Bloody rude and unhelpful doctors receptionists!

ShadowmaidenShadowmaiden Posts: 3,030
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I am actually fuming right now:mad:

I suffer from frequent, reacurring UTI's. Ive had tests and X Rays but no one can find out why I suffer so much with them, its just one of those things I suppose. Today Ive felt those familiar tell tale symptoms creep up on me again: the burning when I go to the loo, the lower back ache, pains in my lower abdomen, a raging headache. I know the symptoms perfectly, and of course with a UTI the sooner it gets caught and treated the better because its can be very serious of it spreads to the kidneys.

So about an hour ago I ring my doctors surgery and ask for an appointment tommorrow. The receptionist answers, and she has an attitude straight away. I ask for an appointment as soon as possible and she says, without asking how urgent my symptoms are or anything ' we don't have any appointments this week'.

So I said ' what non at all? what are people who are ill supposed to do?' and I get a tut and a sigh, 'we have no appointments available this week, would you like one next week?' Well Im sorry, fat lot of good that'll be. If I leave it untreated till then I'll be in hospital! Expecting ill people to wait a week is disgraceful imo. So I hung up, and decided that if I still had the symptoms tommorrow to go to A&E instead.

Well then my mum comes home from work, and tells to ring them back and this do not take no for an answer. Tell them you think you have a UTI. So I did ring back, expecting a fight. But this time a different girl answers, and guess what, after a few moments searching, she found me an appointment at 9am tommorrow morning! I didn't even have to tell her my symptoms or anything, which means the first woman I spoke to was a lying bitch who basically couldn't be arsed looking on the computer for appointments!:mad:

I am so cross! I find that many receptionists have such a high handed, rude and unhelpful attitude. They should ask people ringing for appointments what their symptoms are so they can gage how serious it is. No doctor in the land would turn away a patient with a suspected UTI and expect them to wait a week! Last time I went my doctor had a go at me for leaving it so long! An untreated UTI can cause kidney failure FFS!

Im so angry I feel like lodging a complaint against this first jobsworth I spoke to! Who else has had issues with doctors receptionists?
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Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 206
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    It is quite likely that she wasn't lying and that after a cancellation an appointment opened up.
  • skunkboy69skunkboy69 Posts: 9,506
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    I've had many.What gets me most is when they ask whats wrong with me.It has nothing at all to do with them in the slightest.Having a docs receptionist as a friend I know how they bloody gossip.
  • ShadowmaidenShadowmaiden Posts: 3,030
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    dufflebuff wrote: »
    It is quite likely that she wasn't lying and that after a cancellation an appointment opened up.

    In about ten minutes? That would be pretty convenient. This woman didn't even bother looking on the system to see if she had anything available!

    And I agree with Skunkboy, its none of their bloody business whats wrong with you.
  • ikkleosuikkleosu Posts: 11,494
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    They probably have the system where a certain percentage of appointments are available to people who phone up in advance, and a certain eprcentage are reserved for people who phone at 8am that morning to get an appointment for that day. That's how my doctor's surgery works.

    However, I have had to deal with rude receptionists recently. I had visited my doctor and got 1 of my repeat prescription items printed out. 2 days later I was about to get the prescription filled when I noticed that the doctor had printed out the wrong prescription (she had said at the time that her head was mince, and she's been TALKING about the other medication, so obviously just got confused, and I didn't bother to read it when I left).

    Anyway, I desperately needed the medication and it was Friday afternoon. I know that a chemist will not just dish out the meds, but will give you a handful to last over the weekend if the doctor calls the chemist to confirm the prescription is coming. So I phoned the doctors and goy a grumpy receptionsit.

    I expalined thr problem, she asked when i'd noticed it was wrong, I said just now. She then tried to tell me I'd had my medication (which is a controlled substance) recently, then thankfully she realised it was a month previously. When i told her I couldn't last the weekend, she got really huffy and siad it was a Friday afternoon and they were very busy and didn't have TIME to go phoning chemsists! And this was something that was a doctor's error!

    Thankfully in the end, I managed to get my Mum to go to the surgery and pick up a corrected prescription, before they closed. But the woman at the doctor's was so angry and rude for no reason.
  • BRMBBRMB Posts: 3,462
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    Our local surgery has some really nice receptionists, though there is always that undercurrent of bossiness about them.

    I think they regard themselves as medical bouncers, isolating their doctors from the hoi polloi.

    In their defense, what they have to put up with is quite wearing. The very rare times that I've been in the waiting room has seemed like an episode of Mr Magoo meets Mr Bean.
  • f_196f_196 Posts: 11,829
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    We can only arrange an appointment at our doctors on the same day - cue hundreds of people ringing at 8am. I'm still trying to work out if it really is a better system or not.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 206
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    In about ten minutes? That would be pretty convenient. This woman didn't even bother looking on the system to see if she had anything available!

    And I agree with Skunkboy, its none of their bloody business whats wrong with you.

    I thought it was an hour later. 10 mins does make it look a bit suspect.

    I agree that they shouldnt ask you what is wrong with you on the phone, mind you she didnt ask you?
    She didn't sound very helpful though.

    I'm amazed you got an appointment so soon. At my doctors you have to wait 2 weeks, if it is urgent there is a walk in centre in the morning so to be seen quickly you need to queue up outside before the doctors open.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,187
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    BRMB wrote: »
    Our local surgery has some really nice receptionists, though there is always that undercurrent of bossiness about them.

    I think they regard themselves as medical bouncers, isolating their doctors from the hoi polloi.
    In their defense, what they have to put up with is quite wearing. The very rare times that I've been in the waiting room has seemed like an episode of Mr Magoo meets Mr Bean.

    :D I love that description!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 120
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    I find that if you ring and ask for an appointment asap they will often try to fob you off as there are only so many emergency slots available after all the routine ones are taken, i suppose they think that if is is urgent you will insist.
    A sure fire way of getting the appointment in my experience has been just to politely say *thanks for your time, it looks like i will have to go to A and E* It's amazing how they suddenly manage to fit you in :P :)
  • fitnessqueenfitnessqueen Posts: 5,185
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    My doctors receptionists are always really helpful- I phoned up the other week for an appointment and despite me saying it wasn't urgent I got one for that afternoon!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,285
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    I am actually fuming right now:mad:

    I suffer from frequent, reacurring UTI's. Ive had tests and X Rays but no one can find out why I suffer so much with them, its just one of those things I suppose. Today Ive felt those familiar tell tale symptoms creep up on me again: the burning when I go to the loo, the lower back ache, pains in my lower abdomen, a raging headache. I know the symptoms perfectly, and of course with a UTI the sooner it gets caught and treated the better because its can be very serious of it spreads to the kidneys.

    So about an hour ago I ring my doctors surgery and ask for an appointment tommorrow. The receptionist answers, and she has an attitude straight away. I ask for an appointment as soon as possible and she says, without asking how urgent my symptoms are or anything ' we don't have any appointments this week'.

    So I said ' what non at all? what are people who are ill supposed to do?' and I get a tut and a sigh, 'we have no appointments available this week, would you like one next week?' Well Im sorry, fat lot of good that'll be. If I leave it untreated till then I'll be in hospital! Expecting ill people to wait a week is disgraceful imo. So I hung up, and decided that if I still had the symptoms tommorrow to go to A&E instead.

    Well then my mum comes home from work, and tells to ring them back and this do not take no for an answer. Tell them you think you have a UTI. So I did ring back, expecting a fight. But this time a different girl answers, and guess what, after a few moments searching, she found me an appointment at 9am tommorrow morning! I didn't even have to tell her my symptoms or anything, which means the first woman I spoke to was a lying bitch who basically couldn't be arsed looking on the computer for appointments!:mad:

    I am so cross! I find that many receptionists have such a high handed, rude and unhelpful attitude. They should ask people ringing for appointments what their symptoms are so they can gage how serious it is. No doctor in the land would turn away a patient with a suspected UTI and expect them to wait a week! Last time I went my doctor had a go at me for leaving it so long! An untreated UTI can cause kidney failure FFS!

    Im so angry I feel like lodging a complaint against this first jobsworth I spoke to! Who else has had issues with doctors receptionists?

    Goodness poor you. UTI is classed as an emergency as like you say they can affect your kidneys.

    I have constant UTI probably about 1 a month, and I take one antibiotic a night to try and combat this.

    I have an understanding at my surgery if I think i am coming down with a UTI I can take a sample down immediately and the nurse will dip stick it straight away. If there is anything showing then they send a prescription through to the chemist.

    It works very well for me. I dont know if it is because I have MS or its just because I have a good surgery.

    A UTI should not be left, I think you were dealt with very badly.

    Hope you get it sorted. By the way as I say I take 1 trimothoprin every night and it does help, also I take one cranberry tablet every day which also helps. I have gone from 12 UTI to about 5 this year so far which is good for me.
  • ShadowmaidenShadowmaiden Posts: 3,030
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    dufflebuff wrote: »
    I thought it was an hour later. 10 mins does make it look a bit suspect.

    I agree that they shouldnt ask you what is wrong with you on the phone, mind you she didnt ask you?
    She didn't sound very helpful though.

    I'm amazed you got an appointment so soon. At my doctors you have to wait 2 weeks, if it is urgent there is a walk in centre in the morning so to be seen quickly you need to queue up outside before the doctors open.

    Our doctors is really old fashioned anyway. There's no walk in centre there, they don't even have one of those touch screen sign in's yet, which means its a nightmare. You are stood by the reception for ages trying to sign whilst the receptionists field phone calls and deal with confused elderly patients.

    A couple of times ive missed my appointments because ive been waiting for something as long as 20 minutes to be signed in:eek:
  • ShadowmaidenShadowmaiden Posts: 3,030
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    Goodness poor you. UTI is classed as an emergency as like you say they can affect your kidneys.

    I have constant UTI probably about 1 a month, and I take one antibiotic a night to try and combat this.

    I have an understanding at my surgery if I think i am coming down with a UTI I can take a sample down immediately and the nurse will dip stick it straight away. If there is anything showing then they send a prescription through to the chemist.

    It works very well for me. I dont know if it is because I have MS or its just because I have a good surgery.

    A UTI should not be left, I think you were dealt with very badly.

    Hope you get it sorted. By the way as I say I take 1 trimothoprin every night and it does help, also I take one cranberry tablet every day which also helps. I have gone from 12 UTI to about 5 this year so far which is good for me.

    Ive had two kidney infections as a result of a UTI being left untreated, although on both occasions it was my fault for not going to see a doctor. But im now very aware of how it needs to be treated ASAP, the sooner you get the anti biotics into you, the better.

    The pain from a kidney infection is excruciating, I had to take Kapake and very long course of anti bioitcs for it the last time. Understandably I don't want to go through it again. My doctor knows this.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 206
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    Our doctors is really old fashioned anyway. There's no walk in centre there, they don't even have one of those touch screen sign in's yet, which means its a nightmare. You are stood by the reception for ages trying to sign whilst the receptionists field phone calls and deal with confused elderly patients.

    A couple of times ive missed my appointments because ive been waiting for something as long as 20 minutes to be signed in:eek:

    Blimey thats pretty bad.
    I don't even try to get an appointment if I'm ill. I'll go to the walk in and I might have to wait 2 hours on a bad day but at least I can be seen. It was terrible before they started the walk in centre.
    At my place it is a few of the doctors with bad attitudes not the receptionists.
  • mildredhubblemildredhubble Posts: 6,447
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    Our doctors is really old fashioned anyway. There's no walk in centre there, they don't even have one of those touch screen sign in's yet, which means its a nightmare. You are stood by the reception for ages trying to sign whilst the receptionists field phone calls and deal with confused elderly patients.

    A couple of times ive missed my appointments because ive been waiting for something as long as 20 minutes to be signed in:eek:

    Use your OOH service if you struggle to be seen during opening times.
  • ShadowmaidenShadowmaiden Posts: 3,030
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    dufflebuff wrote: »
    Blimey thats pretty bad.
    I don't even try to get an appointment if I'm ill. I'll go to the walk in and I might have to wait 2 hours on a bad day but at least I can be seen. It was terrible before they started the walk in centre.
    At my place it is a few of the doctors with bad attitudes not the receptionists.

    Its getting to the point that I want to transfer to another practice. There are a few in the area, some closer than my current practice. Ive had the same doctor since I was a baby, and he knows all my medical history. But its just so old fashioned and stuck in the dark ages.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Our doctors is really old fashioned anyway. There's no walk in centre there, they don't even have one of those touch screen sign in's yet, which means its a nightmare. You are stood by the reception for ages trying to sign whilst the receptionists field phone calls and deal with confused elderly patients.

    A couple of times ive missed my appointments because ive been waiting for something as long as 20 minutes to be signed in:eek:

    Touch screen sign-ins???? :confused:

    My surgery must be equally old-fashioned but then again, I haven't been there for quite some time! :D

    I have to say though that I am very lucky in having a great GP practice with very kind, polite and helpful receptionists.
  • You_moYou_mo Posts: 11,334
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    I don't know where they find some of them. The practice I'm at now, the receptionists are polite, helpful and even look at you when you're talking.

    When I was an outpatient at the hospital I found a few of them officious, patronising and having an 'I'm too busy to being talking to you' attitude! It was really uncomfortable.

    One of them had a party trick of loudly demanding, 'AGE?' to the older ladies. They'd say it quietly and she'd say loudly 'DID YOU SAY 57?'. She did that so many times when I was there I began to think so enjoyed it.
  • Miriams SisterMiriams Sister Posts: 7,967
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    Our doctors is really old fashioned anyway. There's no walk in centre there, they don't even have one of those touch screen sign in's yet, which means its a nightmare. You are stood by the reception for ages trying to sign whilst the receptionists field phone calls and deal with confused elderly patients.

    A couple of times ive missed my appointments because ive been waiting for something as long as 20 minutes to be signed in:eek:

    Don't you have a triage nurse? At our surgery you can ask to see her, she tests your sample and if an infection shows up gets a prescription there and then, on the same day.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,187
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    I have never felt pain like a UTI!! It is indeed, AWFUL!

    My sympathies are with you OP.

    When I had one, I couldn't get out of bed, unless to go to the bathroom. Vile infection!
  • ShadowmaidenShadowmaiden Posts: 3,030
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    Touch screen sign-ins???? :confused:

    My surgery must be equally old-fashioned but then again, I haven't been there for quite some time! :D

    I have to say though that I am very lucky in having a great GP practice with very kind, polite and helpful receptionists.

    Yeah the touch screens are brilliant!

    They are at the side of the reception. When you go in for your appointment instead of speaking to the receptionist, you go up to that type your name and DOB in and you've signed in. Hey presto as quick as that.

    I first found out about them when my mum took my grandad to the doctors and they had one in his surgery. They are so quick and practical. No queues or anything. When I asked around I soon discovered that I was the only person who'd never seen one before. It seems most surgeries have them now.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Bad receptionists are a concern. As are nosey ones. I imagine many can be potentially put off from going to their GP knowing of the 'hurdles' that they have to jump before being granted a consultation.

    My previous GP's reception area was a desk based within the waiting room. Anyone who wanted to see the doctor would have to basically declare their problem right there and then, whether or not the waiting room was full.

    I can imagine people particularly reserved at consulting doctors anyway, young men for example, would be extremely put off by this.

    A friend of mine, who had the same doctors thought he found a lump somewhere on his male-area :p...he put it off for ages, simply because he did not want to walk into the reception area and give these details a) to a receptionist or b) to anyone who may have been within the waiting room at the time.

    Where I am now it's much better. You simply have to inform the receptionist that you wish to see the GP regarding a personal health matter. She'll then smile and ask you to wait your turn.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    Yeah the touch screens are brilliant!

    They are at the side of the reception. When you go in for your appointment instead of speaking to the receptionist, you go up to that type your name and DOB in and you've signed in. Hey presto as quick as that.

    I first found out about them when my mum took my grandad to the doctors and they had one in his surgery. They are so quick and practical. No queues or anything. When I asked around I soon discovered that I was the only person who'd never seen one before. It seems most surgeries have them now.

    I shall find an excuse to drop by for a look!! :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,595
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    Our doctors have the system where you have to ring up at a certain time in the morning or afternoon to try and get a same day appointment.
    I was having an allergic reaction to some medication the docs gave me. I rang up to try and get an appointment, and I felt so ill, and obviously was worried it would get worse. I told them I was sure it was an allergic reaction, and I really needed to see a doctor. They insisted I had to ring back in an hour, which I kept saying no too, they passed me round to lots of different receptionists, but no one would help. I rang up an hour later, and they still said it was the wrong time! When I rang back again, I got an appointment, but about 6 hours after I first rang.
    They didn't ask what I was having a reaction to, or my symptoms. Luckily it didn't end up being serious, but I was very, very ill, and I'm a bit surprised that something that big would get you so fobbed off! It could easily have been a lot more serious.

    That said, it's not a job I'd want to do.
  • BRMBBRMB Posts: 3,462
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    Yeah the touch screens are brilliant!

    Oh God, the touchscreens!

    They're great if you manage to check in ahead of the OAP posse that seem to live in doctor's surgeries. Otherwise they lead to miserable minutes standing behind a gaggle prodding and poking it... while changing their glasses and/or peering over their lenses between prods, talking to their imaginary/real friends and treating the devices as an intercom and shouting into it (I kid you not!).

    I think people should be barcoded once they reach 70, or when they are unable to read anything smaller than a billboard... whichever comes first. Then just scan them in as they enter the surgery.

    Oh yeah, we also have one of those scrolling LED screens above the receptionist's window. It says things like "Mr Smith to Room 6, Dr Wotsit". Nobody over 50 can read that either (it 'goes too fast' apparently).
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