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Rant about surgery receptionist being obstructive why ?

daydream

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
fish-coconut
hi, I have just enrolled in the expert programme { don't really want to go but I will } and they need my records of my bloods I asked the receptionist to pass the form to my diabetic nurse and she said she could not do that. I asked if I could make a blood test appointment for my diabetic appointment and was told only if they were instructed to do so. This makes no sense as I always have a blood test before I see the diabetic nurse every 3 months and have done so for the last year. Anyway got blood test in the end but still could not get anyone to pass the form on.
so I put it in a envelope and put it through the letter box addressed to my diabetic nurse still waiting to see if they fill it in or not . I am wondering if this programme is going to be worth all the bother and stress I am going to it under the suggestion of the surgery and they cant be bothered to help. Has anyone else had this at their surgery ?
 
I feel for you and my Drs are just as unhelpful.. Never been sent on any courses yet .. But I am only T2 ..I think it's very important for T1s to attend these courses .. Or do I have that wrong?
 
Enclave said:
I feel for you and my Drs are just as unhelpful.. Never been sent on any courses yet .. But I am only T2 ..I think it's very important for T1s to attend these courses .. Or do I have that wrong?
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I also am type 2 sorry forgot to say that .Well thank you for your reply my doctors fine its the receptionist they seem to enjoy making it hard for us to see anyone the course is something nice is recommending for all diabetics evidently so I am told.
 

You should speak to the Practice Manager. They are usually quite helpful.
 
I suspect that the problem is that as a result of nhs reforms, everyone in the surgery is up to their eyes in paperwork.
A GP friend of mine has taken early retirement to try to wrest some control of his life back from endless almost pointless paperwork and dealings with mindless bureaucrats.
As a consequence, I guess the receptionists are trying to keep work away from the health professionals if they can. Sadly that's not what anyone should be doing. Fortunately I am at a good practice and everyone's very helpful.
 
daydream said:
... Anyway got blood test in the end ..
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Generally I get it taken from my arm! Sorry, couldn't resist!
daydream said:
... I am wondering if this programme is going to be worth all the bother and stress I am going to it under the suggestion of the surgery and they cant be bothered to help....
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If the "educator" has been trained/retrained recently The course could be quite good and open minded ( they now cover LCHF WoE)
Re-did it recently under Dr Deakin herself and it was great, (did it 6 years ago and it was too dogmatic!
 
Hello daydream and everybody, I did a course some years ago about patients helping themselves, maybe they have changed the course needs, I did not have to provide blood results, for the course.
Seems like they have got so much up to date, yes I have had major stress trying to deal with reception staff and their behaviour. The ones at my health centre try to make you phone up from 8am for appointments, then they are awkward when trying to book appointments, and let us not forget they shut for dinner sorry lunch 1-2pm each day!!?, when are they going to get with the rest of the working people, and they have a phone blocker so mobiles don't work in the building, even the staff struggle.
Well that is enough from me, ttfn from Karen.
 
Even the Diabetic consultant at my hospital [who is the best Dr I have ever known] got fed up with all the bureaucracy and money wasting and said he could not put up with it much longer so took early retirement , I remember on my last visit to him sitting in his surgery and he pointed to all the pamphlets around the room picking out one in particular which was titled Tattoos and diabetics and said What is this all about, I had to agree what a waste of NHS money.
 
Hello jaywak, I can see what the doctor meant by the bureaucracy, and the daft leaflets that are printed, why would a diabetic want to get a tattoo? then the not healing part. It is a shame that doctors feel so unwanted that they retire, such a waste in the experience and knowledge, The only way things will change is when there is a long,long list of patients waiting to see a specialist, then maybe questions will be asked and answered to bring the wanted outcomes.

The NHS is far too top heavy with non-medical staff who want big wages and get them for sitting on their bums, taking valuable cash resources from an over stretched service that is vital for the health of this country, and then there is the waste of money on out sauced services which are proving a terrible waste and of very poor standard. I think I remember these sort of problems when the last tory mad hatters were ruining the country.

Thursday is the day we wait and see what gets voted in next, I hope there is not another tory gaggle elected in, I don't think the good people of this country can stand another term of their penny pinching, winging ways.

Well we must wait and see, ttfn from Karen.
 
Why do they have to make it so hard? Like you don't have enough to spend your energy on?! This is the stuff that they should make easy, so people will participate. It is like that in every office it seems- and medical receptionists - as far as I am concerned seemed to be so passive aggressive - maybe they hate what they do! Sorry to hear your frustration- had a similar issue Friday!
 
 
I agree with everything you say Scouser but I don't know about the vote on thursday changing the way the NHS is run, I think it's peoples attitudes that need to change some people think that they are owed a living no matter how little they do which then cancels out the work the hard workers do, who then think to themselves why should I bother I will get just as much for doing less and so it goes on, I think we all need a good kick up the backside!
 
Morning jaywak, yes you are correct in what you say, hello @ christi99 and I agree with what you have said also, at times I have to walk away before my frustration and annoyance get the better of me. I have a bit of a theory that they (receptionists) think they have to behave the way they do, as it is their job to make patients get stressed out, to make themselves look/sound important?!
well ttfn from Karen
 
Ha! Ya- I agree, people who feel little power inside have to be control freaks and wield control over others lives (power!)- and these front desk people can affect us BIG TIME! Probably does make them feel important - and considering they are at the least educated level in a medical hierarchy, they often act like nuts! I have complained to practice managers in the past and in my country doctors don't want to lose their patients (how they actually make more money!!) so managers are usually really angry and will take care of it- till the next time!
 
I'm a GP recepionist and believe me, you're wrong.

They will be following surgery policy or Doctors instructions in what they can and can't do. Complain to the Practice Managers and GPs and they'll make all the right noises to appease the patient but do nothing cos it was their instructions the receptionist would have been following in the first place.

Ive lost count of the number of times I've had to refuse requests for stuff I have no problem doing as its been instructed by the GP. I'll always suggest a patient see the GP if theyre not happy. More often than not he'll then do what I wasnt allowed to and so the patient will think it was me being awkward in the first place when thats not the case at all.
 
I have many issues regarding getting blood tests done and the Gp's comments saying "excellent, see DSN"... When the tests were meant for my hospital.. Not them and I was inle seen by them 6 weks previously.

Anyhow, I have booked a double appt to speak to my GP about this as there are other issues too.

If they try to fob me off I will drop in another letter of complaint to the Practice Manager.

My last complaint about being told to stop my insulin by a GP that hadn't even checked my records was dealt with fairly and I received an apology and assurance that this would never happen again and that lessons had been learnt.

Receptionists follow rules set down by GP's and they take a huge amount of grief when its not their fault.

Appreciation that receptionists do not make up the procedures etc and not being bloody minded is needed as they are front line meeting and greeting everybody. From seeing a presentation from our receptionists to our PPG Members it is amazing what they have to do besides making appointments....
 
Hummm- thanks for your comments. I guess when you think about it, you probably are often in a situation that is limiting. I am sorry for my comments, but lately I have had soooooo many issues with this that I feel it has almost gotten just crazy behavior like I said. Maybe it is more a reflection on limited resources or something. I guess I sense more of an obstructionist with an rude attitude more than Gee, I am sorry but this is how we do it etc.and ya, when you make an effort to go over their heads, then it's like "Oh sure, OK etc.., oh so sorry about that". But anyway, I am sorry- I guess one should always think what it is like to walk in someone else's shoes before one gets angry at the person who may just be doing is/her job. It can't be easy as I see often how busy the job is.
 
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