Really upset by GP's receptionist attitude

GP receptionists can be nightmares at anytime and some are very good. Leaving you outside so the physio had to ring you, when the receptionist had told you to wait outside, is so wrong and I would report that.
I have no idea when my next injection is due I am waiting for the surgery to contact me.
Our surgery is still not face to face appointments, but telephone only and they are so hard to get. I find the most annoying part that the receptionists are the ones who decide if you need to speak to the GP or not.
I did not know receptionists had medical degrees and so the knowledge if you are showing symptoms of something that needs to be spoke about/seen by qualified GP's.
I was kept in hospital ones night with cellulitis and an abscess. I had antibiotics and was told if my leg became red again to seek medical advice. A week later it was a little red and I thought I should check with my GP, but no, the receptionist decided there was no need and to wait over the long weekend and then ring. So that was the 'medical advice'.
Some receptionists will be loving the 'power; they have at the present time and some love the 'power' they have at anytime.
I did use to say to receptionists when they asked what was wrong when I was much younger 'Are you a GP?' and when they said 'No' I would just say I am ringing yo to book an appointment to talk to the GP about what is wrong!

Maddyone- if its the practice manager doing the apologising and not the member of staff who actually did it then what's the point? Also, if they don't get 'reprimanded' in any way at all,(even just by being told to be more polite next time, and not to forget to mark patients in!) then how is that going to help them improve???

I worked for the NHS but not in a GP surgery but I can see this from the surgery’s point of view.
I’m not sure which computer programme your surgery uses but most use a particular program that shows an onscreen diary. The receptionist would right mouse click on the appointment and mark you as arrived. This changes the colour of your appointment on all the surgery screens. It would be their way of advising the clinician of your arrival without disturbing any current appointment. As opposed to phoning through to the clinical room which could interrupt an appointment.
It is possible that she didn’t immediately do this if the phone rung at the same time and she had to help that patient. It’s possible that the clinician didn’t notice the colour change.
It’s possible the system had a glitch and the clinicians screen didn’t update as it should.
It could be therefore that the receptionist hadn’t done anything to apologise for.
Regarding your second jab, it is really difficult in surgeries atm who want to vaccinate as many people as they can but with uncertainty over supplies. They are trying to tackle the various age groups as they are advised. They would have planned that all those having their first jabs would be having their second at the same time. By missing a week you are then trying to slot into another cohorts second vaccination and there mightn’t be enough vaccines.
I’m not saying your assumptions aren’t true regarding your experience but it would be useful allowing the practice manager to investigate this. ?

I had a similar experience with one of the receptionists at my GP surgery. I was so upset that I wrote a letter of complaint to the Practice Manager. I had a very full and apologetic response. I think the receptionist probably upset other people as well so it’s better to give some feedback if you can.

Doctor's receptionists should appreciate that the people they are coming into contact with are likely to already be in a distressed state so they need to be "nice" no matter how they themselves are feeling and if they have a problem that means they can't do that then they should take time off work (nobody is indispensable!) Having said that, lots of people are stressed at present and you have no idea what is going on in her life so maybe you could, just for once, give her the benefit of the doubt ... this time!
I am a bit confused re the rest of your comments re the vaccination appointment - The text only asked you to make the appointment, so why could you not have just made it for after you came back? You also say that you could have returned for your jab so I can't understand what the problem was, even if they could only fit you in during your holiday. (Just curious!)

Having worked as a practice manager for a number of years, I would suggest a complaint to the practice manager, however to do that and have it dealt with effectively I would find out the name of the receptionist if possible first, unless it is a small surgery and they have only one on duty at a time.

If I were you I would have turned up on 6th May for my original appointment .
Half the time the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing and your appointment for that date was probably still valid .

You might have been the 20th or more person trying to book the vaccine. You don't know the whys and wherefores of the way she acted. We all have bad days. She could of had loads of stroppy patients getting at her as well. Put it behind you.

I fully agree with you on that point Cazmarelda- i hate that when they make it their business to decide for the Dr, or need to know all whats troubling you only to say 'NO'- when i ask for an appt if they say "whats wrong with you?" I sometimes reply- "I don't know, I'm not a Dr"- or "I don't know, THAT'S why i need to see the Dr"- it usually does the trick.In my G.Ps surgery theres a sign that says 'if receptionist asks about your symptoms etc they are not just being nosey, they are trying to see if its urgent' or some such like that- but that is not up to them, surely only a Dr can decide if its urgent? So, yes it does seem like they are being nosey.?

No excuse for forgetting you were waiting outside for your physio appointment, but I do think you could have been more helpful over your second vaccination. I must admit I do not understand how you were away on holiday but, you knew you were going and should have made alternative arrangements well beforehand to alter the date. All GPs and Staff are working flat out to get everyone vaccinated and, hopecully, safe from the virus, so anything to assist them would be welcomed. I am sorry to say I think you are to blame for your difficulty in getting a second appointment.

Thanks again for the sarcasm Maddy, if you have to quote my post quote all of it.
No one can say anything about the NHS, where you are concerned, and yes we know your daughter and son in law are Doctors, I have read that adneuseam. You have posted it so often. My daughter is a very respected writer and journalist, but I dont think all the press are wonderful and above criticism.

I think you should copy this letter to the Practice Manager at the surgery. She is definitely out of order.

i had that done to me . i had my ECG(waited 13 minutes only to be told i was too late . em no i am not you have kept me waiting outside i am not late . no apology . so went in for ECG and was told to wait outside for recieving my prescription ,i stood there 24 minutes with another man ., you press a buzzer once and wait , in the end the man pressed the buzzer again . receptionist flung open the window and said cant you wait , the man said we been waiting 25 minutes out here and its really cold , and this lady (me) is not well ,...and theres no where to sit either , by that time i was really feeling ill... so i said either you let me in or you will have to call an ambulance. she said oh you always complaining about something ....they had to let me in as i would have collapsed ..wait for it 3 doctors came into the waiting room to see me... my blood pressure was really low ..so after c20 mins i felt better ...after getting warmed up, not a word of apology ..so i made a complaint . as i went out the receptionist smirked at me.. i said you have got a serious problem if thats all you can do......i was fuming ..........never heard anything from my complaint. .COW

I agree Janipans- when i went online to book our appts there were a few days when to book them so i chose first day on offer (next week) but there were other days, so I'm sure if you skip ahead a bit it must show other days ahead- plenty of time to get back home for it.'Being invited' to book does not mean you have to come in right there & then, unless you have been offered an 'end of day' appt to come in to 'use up' any leftover vaccine, so its not wasted- which my son could easily have done as we live about 3 minutes away!

Agree - speak to the practice manager about the person's attitude. When I asked a GP friend if practices would be doing a review of how patients had been dealt with over the pandemic period she said "I don't think they dare..." . I have witnessed very rude and unnecessary behaviour both towards myself, my husband and an elderly friend (all the same receptionist)!

rafichagran
And next week they’re leaving for New Zealand. Perhaps you could consider why they’re doing that, and why frontline staff in the NHS are leaving in droves, from receptionists to consultants. There are 8000 plus vacancies for doctors in this country, that are unable to be filled. Neither my son in law’s surgery, nor my daughter’s surgery have been able to replace them. My daughter in law’s daughter has moved from GP receptionist to a private hospital to work. The suggestions on here, and especially from you, complain, complain, complain. The NHS is struggling and irritable patients won’t help. I’ve acknowledged that GP receptionists should not be rude, but we weren’t there and don’t know exactly what and how things were said. We also don’t know how the OP spoke or what she said because we weren’t there. All I’m saying is we should cut them some slack because the last year has been horrendous for them all. But you said you won’t do that. Not very nice in my opinion.

See?- theres one like that in almost every surgery! Beggars belief why they go into that job if they can't be nice, polite, & caring, doesn't it???

Surgeries differ widely in the way they train their staff. I used to be a practice manager, and in the two I worked in the doctors wanted the poor receptionists to triage the patients to 'manage demand'. So the receptionists took flak from both sides. There is no excuse for rudeness, but refusing appointments is unfortunately what their bosses expect them to do.

Nannan2

Maddyone- if its the practice manager doing the apologising and not the member of staff who actually did it then what's the point? Also, if they don't get 'reprimanded' in any way at all,(even just by being told to be more polite next time, and not to forget to mark patients in!) then how is that going to help them improve???

According to my daughter a fairly routine apology would normally be the response. They will not risk losing staff because they are so difficult to replace. I acknowledge that receptionists should not be rude. The forgetting is unfortunate, but a genuine mistake, and especially as patients have to wait outside, it’s aggravating. But that’s life. Are we all perfect?

@Jaffacake

I too have longstanding ovarian troubles and for many years it was believed I was infertile. This caused me enormous pain.

I went to the GP for a problem that was suspected to be vaginal cancer (thankfully it was just ulcers in the end) and had to take a pregnancy test inbetween the appointment and blood tests that I was to have.

I returned the result of the pregnancy test to the GP reception as instructed. The reception is open plan. The receptionist opened the damned envelope in front of me and boomed out, “YOU’RE NO PREGNANT, DO YOU STILL NEED THE APPOINTMENT”

Shocked but also inappropriately angry - she has no idea what I was there for and also that is extremely sensitive medical information, I hollered back “JUST AS WELL I’M NO HERE FOR AN ABORTION EH”

I have a different GP practice now

I work with a range of professionals at the moment mostly what would be classed as keyworkers, some health sone education. One of my managers who is such a good manager of teams gave us a gentle reminder about remembering that many people are under horrendous stress at the moment, and that cutting slack is at times appropriate. I would say when I first went into work during lockdown there were times when I didnt do things as well as I usually do.

It was possibly a difficult day for her, I think GP staff are hard pushed at present trying to keep on top of everything. I have been left waiting once at a hospital appointment where someone mixed up the message and eventually came looking for me. These things happen. Matching vaccines for both jabs can be tricky due to supply chains and the situation in Europe. I think you were probably just unlucky that day.

Why do some receptionists at GPs think they have the right to be so rude, there are a couple at my practice who are so abrupt it makes me anxious phoning them.

Also, online on Gov.org/NHS website you can book BOTH appts, 1st & 2nd, at same time- but cannot book just a 2nd vaccine, if you've already had a first elsewhere- which, whilst it is helpful for those who need to book a first (then 2nd) jab, is NOT at all helpful for folk who need only the 2nd jab- surely a change in this would help- enabling folk who have 'missed out' on their 2nd, much-needed jab to be booked in when/where they choose?

There seem to be so many complaints about doctor's receptionists - it leads me to wonder if there is a special training programme to ensure that those who are in need of kindness, compassion and help because they are feeling ill and vulnerable are certain to be met with rudeness and an obtuse attitude. Obviously they are not all of this ilk, clearly they have to protect the GPs to a degree in order to allow them to work, but every practice I have encountered - and I rarely visit a GP as I am fortunately pretty healthy - has unfailingly had one Gestapo trained charmer.