GP receptionists have a huge responsibility being the powerhouse within every surgery or hospital.  As the first point of contact for a patient, it is the receptionists job to decide how urgently the appointment is needed, and with long waiting lists and over crowded surgeries, patients can become rude and aggressive when they are not seen as quickly as they would like; clearly it’s not easy to remain cheerful when you’re on the receiving end of all this.  It seems that the fault does not lie with personalities, but rather with lack of support from the NHS; after politicians make promises to the public that GP’s cannot always fulfil, and reception have to bare the brunt of the complaints.

Three years ago, the NHS officially accepted that there was a problem with GP receptionists being unapproachable and miserable.  Health chiefs in Swansea launched courses to teach their front line employees how to be cheerful, whilst dealing with unhappy and often difficult people. 

Recommended Links for Medical Reception Training

The Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators and Receptionists (AMPSAR) is one of only 100 Awarding Bodies, recognised by the Department for Education and Skills.  This means it can create and promote qualifications for Medical Receptionists, that are listed in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and are therefore eligible for public funding.  It is also a professional membership organisation where members can receive special privileges including access to a free legal helpline and a huge range of professional guidelines and discounts on healthcare and employment issues.

http://www.amspar.com