Doctors Receptionist

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Last year my boss or ex boss died. She was a doctor, a stalwart of the community, a regular caring GP and although we parted on bad terms I will always admire Flo D. I used to be her doctors receptionist, I survived 18 months at her practice, with her partner. M.S. There where several other receptionist, San, L and J. There was also Mrs. M. she was a total bully, she blamed me for everything even when I had done nothing wrong. At times I hated it there. Receptionists suffer a lot of flack from patients who demand to see the doctor, or senior receptionists who can see nothing right in anything you do or say. I loved it there. Some patients where love Mrs C. Mrs H. Mrs who ever and Mr. what ever. The sweetest, loveliest people I have ever met. Each with a cross to bare, each baring pain physical or emotional, each one needing care and attention. Someone to listen to, someone to talk to, someone to help them through a crisis. We lost patients to cancer and other conditions, sometimes we recieved a phone call, to say they had passed or the doctor would tell us the next day. I remember them all affectionately. There was no computer! no fax machine. Just pen paper, files galore and a heck of a lot of phone calls. There was no appointment system. Surgery started at 9am, closed at 10.30 but Dr D was still seeing patients gone 1pm! The bulk of the job was writing up prescriptions by hand and the doctor would sign them. San and I some laughs with that I can tell you. There where two surgeries PL and DL. I worked mostly at PL morning and evening, and Wednesday after pre and post natal clinic. I went to DL on a Monday Evening and if I had done anything wrong or not done anything wrong Mrs M. would find a way to have a go at me. She bullied me and she was wrong because what she accused me of was untrue. She was right about one thing though. There where certain rules to stick to, patient confidentiality and a good telephone manner. Two things I adhered to and the patient is always right and always your top priority. Treat them with courtesy and politeness at all times. I did at all times, but in Mrs M's eyes I could do no right. I wonder if she looks down from heaven and admits how wrong she was to believe the lies and malicious lies that patients who did not like me told her. The lies she conjured all by herself. I don't think Mrs M ever praised me for anything. Dr S did and the locum doctors but no praise from Mrs M. How different it is today. The receptionist at the practice I attend are lovely. But some receptionists at the hospital and in office buildings, and civil servants are the worse!