Behind the front desk: A Critical Discourse Analysis of the talk of General Practice Receptionists about health inequities

Abstract

General Practice Receptionists (GPRs) are an under-researched and undervalued group of healthcare workers, both in Aotearoa/New Zealand and internationally, evidenced by the limited data on—and research involving—GPRs. As such, their influence on a patient’s experience within the primary healthcare system is unknown. This research explores the discursive patterns of a small group of GPRs within the Wellington region of Aotearoa/New Zealand to discover how GPRs talk about—and represent—health disparities. Eight in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted, guided by Social Constructionism, Decolonising Theory and Kaupapa Māori research principles. Through a Critical Discourse Analysis of the interview transcripts, three reoccurring patterns of discourses emerged that may have implications for the way Māori patients are viewed and treated. These were: discourses about the social determinants of health; discourses about Māori culture and behaviour; and discourses of egalitarianism. These findings suggest the impact of limited training opportunities for GPRs and highlight the need for anti-racism education to be accessible and formally embedded for this group of frontline health workers. Better recognition of the role GPRs play in the quality of a patient’s health journey is needed and further research into the implications of these findings is recommended.