The Role of the Receptionist
Receptionists have a difficult role in a general practice, but they are essential to ensure the practice runs smoothly and efficiently. They are also the first point of contact for patients with our practice and so a vital ingredient in the success of our practice. A good receptionist is a superb advert for a practice and we are lucky to have so many good ones.

They work under guidance from the doctors and implement policies laid down by the doctors. If you are frustrated with our practice, being rude to a receptionist is unlikely to help whereas talking to the doctors may bring about some improvements.

One key policy is that our reception staff are under an absolute duty of confidentiality in the same way as a doctor or nurse is. Indeed breach of this duty would lead to immediate disciplinary action against the staff member concerned.

Reception staff are trying to arrange speedy and efficient access to services for patients. As a practice we do not always have enough appointments available for a variety of reasons. We know of no practice that does. Receptionists will do their best to get you an appointment at a convenient time subject to the availability of appointments. If you have a problem which you think is urgent and there is not a suitable appointment free please give brief details of the problem (e.g. Child with fever, asthma getting worse) to the receptionist who can then liase with the doctor and see if an urgent extra appointment is warranted - it will be the doctor who makes that decision. 

The reception staff also keep the doctors organised with reminders, organising prescriptions (up to 200 per day), dealing with forms, typing letters, filing results and letters, dealing with our item of service fees, phoning patients or hospital departments and numerous other jobs. They are busy people in a frequently stressful environment.

Please remember that receptionists are ordinary humans, in a busy job, do not have medical knowledge, and may not be able to answer all your questions. What they can do well is relay your concerns to the doctors and allow the doctors to respond.