To report this receptionist?

[Ezlo]

Today I had to call in at my surgery to get blood bags.

I had to queue for a while to get seen to and when I did, the receptionist didn't smile, she didn't apologise for the long wait and then couldn't find on the system why I needed the blood to be taken. Her colleague eventually helped and after more faffing, I got my blood bag. She had a sour face throughout.

There were two other staff members Sat who were only taking prescription requests or arriving people in for their appointments but were mostly sat without any patients.

By that point I had just missed the hourly bus to where the bloods where being taken and had to walk about a mile all up hill whilst severly anaemic.

This is the same clinic where you can only book an appointment by going in to surgery at 8am each weekday or by using the online triage which is accessible from 8am to around 9.15am each weekday. If you work those times then you don't get an appointment. They refuse to give appointments by phone.

What an appalling system! I have never heard of anything like this. I have never queued at a receptionists desk in a GP's (Ireland). Waited in the waiting room, yes, but the receptionist, no. Our doctors write the prescription on the spot and hand it to you, bloods taken mornings only by the nurse. I'd definitely complain about the system.

^This

She can’t help her face/stress levels.

I hope you are feeling much better now.

You should have just said "Smile luv it might never happen".

Women like that need to be told. Just because she was struggling to manage a long queue and a tricksy computer interface, that is no excuse for failing to ape an infallible facile goodwill.

Allowing enough time to get to her blood test?

As others have said, sounds like trying to make her a scapegoat for the systemic issues, why should she have to look cheerful while undertaking what sounds like a very stressful role or apologise to you for issues beyond her control

Why would you not have gone at another time to pick up your blood form? You seem to have gone at the busiest time when you know you've got a bus to catch.
What would she have been apologising for? It's not her fault the surgery was busy.

Change your doctor, this one sounds awful.

I agree. However given the current state of the NHS, nothing surprises me. I would be complaining to the practice managers and any relevant services- Healthwatch etc about the service, not the poor employee who has to deal with the chaos.

And these bags are plentiful at phlebotomy services. You only need the form for a blood test. If the phlebotomist is trained to take a blood sample I'm sure they can find attaching a form to a bag extremely simple.

For what? The long queue.
The fact she missed the bus because of the wait ?

If ibwas to complain, it would be how they haven't got a suitable system in place which is making things harder for the receptionists. You should have gone easier to get the bags and ir got a taxi when you missed the bus

she should have given herself more time

Can you change your GP to a nearer or better practice? People love to moan but aren't prepared to vote with their feet.

there are too many people blaming other people for events - people do not take responsibility

She may have been there at opening.. we don't know.

Absolutely not their problem you missed the bus. Always give yourself plenty of leeway, especially when working to a set time.
And if it was really that bad... get a taxi? Phone a friend?

You can't really report someone for having a grumpy face, that just makes you sound a bit mad. If they SAID something rude or unkind, that would be different. But just a facial expression...?

And what were you doing while the receptionist was trying to get your request sorted? Huffing and puffing? Shuffling about and looking pointedly at your watch?

How was she rude and inefficient? She couldn't find her on the system so another person helped and she had trouble finding her too?

The other 2 staff members sat without patients, maybe they were doing other work and their job isn't to deal with patients.

the practice sounds poor (so probably stressful to work there)
Look for another GP practice?

She doesn't have to smile on demand because it's a healthcare setting.

FFS are we not past this shit by now? She did her job and has no control over any of the main complaints. Smiling and simpering at you is not in her job description

Thats the only thing that she was responsible for, the rest was circumstance so don't take it all out on her

You'd do better contacting the practice manager to ask why they can't organise a better appointments system, and arrange e-communication with the relevant haemotology services. My GP can text me to tell me I need a blood test. I go the hospital where they do these, give the technician my NHS number, the details are on the system and the bloods are taken. It's perfectly possible. The practice manager is the person you need to talk to.

It doesn't always work like that

I have to have a blood form - this is either given to me by the doctor or hospital or posted out or I go and collect it from the doctors

Then I take it to a blood clinic which is at various different GP surgeries. If you don't take the form, they don't take your blood. They don't have access to the system or time to do that, I was there 6 minutes last time

They open at 8am, people start queueing from 7am and they're often full by their opening time

How rude - are you the receptionist?

Of course she is, its just an incredible coincidence that she happens to be on MN and saw this post and recognised herself OR maybe @DowntonFlabbie actually has some sympathy with a woman just trying to do her job