A GP receptionist's rant has gone viral after blasting patients who waste doctors' time to get free prescriptions so they can afford cigarettes.

Rose Baker took to social media after witnessing first-hand disgruntled patients criticising the "failing NHS" and not being able to get appointments at 8am.

The 24-year-old from Sheffield, South Yorks., suggested patients should not book to see their GP if they have a bit of a cold and should spend 15p on over the counter paracetamol instead of a "pack of 20 sterling dual".

She also responded to patients questioning why as a receptionist she asks what they want to a see a doctor for and said: "Quite frankly I could really do without knowing you've got thrush."

'INFURIATING'

The post – shared more than 7,000 times – read: "S T O P complaining about your GP surgeries, it's becoming more and more of a thing I see in a morning on Facebook and as a GP receptionist it's absolutely infuriating.

"You can't get through to your doctors when it opens? Yeah that's because GP surgeries have up to 12,000 patients in some cases, and heaven forbid imagine if every single one of those patient was poorly and wanted to be seen at 8am."

Rose asked patients to imagine if their "already stressed over-worked doctor" had to see double the amount of patients in the morning.

Just take a second to think before you slag us all off and say how much the NHS is failing and going down hill

"Imagine what could happen?" she asked.

"Something could be missed, something could be wrongly prescribed. It's not that doctors don't want to see patients and they don't want to work, they see the top limit of patients they can see per session because that's all they are allowed to do!

"Why's the receptionist asking me what I need to be seen for? FUNNY THAT ONE.

"We're not being rude, or nosey, because quite frankly I could really do without knowing you've got thrush or that you've got a cyst in your groin that's going a bit funny and is starting to smell, but we have to ask because we're TOLD too by the GP you're so desperate to see.

'TAKE A SECOND BEFORE YOU SLAG US OFF'

"Again, but why? Because contrary to popular belief, you don't always need to see a doctor if you're poorly, and if you've been knocked off your motorbike and you're bleeding profusely from every hole in your body, A&E is probably better than sitting in a GP reception.

"We HAVE TO care navigate you, to the chemist, to the walk in centre, the A&E, to the dentist! It's our job.

"Just take a second to think before you slag us all off and say how much the NHS is failing and going down hill."

In her grand finale, she added: "If you've got a bit of a cold and you're taking up a doctors appointment rather than managing it at home or going to the chemist and buying some paracetamol over the counter for 15p because you want it for free and would rather spend that 15p putting it towards your pack of 20 sterling dual, you're part of the problem as well."

Rose later edited her original message referencing cigarettes to "something you really don't need and consider more important than your health".

Rose  has since said patients needed to learn a bit about 'self care' and the different options available to them when they fall ill.

She added: "I just got to the point where I was tired of seeing it everyday so I went on a bit of a rant. I never expected what has happened to happen.

"I spoke to the GPs about it and they said to leave it up because people needed to know."

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