Sorry, but bloody receptionists!!!!

[BiscuitsBrown]

Had an text from my local surgery asking me to email them with BP readings. I duly did, explaining they were slightly high. Getting nothing in response, I rang them to confirm they received it all ok. The receptionist I spoke with said no, and that she would take them there and then. I explained that they were high, and that subsequent readings were higher and that I had suffered a TIA a few years ago, but I may as well have talked to the wall. The receptionist was unconcerned and definitely not helpful. In fact the info they gave me was incorrect. I was told to take my BP 4 times a day for a week, then bring them into the surgery in person so they could be scanned into my docs....eh??! This morning I managed to talk with a Dr as I wasn't happy with what I'd been told yesterday. The Dr's advice was to ignore what I'd been told and to merely monitor it over the next two weeks, and that I was to go onto a new medication immediately. Not being funny but, say I had just agreed to follow what the receptionist had told me. I wonder what state I'd be in in a few weeks time....! Oh, and the surgery is under review as it is!

[BongoBaggins]

Our surgery desk staff are just awful. Impatient, bad-tempered and rude. The medical staff are wizards and I can't fault them. They're being badly represented by the people they've chosen to answer the phone.

[LBCdance in reply to BongoBaggins]

This seems to be common, but is very worrying. I find myself feeling physically sick when I have to phone our surgery because of having to negotiate the receptionists. The GPs are kind enough when you get to speak to them but you seldom have contact with the same person twice. As I've got older and inevitably have health problems I find it all very frightening, not because I have any right to expect not to get ill, but just to receive appropriate treatment. A&E should always be a last resort, not fair to them to use them in that way and it is for people with an actual emergency, and certainly not the right service for patients. I must say I had an enormous surprise 2 weeks ago when the GP in charge of my practice made a home visit to me so full marks there, but when he said I shouldn't hesitate to phone if I needed to I felt like saying, well have you told your receptionists that. Pleased though I undoubtedly was by his visit it was such a shock that I don't think I made the best use of it or ask appropriate questions. I sometimes wonder if the desk staff have a special training to be so rude and unkind!

[Palpman]

I was called to my new surgery to see the nurse for a yearly something.

She tried to find my pulse on the pinky side so I had to intervene and direct her to the thumb side. She still could not find it so I had to do it myself.

She then said I must go back to reception and book an appointment with the GP for a blood test.

I went back to reception but was told I must phone them for an appointment.

I went out the glass door and phoned them from my cell. I waved to her when she picked up so she put it down and waved me on.

I'm still wondering why they did this but I never phoned back again.

[VelvetSky]

Hi, I had a serious HA in 2019, I tried to book a gp appointment this year, if you mention any chest problem, I am a chronic asthmatic, the receptionist immediately says go to A&E and cuts you off. The same happens if you try the online questionnaire.I had to lie when I had a chest rash and not use the word chest, I thought it was Shingles but turned out to be Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, just to get seen. SJS has a mortality of over 30%.

Diagnosis by receptionist is not acceptable but it’s what seems to happen these days.

[Lisajb1966]

I can beat that. My husband went to our surgery to collect a prescription. He felt very unwell when he was there, had chest pains. She told him to walk home and call an ambulance! He did, somehow, and was found to be having a heart attack. I complained to the practice manager, luckily there were a few witnesses so he had to take action.

[thepuppetman in reply to Lisajb1966]

that is terrible

[Pussacat]

Similar issue in our area and I firmly informed my GP the receptionists are clerical not clinical and we shouldn't have to discuss anything with them.

[Ahhwell]

We are told they ask our symptoms so they can direct us to the right health practitioner be it doctor , nurse bp specialist blah blah !! Do the receptionist have to follow the patients confidentiality code or can they have a nice chat with their neighbour about Mrs Smiths at number 32 haemorrhoids ?

[Palpman]

Sterling job you did and a pity you have to leave. Your health comes first.

Where I come from the receptionists need to know basic medical ailments for reasons obvious to some of us.

[Fredders]

I guess I'm lucky, on the whole the receptionists at my practice are great. I've had two AVR ops and a splenectomy and if I ring up they are really helpful. I think I must show as high risk for infections on their system, cos they always get me an appointment with the nurse practitioners straight away.