Rude HP receptionists

There’s absolutely no excuse for such insensitivity from anyone working at, of all things, a GP surgery.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I think some receptionists (doctors & dentists) have been trained at the Miss Piggy School of Charm.

It's good to hear people have such good surgeries. I think some surgeries are managed better than others.

Ask for the name of the receptionist and complain to the practice manager. By the same token, if you get good service from someone contact the practice manager and praise them ( something that only happened to me once in 20 years of working at a surgery, even; even though the patients told me how grateful they were only one praised me officially).

All appointments at our gp are same day now...as l9ng as you ring at 8 you will get an appointment.....been like this since covid...then you choose face 5o face or telephone....much more efficient than pre covid

Depending what caused the neck and shoulder pain my GP would likely direct her to A&E or tell her to self refer to physio.

" I an in a lot of pain". Reply " you're not the first or last person to be in a lot of pain".

That is not acceptable. The receptionist is not able to rearrange appointments but she is able to be polite and show some sympathy; if that is how she spoke to the friend then that was unacceptably rude and should be reported.

Of course, you need the name and whereabouts of the Practice Manager. Our local surgery refuses to divulge the name, sex or location of ours, which has resulted in a group of dissatisfied patients investigating the Practice via Companies House. The identity of the manager remains a mystery but other interesting information was revealed regarding the number of hours worked by the Doctors in the Practice, and the salaries received.

This is where the NHS is falling down; GP Practices are exploiting the system to their benefit and A & E are having to pick up the pieces.

Franski

Just spoke with a friend in horrible pain with neck and shoulder. She called GP practice and asked for appointment. No appts for 3 weeks. " I an in a lot of pain". Reply " you're not the first or last person to be in a lot of pain". Basically rude and offhand. It's almost a cliche that getting past receptionists is like penetrating Fort Knox. I know some fantastic receptionists out there. But so many are just awful. Getting frustrated or angry leads them to pointing out the 'do not harrass our staff' sign. Would love to know how others handle what feels like unsympathetic and abrasive receptionists. Or even complaining formally without being labelled as difficult and demanding.

That's why people roll up in A&E with these things inappropriately. A&E cannot turn you away .....

I think some receptionists (doctors & dentists) have been trained at the Miss Piggy School of Charm.

I have recently found an icon on my phone that when you are making phone calls you press the icon (on mime it on the top left hand corner of my iphone.

It let's you record the conversation , it does give a msg to the person that the phone call is being recorded.

Not being funny but we! always get a msg that "this phone call is being recorded" don't we!

So why not in reverse.

Sorry doesn't help your situation, but I have had many an instance where I thought. ohhh I wish I could have reordered that conversation. Which I wish I would have remembered to press the icon last night when this bolshie Social Service woman rang me. concerning my dad and his care.!

Franski
If your friend has the NHS App, there is a section that allows you to contact your surgery by email (only if her GP has signed up for it though). I have used this twice and each time have received a phone call quite quickly and, after speaking to the GP, I have been asked to attend for a face to face appointment on the same day. If she wants to complain her surgery should have a complaints procedure on their website.

My surgery is brilliant you email your problem at 8 am you are answered within a few hours offering you a phone call with a doctor, a video call, or a same day appointment It’s a large
Practice with probably 8 or more doctors I ve always found our receptionists very pleasant

I feel really sorry that the same methods aren’t used at all surgeries, I suppose receptionists like any front line person come in all shapes and personalities but hopefully if the surgery is a happy place to work they ll be a more helpful
bunch

Personally if I was your friend I would have gone to the pharmacist first they can be very helpful and point you in the right direction I think many surgeries have got rid of the 8 am queue of calls and it works so much better this way

Fine by me. However when I saw the GP they were lovely but told me to just phone for a prescription next time!

They need to tell their receptionists this.

Perhaps it's worth speaking or writing to the practice manager and explaining your story.

The receptionist was out of line in speaking that way - very unprofessional. The friend will be best to complain to the Practice Manager.
As for getting treatment when GP appointments aren't available - call NHS 111 and ask for an appointment with on call GP at a Primary Care centre. I did this last year and got the appointment within 30 minutes! Fabulous service.

The receptionist could have worded her reply better but if all the appointments were taken there was nothing she could do.
All the appointments will have been taken by other people who are in pain or have some other discomfort. Unfortunately that's the way it is now.

Most practices have a same day appointment system for emergencies I think. Ours does. A one problem only appointment and you have to phone early to get it. Or, use the nhs app. That works we have found.

I get cystitis now and then. When I had my original GP she said to just phone the surgery, explain the issue and a prescription would be granted.

So once again my cystitis decided to raise its ugly head. I last had it about a year ago.

Rang the surgery and the charming lady was quite indignant at my suggestion of being given a prescription and had to make an appointment.

Fine by me. However when I saw the GP they were lovely but told me to just phone for a prescription next time!

Advise your friend to call 111. I've been told that they can get a next day appointment but whether that's just a phone appointment with a doctor I don't know but worth a try.
Yes a very rude receptionist. We had one like that some years ago.

Hopefully the phone call will have been recorded and reviewed if your friend decides to take it further.

I have heard some very rude, entitled patients in pharmacies and surgeries.

The receptionist may only have 2 appointments available that day and have an 8 hour shift ahead of her. Direct your complaint to practice manager or practice partners.

The receptionist may have sounded abrupt but what can she do? You cannot magic up appointnents that are not there.

Personally if she is in as much pain as you say, I would have advised her to dial 111, or helped her go to A&E.
Whilst I don't condone her rudeness, your friend is not the only one who says that and her reply was in frustration.

While the admin was wrong for saying that, what did your friend expect her to do? Cancel someone else’s appointment?

That's disgraceful.