[jambutty]

Come to think of it my previous doctor when I lived in Blackburn was also a single doctor surgery and 2 of the 3 receptionists were human beings. The other one was a real dragon but would grudgingly back down if you stood your ground. But she would get her own back by arranging queue jumping by other patients. In those pre-technology days the receptionist called for the next patient and if you crossed her she would just forget about you.

Maybe it is just multiple doctor surgeries where dragons inhabit the ‘desk’?

Years back I was with a dentist (a single dentist practice) in Darwen where the receptionist would push her friends ahead of the queue. How do I know? I booked in and a few minutes later a woman booked in and was obviously a friend of the dragon behind the desk. I heard this woman quite clearly say that her appointment was 15 minutes AFTER mine. They chatted for a few minutes and then she was told to go through.

Then when I tackled her about it, to add insult to injury she lied in her teeth about it and tried to hide the appointments book from my view. I complained to the dentist when I went up but a few weeks later he went private so I don’t know what the outcome was of my complaint.