Why tell the receptionist why I'm seeing the doctor

pre screening so that they can direct your appointment to a GP or nurse or HCA, dependent on the problem, and how long you need, or if you need to bring a sample with you or tell you to go to A&E, etc. I always just tell them, they have access to your medical records anyway

Depending on whether the GP practice is part of a group or not, you could be referred to 111, a walk in centre, an urgent treatment centre, a pharmacy or another surgery if they are part of that network

If your surgery is too understaffed to meet your requirements, why don't you register somewhere else or move to a place with better healthcare coverage?

You know, instead of bitterly complaining to a bunch of people who can do nothing to help you

You mentioned a GP and a nurse. So that’s two different clinicians. They’re also trying to ascertain if it’s urgent or not. Gp today or in two weeks? GP today or A&E? Nurse or local pharmacy?
But of course you know this

I've had a couple of times when I've been offered same day appointments, despite me not knowing I'd need them. One was an itchy mole and the other I had breathing problems.

Mine too. They are fab. They always do their very best to get us seen and are just so kind. I've taken the surgery gifts more than once.

My whole surgery is just amazing tbh. They are so supportive.

Lie about what?

You sound like a charmer. Also people lie

So they can work out the doctor’s schedule and ascertain if you need an urgent appointment. Not difficult to understand

I've had a lot of kindness, patience and compassion from my GP receptionists. They are under a lot of pressure and have never been anything less than helpful. It must be a pretty thankless task at times

We can't always be up to speed on the latest NHS guidance though. Not so very long ago you'd have seen a GP to get antibiotics for cystitis. Even where we go locally for bloods has changed and is no longer the local GP surgery.

It's easy enough to summarise in a couple of words even if sensitive. Just say it's to discuss mental health, gynae problems, HRT or whatever.

In principle it’s so they can signpost to the best person, however in practice, 99% of the time they then say there is no appointments anyway so all a bit pointless.

Our gps phone message thing says “in order to direct you to the most appropriate care”. Can you tell I’m caller 12 in the que?? 🤣

So they can't be " referring" you to people that don't exist. Hence why this scenario of they " need to refer you to the right clinician" doesn't wash.

It's also not fair to blame receptionists for doing what they have been told to do.

Do people think receptionists just decide to ask for this stuff because they've taken it upon themselves to triage?

No. They've been told to and trained to. Don't like it then the thing to do is complain to the practice manager.

What do you expect the receptionist to do? They can only work with what they have.

I still think it’s a lot of responsibility to take on as a receptionist.

I think that's the first time I've genuinely laughed out loud at a post.

An alarming percentage of people are as quick as a glacier.

Maybe don't call up to make an appointment for your piles whilst in the office? Pop into an empty meeting room?

They are trained to triage, just like 999 and 111 call handlers.
I work in healthcare. There are still a lot of people who think that only a doctor can address whatever issue they have when in fact another HCP is more appropriate.

It is embarrassing having to disclose your piles, STD, yeast infection etc.. but I can see why they do it. Awful if you have to call whilst at work or on the bus, or in a crowded house share. Similar to being interrogated by the pharmacist while buying laxatives or pile cream - is it for you? Have you taken it before etc. whilst there's a queue behind you. Mortifying.

The only thing I can't stick about GP receptionists is their tendency to call people "love". My name isn't love and I don't hear them calling the doctors love.

Ok so how does it work when it's one gp and one nurse ( p/t) in the practice to. " Refer" all these people to services the surgery isn't providing?

Indeed but someone cannot get ABs fir a tooth infection, they may develop sepsis and I'd have thought that is best avoided for the individual and the NHS as a whole. Whilst it is not the fault of the GP that NHS dentistry is a mess, neither is it the fault of the patient. My dentist can prescribe ABs for dental issues. He also will cover an emergency at weekends - it used to be £250 - not sure what it costs now. Poor people don't have the privilege of paying that sort of money but they should have the privilege of avoiding sepsis and I'd have thought any GP with two brain cells would appreciate that from the oersoective of the patient and the NHS.

They don't anymore. I just don't go after they have twice not allowed be to make a doctors appointment and told me to buy painkillers OTC which led to me being in hospital for a month while they removed my burst appendix and tried to the the sepsis under control

Apologies, I thought you meant you were talking to the receptionist in front of a queue of people.