Lay summary
As the 'face' of general practice in New Zealand, receptionists are important members of the primary care team. People rely on general practice receptionists to obtain clinical appointments. This first step in the process of seeking care can be difficult for some people. This research aims to develop an understanding of general practice reception processes in order to make them more 'acceptable' to everyone. The study will explore the views of both patients and GPRs with regard to 'customer service' in general practice. This four-part study includes two phases of group interviews with receptionists in Auckland general practices, patient surveys in 12 of those practices, and group interviews with patients. Patients and receptionists will have the opportunity to identify strategies for improving reception processes in general practice. Results of this study will contribute to the development of quality improvement processes in primary care reception, to improve health care access.