Interview for a GP practice receptionist.

[Meezer2]

Hi,

have an interview for a GP practice receptionist next week.
does anyone have any suggestions to stand out at interview and get the job?
any advice gratefully received.

Demonstrate your coolness, calmness and firmness under pressure. As a gatekeeper you have to know how to gate keep politely and effectively (and most importantly, safely).

Really think this through before the interview. It's a tough job but an important one.

Thank you KateSixer, That’s very helpful. 😊

hi KateSixer,
I got the job! 😊

Congrats!!! Well done!

Congratulations. Its a hard job OP, you definitely need a thick skin. I lasted 3 months before I threw in the towel. There was a bullying culture in the practice and I found a better job. Hope you fare better. 🤞

Congratulations. I’ve been doing it for five or six years. Some of the patients are lovely…some not so much!
You need patience and understanding, and I try to go above and beyond to find an appointment, while not giving in to patients who think they can get a same day appointment which isn’t clinically needed by being rude or demanding. The triage system we have now helps as we can say the triaging GP has asked us to book them a routine appointment and the first one is not till 8th August or whatever.
We are a close knit team who have each other’s backs at this practice. My previous practice… not so much.
it’s interesting and varied, but the pay is rubbish!

As someone who is a GP receptionist you have to have a very thick skin the amount of verbal abuse I get daily is shocking . It’s also not just about answering the phone and making appointments you need to triage to the appropriate clinician identify possible safeguarding issues and identify drug seeking behaviors. My surgery is in quite poor area so that comes with its own challenges . If you’re not sensitive you’ll be fine when I started I was riddled with anxiety and I almost gave up after a few weeks . I hope it works out for you good luck!

Thank you Cuppa, I hope I’ll be ok. Seems like a friendly family run practice, so fingers definitely crossed.

Thank you Lego for sharing your experience. I’ve got thick skin so hopefully I’ll be ok.
isn’t it awful to have to suffer abuse for just doing your job!

Good luck @Meezer2 . I'm a GP and cannot emphasise enough what an important job this is. All the very best with it - you can make a real difference to the lives of both your patients and your colleagues, and good receptionists are worth their weight in gold. Just this afternoon one of my very fantastic colleagues made a big difference to both one of my patients and to my own peace of mind, by thinking outside the box.

My top tips would be 1. if you don't know, ask - making it up/doing something that seems reasonable but you don't really know can cause a lot more difficulty for everyone in the long-run; and 2. once you've asked, write down the answer so that you don't have to ask every time. No-one minds people not knowing things, but GP Receptions are such busy environments that the new person asking the same questions over and over again gets very difficult to manage.

Thank you Papergirl for sharing your experience,

I’m expecting it to be challenging but hopefully I’ll enjoy it.

Thank you Prestissimo for the advice and tips.