Doctor's receptionists

Interesting point, Allira and I must admit that I honestly don't know the answer. If I find out I will let you know.

I too have noticed that doctors' receptionists are more tactful and not bossy and opinionated than they were formerly.

I now find Doctors' receptionists exceptionally helpful within their remit. My only complaint is it is hard to get to speak to a receptionist who is not a recorded voice but a person.

My poor mother, who was a highly sensitive and private person, was once mortified to have a receptionist call at full volume across the waiting room, ‘Is it about your waterworks, dear?’ 😱

My sister and I have both been given wrong test results by receptionists who read out a previous result.
We don’t expect receptionists to be highly trained so they should not be giving out important information.

I know people go on about how much better the NHS was in the past, and yes it was better when doctors did home visits and getting an appointment was easier, but I do recall the original practice my family registered with in the late seventies and how we dreaded it if a certain doctor was on duty.
Obviously I won't name the doctor and the surgery, although both are long gone, but his customer skills left a lot to be desired, being both abrupt and unhelpful, and he couldn't wait to get patients out of his consulting room.

I worked with one like that. When people came into the waiting room and he was covering for another doctor I’d warn them and they’d leave. He was horrible.

I also think we forget how medical science has expanded and how much longer people live with a number of complex illnesses that not long ago would have killed them. None of this comes cheap. I've got a pacemaker that gives me an almost completely normal life with a condition that night have killed me, I am surrounded by friends and family who have had life threatening cancers or heart conditions. All of this costs money and this idea we've paid for it whilst working, the fact is that most of us haven't. Doctors aren't saints they are professionals doing an increasingly difficult job with sometimes some pretty disatisfied patients. Would doctors like better resources and more time with patients? Yes of course that's why most of them became doctors.

MayBee70

I worked with one like that. When people came into the waiting room and he was covering for another doctor I’d warn them and they’d leave. He was horrible.

He was someone who was coming to the end of his career and couldn't be bothered and would just mutter a few comments and hand over a prescription note. Also there were rumours he was a bit " hands on" with younger female patients.
OTOH the doctors and receptionists in the successor practices have generally been far superior and will really try to help you.