to expect hospital reception staff to be polite and vaguely competent?

[EffiePerine]

All the medical staff I've seen at my local hospital for 2 pregnancies and various A&E trips with DS have been fantastic. Helpful, knowledgable and punctual ( we rarely have to wait around for appointments). But I have yet to meet a receptionist in any department who is anything other than uninterested and dismissive. It would be nice to find someone who would prefer to talk to me than yap to their friends on the phone or gossip with colleagues.

AIBU? I would bet they aren't well-paid, but surely you wouldn't take that type of job if you viewed all patients as a complete waste of time?

It's so sad that the pleasant and competent receptionists really stand out and don't get me started on school receptions.

YANBU..I was in one London Hospital the other day and I went to the reception in the department where the appointment was.There were no fewer than three receptionists there.They finished with the person in front, looked up and registered I was there, but didnt speak and looked away before I had chance to.One then started shuffling about with some papers and studiously avoided looking at me and the other two started chatting about where the fourth receptionist had gone for lunch!This lasted 8 minutes.I know this because I thought I would see exactly how long it would take for them to sort themselves out.

In the end I piped up and said 'you do know im here?'For which I got an evil and a very stroppy 'what do you want?'

Jaysus!
I have complained.I was livid!