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

Your job doesn't sound like a receptionist. Far from it.

It sounds like a combo of answering the phone and admin.

Many practices have secretaries/ drs' PAs who do all the letters etc and the receptionist just does the phone manning.

Is it a very small practice?

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

The odd call? Many people are trying to get an answer for 2 hours.

No wonder people can't get through on the phone if a receptionist is doing all of this as well!

The receptionist at my previous surgery was very abrupt, rude, got irritated when I asked for a print out of my scan results to take to a different doctor. I assure you I am always very polite and understanding when speaking to anyone public facing, having a similar job myself I do absolutely get how unnecessarily rude people can really ruin your day.
But, I understood this member of staff wasn't representative of every receptionist. I moved surgery due to this and also condescending treatment by a GP which went on for years.
My new surgery are brilliant, every member of staff is helpful and polite and the doctors and nurses are great.

@MouseholeCat I'm 61. If someone has my name in front of them, Mrs Roses Hellebores and if that person introduces themselves as Dr Bloggs I expect them to call me Mrs Hellebores, not Roses. If on the other hand they introduced themselves as Fiona, one of GPs, then of course they could call me Roses. No problem with that at all but I am an equal stakeholder in the relationship.

@Jenjen26 we don't triage patients, we pass messages to the GPs who triage. However after doing the job for 12 years you (should) get a feel for something out of the ordinary and refer to the GP for the best course of action.

[quote RosesAndHellebores]@MouseholeCat I'm 61. If someone has my name in front of them, Mrs Roses Hellebores and if that person introduces themselves as Dr Bloggs I expect them to call me Mrs Hellebores, not Roses. If on the other hand they introduced themselves as Fiona, one of GPs, then of course they could call me Roses. No problem with that at all but I am an equal stakeholder in the relationship.[/quote]
They went through 5-7 years training to earn the right to be called doctor. It's not the same as calling someone "miss" or "mrs".

Thank you for all you do! The receptionists in my pwn surgery are great, in fact after a period of illness and experiencing their kindness when I had to ring a few times, I left ours in a coffee voucher as a thanks because I genuinely appreciated them.

That being said, whilst no one should EVER be abused in their job, hopefully you can see why some patients are frustrated and upset when they call. I am an HCP and I totally understand why people are so angry about the NHS right now.

I agree with @RosesAndHellebores. It's all about respect. Doctors are not God though many of them think they are often with disastrous outcomes.

@RosesAndHellebores

I am a hospital specialist (actually sub-specialist and involved in research), so I know it’s not as cut and dried as you put it.

I have many friends who are in professions and run their own businesses. My uncle works in banking, as does my cousin. Again, not all of them work 12-13 hour days as standard. My solicitor friends do sometimes work long hours, but quite often they work essentially standard office hours with some long days interspersed. My dentist friend generally works roughly his opening hours. He does some long days (by choice, to fit in extra private patients). My uncle worked crazy hours- he earned many, many times my wage though
(and good on him- bonus alone could be several times my annual wage). I would say he does say the culture is not always the healthiest and some of those long hours are presentee-ism/driven by ambition and the knowledge that it was cut-throat and leaving before midnight was seen as not being ambitious or dedicated.

I do work some very long hours- sometimes well beyond 12-13 hour days if I am on-call or nights. But not every day. 13 hours are categorically NOT the norm. I have a family that I actually want to see. As a junior doctor we did crazy hours and I’m far from convinced it was something to aspire to from patient safety or doctor health and quality of life.

I would also add that there is also quite a lot of research into how safe it is for doctors to work excessively long hours. The answer is that it isn’t very safe. One piece of research showed that after a certain point the cognitive impact is similar to that of having several alcoholic drinks. A lot of that research started following evidence that came out of the aviation industry.

I’m also married to a farmer. He does indeed work very long hours at multiple times of the year, but not all the time.

The receptionists at my GP are amazing. They're compassionate, helpful and they've listened to me cry when I felt like I couldn't cope (HG).

OP still not back yet? Reckon she’s in the pub.

Are there ever performance reviews for longstanding GPs?

As the years flash past my eyes go by I’ve obviously had a lifetime of experience in dealing with other people in a service environment . What is striking is the sheer number of times I’ve met an absolutely in-your-face no-apology-whatsoever take-it-or-leave-it downright hostile hospital or clinic receptionist. Waaaaaay more than in any other line of work….

Why do you think this could be the case?! What on earth attracts these types to your kind of work? I’ve met loads of absolutely lovely receptionists too, but the percentages of awful vs good aren’t the same compared to other service type jobs…

They went through 5-7 years training to earn the right to be called doctor. It's not the same as calling someone "miss" or "mrs".

So why are they reluctant to use ‘Miss’ or ‘Mrs’? if they retain their superior status by being addressed as ‘Dr’.
The last male doctor at my surgery was conscientious about calling me ‘Mrs’, and I just trusted and respected him so much more. It shows a basic grasp of psychology if nothing else.

Maybe I’ll answer my own question. Is it because the NHS is perceived as a ‘free’ service, so the attitude amongst some staff is a more ‘shut up and take what you’re given’ style?!

I must admit staff service has never been an issue for me in private healthcare.

I've had to contact my elderly parents' surgery recently as my step-Mum's been seriously ill and before you get connected, there's a prerecorded message saying that abuse won't be tolerated, etc.

It genuinely shocked me that anyone would believe they're entitled to yell or be rude to whoever answers the phone, who the heck do they think they are? I'm sure there are good and not-so-good receptionists, but no one deserves verbal abuse.

Note on door - only ring once - reception busy they will answer when they have a minute. No answer after significant wait - call reception on the phone, buzzer is broken don’t you know you need to phone when you get to the door! Is it any fucking wonder people get frustrated!

Hi OP, thank you for your work, i know some lovely GP receptionist, however.. one of my most upsetting encounters was when my DS was 22 months, he screamed all night, so arranged an emergency appointment, whilst there, appointment was for 11.45 end of surgery booking times (this was 20 years ago) i was told to arrive at 10.30.
Feverish upset and loud screaming child in lap i sat and waited, and waited.. an elderly woman took it upon herself to ask me of i couldn't please quiet the child down, i glared at her and replied he didn't come with an off switch, receptionist, who btw knew me from childhood glared at me and told me to stop being rude..
2mins later Dr comes out, asks where is the child who has cried constantly for an hour and why wasnt he bought in to see him earlier.. diagnosed a urine infection.. I was stunned at the lack of.. care for a baby, she could have let us be seen earlier..
Fast forward 20 years, i call my surgery, i have hot cold chills and painful wees.. I explain this to the receptionist, she gives me an appointment for 7 days time.. no..i insist, im diabetic, i know i have a urine infection, it may get worse.. she refused, i went anyway, and was seen and prescribed antibiotics..
I hardly ever visit the GP, im not often ill, what shocked me about both these incidents is the utter lack of awareness as far as these infections go and what they can lead to. By all means ask me whats wrong but only if you are qualified to know that a urine infection should be treated asap, not in 7 days time.. similarly a child screaming in pain should be prioritised, not left for an hour because the receptionist decided to..
Experiences like this are why there is such negativity with engaging with the GPs surgery, these are 2 but I know friends and family who have also experienced similar.

Experiences like this are why there is such negativity with engaging with the GPs surgery

It's also partly why A&E is so busy. I've been to A&E twice with a water infection, because once when I left it untreated I got a kidney infection so bad I couldn't get of bed because of the fever.

I have been at two different surgeries since I had children, and both times the receptionists have gone out of their way to help me when I've phoned with a sick child. I'm luckily not ill often myself, but when I have been, they've been very helpful.

However, my son has had serious mental and physical medical problems for a few years. He moved to the nearest city to go to University, but had to come home during lockdown as his mental health deteriorated and he knew he would be better coming home for me to help him through it. He phoned his surgery in the city for his medication, to be dismissed forthright. I took the phone off him and tried to reason with the receptionist, but she was adamant that he (in the middle of the pandemic) would have to go back to the city to get his medication, she couldn't possibly have it faxed to the local pharmacy. I was calm, persistent, but she was having none of it.

I ended up going to the local pharmacy, (who knew me and my DS well, due to his problems) and they sorted things out. The Pharmacy clerk told me she'd never come across anyone so horrid in her life.

We moved him back down to our GP and have never had a problem since. There was a total lack of empathy towards a young man with physical and mental health problems, and I sent a letter of complaint to the surgery about her. Unsurprisingly, I heard nothing back.

@jacks11 I appreciate it isn't that simple having spent 16 years in the City a zillion years ago and as the granddaughter of farmers. However as a successful barrister at the commercial bar DH did tend to work end to end 12 hour days, but he is a workaholic and lived every minute of it. But it does grate that those who work for the NHS seem to think they are the only ones who are stressed, the only ones who who work 60/70 hours per week, etc., whilst forgetting the level of job security they have. When one's time is wasted again and again by the NHS and when too often one is spoken to as an ingrate underfoot (not by you probably) the perpetual whinge starts to grate. There is no calculation for the cost of patient time.required to sort out administrative and sometimes clinical cock-ups. That really should be factored into the percentage of GDP used for funding.

We have a home in France and the Continental system is 100% and more better in my lived experience.

@SevenWaystoLeave - actually graduating medics receive the title Dr on an honorary basis and may use it whilst they are practicing. They have not earned it in the way a post graduate doctorate is earnt and entitles the person to use it for life.

I'm curious what the GP receptionists on here think of the move to apprenticeships for GP receptionists.

Part of me thinks it's to support better training, but as the ones in my area are paying the apprentice minimum wage and having multiple at practices that I can only imagine would struggle to support so many full-time, it's looks far more like a cost cutting measure that could undercut and place more burdens on receptionists.

If they were that concerned they needed an appointment but don't want to take the necessary tests to help them.

This varies a lot by practice, but I've had ones who get really annoyed if you call them, we're expected to take a 'no news is good news' and wait for them approach and others ones who won't get in touch at all. I've ended up in the wrong for both and it's always felt an odd inconsistency.

They went through 5-7 years training to earn the right to be called doctor. It's not the same as calling someone "miss" or "mrs".

It's a traditional honorary, not a right. Plenty of people with years of medical training don't get the title because of how those traditions have evolved - much how the traditions for miss/mrs evolved from
women who were either heads of households, business, or in professions like teaching and was then expanded through weird Victorian values even to groups who were against the use of titles.

Receptionists at my current surgery are fine but I've had some bad ones. I agree with the previous posts that if practices sorted out appointment systems, receptionists would get an easier ride. You cant really blame people got being upset. The NHS is really frustrating to deal with

The ladies at my place are wonderful and can’t do enough to help.

Our local practice also has the 'call at eight for an appointment that day' system. Or you can book one about three weeks from now.

If you call on the day, you have to convince the receptionist that whatever it is you have - or your kid has - warrants an appointment on that day. Which means the system is set up to encourage you to overstate the seriousness of the complaint.

"Is it urgent?"

"Well, it's a bloody great lump and she says it hurts when she touches it."

"How long has she had it?"

"No idea. Only noticed it this morning."

"Is it bleeding?"

"Er...yes. If necessary. Because I don't want to leave it a fortnight or more."