking it especially to see him. Apparently some of the old ladies used to book him for a "chat". They'd have addressed dm as Mrs Jones though.
I prefer being called by my first name, but wouldn't normally correct them because does it really matter?
You can't expect the receptionists to remember who would rather be Mrs, who would rather be first name and who would rather be called "Luv".

YABU to start a thread like this and then go out.

When I ring my GP surgery, sometimes they ask what my symptoms are. I understand why they need to ask this, so on occasion when I haven't wanted to give details, I've said things like "its gynaecological in nature". They then always probe for more specifics, which I politely explain I'm not going to give.

They continue pushing until I lose patience a little and say quite abruptly that I'm not going to discuss it further. This is what I object to - I understand they have to ask but do they really need to push as insistently for me to describe my private medical affairs in that much detail? No. They have a choice, they should have the experience and understanding to stop probing before the patient becomes unhappy about the questioning.

There is no doubt in my mind that you do all of that and more. I think people go into it wanting to make a difference and get ground down by it. Hence the reason that patients have experience of being barked at for asking a simple questions.

It's not well paid. I have no idea why anyone would want that job personally.

People have very genuine concerns about how GP practices are being run these days (i.e. have to ring at 8.30am for an appointment otherwise you can't get an appointment for three weeks type of thing). What would you do to improve things?

I have always found the receptionists at our surgery helpful and sensible

Some people who complain seem to expect magical fairies not human beings