ALMOST three-quarters of reception staff at a Hereford GP surgery have quit within a year, with many saying they received abuse from patients.

In total, 23 receptionists have been hired by HMG this year, but 17 have already left their jobs, 10 within three months of starting.

Some have even been told "If I die it will be your fault".

Comments from exit interviews have revealed some of the reasons why they quit, with one former receptionist saying: "Patients can be so unkind and rude, and they think it's okay to talk to us this way."

Another said: "I can't really be bothered to argue all day about the situations we have no control over. It's frustrating trying to justify why I do what I do."

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Eloise Clark, one of the supervisors in the care navigation centre, said: "We get patients swearing and shouting at us and we do have to hang up if they are being really abusive on the phone. The other day, I had an experience where a man was yelling at me in the waiting room because he had to wait longer than he expected for his appointment."

Rachel Price is one of the longest-serving receptionists and has been at HMG for five years. She said she finds her role rewarding and is passionate about helping people, but that dealing with abuse can be challenging. She revealed that she normally deals with difficult patients by assuring them that she understands their frustrates and trying to diffuse the situation.

Sabrina Smith is one of the newer members of staff, having only been with HMG for three months after previously working in customer service. Her role involves helping with "patient flow" and directing people around the building. She said: "Some patients get confused, so I help them navigate around. I'm really enjoying the job so far."

Managing partner Ceri Chaplin said: "Working with the public is challenging and we understand that patients are frustrated. This is a problem nationwide.

"Some patients do not accept that they have to wait three or more weeks for an appointment. I think this is because we've all become so used to being able to order something on Amazon and it arrives the next day. People want an instant solution."

He said that receptionists have been told "If I die it will be your fault", and highlighted an NHS campaign of this name which called for more support of reception staff.