"Rude and dismissive receptionist"

After weeks of struggling to find the strength to get help to deal with my depression which had sprung up again, a friend travelled to Edinburgh to help me get to the doctor. I phoned Crewe Medical Centre in July to check that they were my local GP, and they encouraged me to come at 7:30am on a Tuesday morning to register.

My friend took me first thing on Tuesday to get registered, as only 10 registration forms are given out per week to the first 10 people to turn up. After waiting for an hour for the doors to open, we were the first patients to be seen to.  I asked to register and the receptionist asked for my postcode. When I gave it, the receptionist informed me that this wasn't my catchment area GP. I said that I had been told it was on the phone. They told me that that couldn't be possible as it wasn't. (My address is right on the catchment area line which I think is where the confusion lay).

I was given the number for Practitioner Services and told to call them to get my catchment GP. I walked outside and called Practitioner Services, gave them my postcode, for them to tell me that Crewe Medical Centre was my local GP. I explained what had just happened, and he assured me that Crewe was my closest, and to go back in and talk to them. He gave Muirhouse Medical Group as a possible alternative, but encouraged me to go back into Crewe and get them to call him if there were any issues.

I went back in and joined the back of the long queue, at which point the receptionist shouted out that all of the registration forms were gone for that week. This entire process up until now had been distressing, and being told that was very upsetting. I was crying in the queue but I waited anyway to get to the bottom of the issue. I got to the front and spoke to the same receptionist, explaining what Practitioner Services had told me. They were very short and curt with me, rolling eyes and tutting. I asked if they could call Practitioner Services to help me figure this out. They spoke to a woman at Practitioner Services and was laughing about me to the woman, referring to me as a "girl" and at one point scoffed and said to the woman that she thought I was lying, laughing and saying bye. The receptionist then said to me that the woman from Practitioner Services did not tell me that this was my GP, she told me it was Muirhouse. I said "I think there might be a mix up as I didn't speak to a woman I spoke to a man, and he confirmed that Crewe was my local and that Muirhouse was the next closest". I was then dismissed, told I was wrong and to go to Muirhouse, and the next patient was called forward. 

I walked out of there and burst into tears, sobbing for the next half an hour. In a time that I feel totally helpless and that there is noone to help me, to finally find the strength to seek help and be shot down in such a nasty way was soul-destroying. I told my mother the story and she strongly encouraged me to use Care Opinion so that this issue can be addressed.

I totally understand that medical receptionists are put under immense pressure to deal with the general public about sensitive issues, but I think it's also important to consider the impact they have on  people from a mental health perspective. If it isn't already in place, I think it would be beneficial for medical receptionists to receive some kind of training in preparation for dealing with people struggling with mental health issues. If I did not have such a strong support system, and have my friend by my side when I went to Crewe Medical Centre, the impact of this experience on my mental health would have been so much worse.