"Receptionist are rude and disrespectful"

I have been with this surgery for over 16years. The practice has got worse over the last 3/4 years.

1. The receptionists are down right rude, very disrespectful and inconsiderate of people’s emotions

2. Trying to get an appointment is nigh on impossible if you have a full time job and don’t mind spending the morning trying to get through to then be told their are no appointments.

Today I had an appointment at Broomfield hospital with my cancer specialist. Who wrote me a handwritten note to take to the doctor today with an urgent request. I arrived at the GP surgery with my letter which the receptionist read and said well I don’t have any appointments. You’ll have to call again at 8am but we are closed all day tomorrow (Xmas party I guess). So you’ll have to call the following day.

When I said the Consultant asked me to do this as urgent she stated that the content of the handwritten letter did not justify it as urgent. I’m totally disgusted that the receptionist can over rule a cancer specialist request that I see my GP urgently.

The other receptionist then got involved and said you’ll have to just wait just like everybody else. When my husband pointed out that I had cancer she said ‘well so what’ she’ll hAve to wait and call day after next to try and get an appointment.

I was so upset. I’d just had two days of hospital appointments and biopsy’s and then had to endure such a rude receptionist.

This is not acceptable behaviour. Manners cost nothing.

If I ran my business where the frontline staff were rude and miserable then I would be out of business. They are there to run a service paid for by taxpayers like myself, so this does not preclude them from ensuring they offer a good service. I totally understand that all nhs /Gp surgeries are under pressure and they have to have policies and rules. But, each patients request should be assessed individually. I do not have a cold, or a sore throat I have cancer. I also have a letter from a qualified consultant asking my GP to see me urgently. Surely there is some wriggle room for urgent medical requests? Yet the receptionist felt that the information in the letter did not warrant an appointment, so basically over rides a qualified medical practitioner.

I left the surgery and called the secretary, who has also failed to call me back!

Please Blackwater train your frontline stafff in customer care. People are sick, people have very serious illnesses which in itself is stressful enough. They do not need to endure such extreme rudeness from the receptionists just to see a GP.

This is not the first time that I have experienced rudeness from the same reception staff and I am sure it will not be the last. They need to be held accountable for their actions.

I would like to make a formal complaint as I am extremely upset with the treatment I have received today.