Bloody doctor's receptionists.

My surgery would take details and then say come back after 6 when it will be ready for collection.

Nanevan thats disgraceful, if it was me I would make an appointment with the Dr and ask him why and also it wouldn't matter how long I had been with him I would change .

I agree with asking to talk to the Practice Manager. I had been chasing up some test results for 2 weeks and in desperation rang and asked to speak to the practice manager. ‘Oh she’s gone home’ I was told. Ok then, who can I make a formal complaint to then? I replied. The receptionist hot footed it to the car park and the practice manager swiftly returned and spoke to me. Result - the elusive test results were swiftly rung through to me by a GP the following day.

My surgery has a dedicated phone line and online facility for repeat prescriptions, and they can be picked up in forty eight hours.
They can also be sent to local pharmacies for collection.
It worked really well for me when I was working, as my surgery was quite a distance away in another town and I could only pick them up at the weekend when the surgery was closed.

Compared to others, my surgery doesn't seem to be so bad after all!

At least your surgery takes prescription requests over the 'phone - mine doesn't. The GP surgery I go to only accepts repeat prescriptions in writing, and it takes 3 or 4 days to get the stuff.

Dahlia, I do appreciate that not all receptionists are dragons, and there are indeed some very helpful and kind ones, who have been good to me. The pressure when the phone lines open, must be very high.
However, there are still those receptionists who find it very difficult to be pleasant and civil, despite being spoken to with civilty and politeness.
I have complex medical conditions and used to dread phoning for an appointment or advice.

What finished me off was I had an emergency appointment one Saturday morning for a chest infection and a severe asthma flare up. It had started during the night, with little warning and I was deteriorating by the hour.

I overheard one receptionist, discussing the couple of patients (including me) in the waiting room, saying: Nothing much wrong with that lot, just couldn't be bothered trying to get a weekday appointment! What a lot of hypochondriacs.

I made a point of informing the doctor when I saw him.

I worked as a GP receptionist for ten years, and then ran an outpatient psychiatric clinic for twenty. Believe me, the stress of the GP surgeries can only be imagined. We had two telephones, one non-directory for the doctors to call in; often the "public" line would be ringing, there would be a queue at the counter of patients, and the doctor on the second line, complaining that he had had to wait. And now receptionists are expected to "triage" patients over the telephone too. Yes, I experience mistakes with my own prescriptions and it can be frustrating, but having sat behind that desk, I can always sympathise with the overworked staff, most of whom are trying to do their best.

You will probably find many of us on here, who can empathise with you.
Me for one!
However, we have had a turnover of staff at our surgery and some of the nastier receptionists have left.
My recent experiences have been much more positive.

A few weeks a go, I phoned asking to leave a message for my GP, as I was worried about some side effects.
The receptionist said that she wasn't leaving as message, as it would be ages before he saw it. Instead she put me on the triage list and five minutes s later a doctor phoned me and asked me if I could come down straight away or did I need him to come out!

That's service for you!

My GP surgery has recently changed hands. I rang to explain that I couldn't get to them for a flu jab, and the nurse usually came to me. The receptionist said that nurse had left. I started to ask what I should do in that case, and she said, “Oh, I don’t know what you can do about that”. End of conversation.

I’m looking at alternative possible GP practices to join. I’m not staying there.

As I don’t use gransnet very often. I just felt I needed to post my comments as I’m tearing my hair. I didn’t notice when the thread started/ended, I just found this and decided to vent my frustrations.

I did wonder why it had been resurrected. ?
What puzzled me even more is, how do posters manage to find these old threads in the first place?
Not a criticism, just nosy curious.

I peeked on here because before I worked at our local district general hospital I used to be a secretary at a group practice andwould often take a turn on the phones and reception.

I agree that some ladies who work there seem to have been trained at The Miss Piggy Charm School.

I was only young then and could not challenge the senior members of staff but I used to cringe with embarrassment sometimes hearing how they spoke to the patients.

On a different note, I see this thread was started in April 2016 and scrolling through it so many of the posters are not regulars now (probably one or two have had a name change since) and it seemed strange reading comments from ‘unknowns’!

My daughter took a letter in to be given to the doctor which the receptionist promptly opened and read I guess they have orders to do that but it looked disrespectful to do it in front of the patient

I have a nightmare ordering prescriptions from my surgery too. The online ordering system states ‘don’t forget to order your prescription to ensure you have sufficient medication over the holiday period. If you run out the pharmacy may charge you. I always make sure I order 1 week before I go on holiday but several times the Doctor’s surgery have cancelled the request without contacting me to let me know. Even though there is a box to leave a message which I put in that I’m going away and won’t have enough medication while I’m away. Consequently I go to the pharmacy to collect the medications and they haven’t received the prescriptions. I then call the the surgery and I get told I’m ordering too early so I explained I’m going away and won’t have enough medication for while I’m away. Sometimes the receptionists can be a little off hand but say they’ll have to speak to the pharmacist who works in the surgery. However the pharmacist only works two days in the surgery so will not be in to be able to review my medications until after I will be away on my holiday. This last holiday I ordered my prescriptions the surgery cancelled them and didn’t let me know so the day before travelling I went up to the surgery and was told they put a note on the ordering system that they couldn’t put the scripts through as it was too early. There was notes from the surgery on the online system and showed the receptionist this. She said they always put notes on and couldn’t understand why they weren’t there. Anyway eventually I got my prescriptions however the pharmacy didn’t have one of my medications because of the problem pharmacies are having getting certain medications from their suppliers. All to do with Brexit!!! Niece again this week I’m having trouble getting prescriptions from surgery after being told that I’m order told I’m ordering too early. I was told to wait until the day before I leave to visit my Daughter and won’t have enough medication while I’m there. I explained that sometimes the pharmacy can’t get the medications I need and the lady at the surgery told me I had to try different pharmacies. I work in a pharmacy and I’m aware that at times medications aren’t available. G the his time I rang my pharmacy and once again they couldn’t get hold of one of my medications so I would need to contact the surgery. I did and I was told that a message would be sent to pharmacy hub which again is too late and won’t get an alternative before I leave to visit my daughter. I also ordered some of my medications 3 days before I needed them so allowing them required 48 hours as stated by surgery but this time the surgery only gave me 2 weeks supply instead if 4 weeks. So I went to the surgery again and was told u needed a medication review. Again no communication from the surgery to let me know. So now I have an appointment with the Nurse Practioner the day before I leave so if I do get a prescription from her and take it to my pharmacy I may not be able to get the medications because they don’t have them. Talk about stress levels!!! No wondering my blood pressure and anxiety levels are through the roof!!!

Sorry, that was to Coolgran, not RubyL.

And again last night- as Mac is found out for stealing Tramadol around the wards to feed his addiction.

RubyL- I sincerely hope you have spoken to someone about the prescription going missing.

Tramadol going 'missing' on Casualty tonight.

I do wonder RubyL- did you speak to the Practice Manager about this- it is quite a serious issue.

Hi railman

The rapid access clinic Monday to Friday is run like a mini A&E. On a Monday there are doctor appointments which are required if you're likely to require a referral. Sorry if I wasn't clear, I am still learning.

That's useful info JenRen - but do you mean that only 'emergency' appointments are available on a Monday?

Does that mean the surgery is effectively acting as a mini A&E on a Monday?

Or is my understanding of what a GP calls an 'emergency'a different animal??

I feel very sorry for the receptionists at my local practice, as the appointment system changes on a regular basis and they are the ones that get all the flak from patients, even though it's not their doing. I have overheard people getting impatient with them, and treating them as underlings, when they are only trying to help. The latest wheeze is - appointments for up to 10am can be made the previous afternoon, from 4pm. For appointments between 10 and 12, you've to ring or call in at 8am, for afternoon appointments, from 11. The only appointments you can book for later in the week are between 7 and 8am on Wednesdays, or 6 and 7pm on Thursdays It won't last!

We do offer a WebGP system at our practice and quiet often this leads to an appointment being offered at the request of the doctor assessing the online request. Just one way that we are trying to help our patients but we are well aware that some of our patients (mainly older patients) would not use this system.

As a new doctors receptionist I feel that I need to explain how our practice organise appointments and prescriptions.

Appointments are always available on the day for emergency appointments. On a Monday we only book appointment on that day, Tuesday through to Friday we book any spare appointments that are available and also for two weeks ahead. The doctors ask the receptionist to get a couple of words for the need for the appointment as quiet often another member of the team would be more appropriate. Most patients are happy with this but we do of course have those who will not say and that is fine, we put that in the notes. We also run a rapid access clinic each day for those patients that need to be seen by a member of the team and are unable to wait for an appointment. This clinic is run by a doctor and nurses and can see up to 100 patients (sometimes more) each day.

As receptionist we don't take prescription requests over the telephone as mistakes can be made. It is the patients responsibility to ensure they don't run out of essential medication and we always request 48 hours notice of repeat scripts. We do understand that sometimes patients do make mistakes and we will try to get a script written up quicker than the 48 hours if it is possible.

Please be aware the receptionist do not make the rules up for the practice and are only carrying out their duties with the constraints put in place by the practice. We are only human and can only offer appointments where they are available.

I did choose to work at my local practice after being made redundant and on the whole I love my job, trying to help patients with a smile, but I am aware that it isn't always appreciated.

I had an ear infection (antibiotic drops seemed to clear it) then a chest infection/cold before Easter (antibiotic tablets) and am still coughing and one ear still keeps 'popping'. Someone I know had the dizziness and her GP gave her tablets for it. Best get it checked.

I am pleased you managed to get an appointment sorted for your DH Alea - sometimes there are human beings on the end of the phone!

'Had a nasty dose of what must have been flu over Easer. Just wanted to ask, as don't want to see GP unnecessarily , has anyone else had 'after effects' that have lasted many weeks?

I still feel a bit dizzy when getting up in the morning - head does a sort of 'half spin' - but more worryingly I have no sense of taste or smell. Have looked this up on the net and found lots of depressing information, but thought that perhaps other Gransnetters might be able to reassure me that this is to be expected. Haven't had anything as debilitating as this before so would really appreciate some input from others. Thanks.

Very good Alea, I'm glad that you managed to sort it out without having to bring out the big guns. You would think though, that they would tell you all the details of booking appointments online and what is available. I still have no idea how to register for online stuff from the doctors.

Now you can calm down and at least you have a back up plan, well done.

Well it worked! (" Nice" that is, with just a soupçon of "immunosuppressant/ compromised immune system"!)
Offered next Wednesday morning but also advised that the online system releases a number of slots for the next 2 days so she suggested I look at 8 am on Friday , maybe even Thursday, but keep the Wednesday one as "Back up" .
So glad I didn't try to be more assertive but briefly explained our predicament and asked her how we might resolve it.
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