"quality of receptionist skills"

Rang for an appointment for my husband who needed to be seen quickly.

He has got three serious life changing illnesses and I knew he wasn't at all well.

Asked for a doctor to visit and they asked for name and was he housebound. I gave his name and said he is very poorly and they said as he had visited the surgery recently he was not housebound so could not have a home visit.

They did not ask what the problem was or if I was able to get him to the surgery.

They assumed because he was able to come in one time he was able this time. I tried to say he has PDS, GBS and dementia but they said 2 o'clock at the surgery was the best.

I said why not a home visit and they said it would not be any earlier anyway. As my daughter had time off work that day she was able to help and put his wheelchair in her boot. A few minutes later the receptionist rang back to say they had a 'cancellation' for 12 o'clock which I took. The doctor was very good and diagnosed a severe water infection for which my husband has been hospitalised with several times before.

I found the receptionist attitude and tone was not patient friendly, I feel they should have taken time to find out more about the problem before assuming he could get to the surgery.