And where is that exactly?

It was hilarious OP 🤣

I thought it was funny ferry23 and took it in the way it was meant under Pedant's corner. One of my favourites is they will be looking in Earnest, whereabouts is that one person asked!

I thought the idea of Pedant¨s corner was to discuss quirks of language and the use we make of it.

Instead it seems today to be populated by the nastier kind of primary school teacher or nanny who finds fault with everything one says or does.

If anyone had asked me where perpetuity was, I would, assuming they were joking, have replied, "Next door to eternity."

Ferry23 that made me laugh.

You weren’t criticising all doctors’ receptionists any more than BlueBelle’s story about “no one ever saying anything nice to receptionists” is true of all patients.

I’ve watched a receptionist pick up the receiver on a long ringing phone and immediately replace it, but I’ve also had a receptionist sit me down and bring me a glass of water when my BP reading was over 200. ( I didn’t know that was serious at the time).

Our current lot of receptionists are very good, but I still remember one from years ago at a different GP, who’d shout, ‘What’s it about?’ (your appointment) across the waiting room.

When it happened to me, of course I just replied that I’d discuss that with the doctor, thank you.
I knew her slightly from school (dds were still young) - she was always very loud and bossy.

However my poor mother, who was an intensely private person, was once deeply mortified when a receptionist called to her right across the waiting room, ‘Is it about your waterworks, dear?’ 😱

Oh my goodness annsixty - that's dreadful. Of course he was special. And I know it must be difficult being front line NHS staff and I suppose they do have to harden up, but they should be treating every patient as a special person.

That's quite upset me, I can't believe someone would say that to a patient's loved one.

No pedantry here but an observation on how upset one can be in a similar situation.
My 80 year old H , Alzheimer’s, hospitalised after a bad fall.
He was put in a ward off A&E for assessment.
He couldn’t walk and physios wouldn’t see him until he was on a regular ward.
I rang every morning to see where he was.
On about the 7th day, when I expressed my frustration the ward clerk who took all calls said “ he isn’t special you know”
He is very special to me I retorted and burst into tears.
He was moved that day.
After 18 days in hospital he was almost unable to walk more than 4 steps until he died.
So no condemnation from me.

ferry23, I agree. Why bother having a 'Pedants' Corner' at all if people are just going to make comments like that on it?

ferry23 - I sympathise with you - I smiled at your story and took it the context of the rest of your experience with this receptionist. Although "in perpetuity " may not be a phrase we use every day, it was probably in the original document signed giving permission for you to speak on your dad's behalf.

Allsorts

It sounds as if the receptionist is a bit out of her depth, hence the attitude.she obviously has never heard of the word,

Oh she had the attitude long before I used a word she didn't recognise.

This was an amusing anecdote for my fellow pedants - nothing more.

I didn't expect my level of "kindness" to be brought into question or a debate about the pros and cons of being a receptionist in a surgery.

When you've cared for a dearly loved parent for over 10 years, and know that they are probably in an end of life situation, a little empathy and understanding from those you have to deal with goes a long way.

So let's put the boot on the other foot eh? After all, I only had 1 Dad and was doing my utmost to make his final days a little more comfortable for him, and thus a little less distressing for me and my children.

So telling ME to be kind and sympathising with the receptionist I actually find quite offensive and upsetting.

If I had known I was going to be castigated for not being able to display the same level of martyrdom that others clearly possess I would never have posted.

I don’t think it’s much fun being a doctors receptionist
Ours are lovely and one day I thanked one for being so kind and she said ‘you ve made my day I think I m going to cry we never get any nice things said about us I m going to go and tell the others’ Which really brought it home to me how much awful stick they must take in a day
Although I know what it means it’s not a word I would have used
Remember kindness breeds kindness that s all I ll say

It sounds as if the receptionist is a bit out of her depth, hence the attitude.she obviously has never heard of the word,

Love it- made me laugh. What is it with some of these receptionists? There is one at our local GPs who is the most rude and condescending woman. I try to avoid her, she thinks she’s a goddess and the patients are just ignorant peasants to be talked down to. I’d sack her, personally.