The original question, at its heart, mirrors what we see here in the U.S. Of course, all medical offices here are private practice, but, fact is, in my experience, nearly 100% of the "behind-the-counter" personnel are female.
Problem is, for the average patient, it is sometimes difficult to tell which are trained nurses, perhaps bringing data to be entered in patient records (for which the "receptionists" are responsible), which are insurance personnel responsible for submitting mounds of paper for claims, and the remainder for which there's no clear deffinition of duties, at least by the observing patient.
This produces a division (I think) and an underlying current of feigned amiability between the various work related factions since there is certainly an observable hierarchy. The RN's (Registered Nurses) are at the top while the in and out technicians (X-ray, etc.) are next, followed by the insurance people since they are almost entirely charged with helping produce a profit for the owner/Doctors. Probably near the bottom of the heap are the true receptionists who most likely are the least paid since they have little training and many (from personal knowledge) are single Mom's trying to make their way through a difficult life, what with juggling child care, personal lives and a drudgery on a daily basis. The only qualification they brought to the pre-employment interview was their ability to answer the phone and follow instructions on the filing of papers.
Little wonder, then, that the "receptionists" are often ill-mannered and "uptight" in my opinion...