Why aren’t doctor’s receptionists more discrete?

Or a polyreceptionist....

Years ago, my mum was registered with a small practice of just 2 doctors. No appointments, no receptionists. If you wanted to see the doctor, you just tuned up during surgery times and waited your turn. It worked brilliantly, such a calm atmosphere and all the waiting patients knew who was next so no arguments.

People die of embarrassment due to GP receptionists. Bring on the day they are replaced by robots.

Everyone who arrives at my surgury already has an appointment with a named doctor or nurse- I live near the centre of London and i have never had a surgury with a sexual health nurse or one that just does bloods, that happens at a poly clinic not your GP- my partner has asthma and whenever he goes to have a review he already has an appointment with the asthma nurse- your point really doesn't hold.

My GP practice has never required patients to tell the receptionist why they want to see the doctor, so I appear to be fortunate. This has always been the case, although it is even less likely now, as we have to contact the practice online (through PATCHS) first, and then may have the problem sorted out by email or phone rather than needing a face to face appointment.

I've heard about less satisfactory procedures in other practices, though; one colleague told me about being present when the receptionist insisted that a patient must explain the reason for seeing the doctor . Poor man was obliged to let the whole room know that he "couldn't get it up". No-one should be forced to divulge very personal information like that.

That isn’t the patient’s problem to solve.

Would someone having a nervous breakdown be fully able to ‘moderate her own behaviour’? Or could she just be thinking she needs to get help and not thinking properly

I was in hospital being kept in the dark after a 10 hour wait for emergency surgery (this is not a pop at the NHS)

I heard the ward manager behind the curtain talking about me in a lot more detail than anyone else had all day. I said ‘boardwalk behind the blue curtain can hear you could you speak to me please’

the ward manager said ‘I’m not speaking to you, you can’t hear me because you are behind the curtain’ and laughed then came to speak to me

Yes it always shocks me that they just ask you personal questions in front of people. I had it recently in a pharmacy I had to be really adamant to go in the private consultation room - and even then they left the door open which I went and closed myself.
I also had it in a&e.. who actually refused to close the consultation door when I asked. So I'm almost trying to whisper my problems to protect my privacy. It feels a bit humiliating actually.

A notice above the reception desk advising that if you prefer to speak privately please tell us.
There are always unused rooms in our surgery,although that might not always be the case.
Or maybe a paper triage form to hand in?

If she is having a breakdown how can she moderate her behaviour in severe mental stress you heartless cow.

The woman who works in our local pharmacy is a really annoying gatekeeper if you ask to speak to the pharmacist. The pharmacy is inside a big Tesco and it’s always very busy with a big queue of people waiting. I had recently had a UTI and was suffering with vaginal soreness afterward and needed to speak to the pharmacist but the lady insisted on wanting to know why, she was asking me repeatedly in a loud voice so eventually I matched her volume and said “I’ve had a UTI and now I’ve got a very sore vagina!” She got the message after that and put me in a private room with the pharmacist!

Date of birth is sufficient. In the rare cases where another patient has exactly the same DOB, then find another way of identifying them.

Blame the system, not the receptionist.
Yes, but that doesn't make it ok.

I suppose the priority is triage and not privacy.
Triage should be done privately. And NOT by the (non medically trained) receptionist.

The receptionist asked why I wanted to see the doctor.
And the answer to that is "it's private".

This. Even as a kid when I would go doctors, whilst waiting at reception, I would know everything about the person that is signing into the doctors, name, dob, address, reason for coming and personal questions, as a kid I used to think where is the privacy! Even at the pharmacy when we have to say our whole address out loud before collecting the medication, everyone waiting can hear too! So Yh thanks now they all know where I live, the exact house!

HUGE breach of GDPR. You should raise it with the practice manager.
I don't know why we all put up with this treatment - it's awful!

Totally agree

Depends on the surgery and where it is, I worked in a village surgery and there was a little room on the side of reception they would take them in if they wanted a private chat or needed to discuss sensitive information. Worked in a city practice and it was policy for receptionists to remain behind the desk in pairs for safety.

@BakedPotatoBeansCheeseColeslaw
I've never liked this
Plus the fact that in the old days when everything was on paper
I'd sit there and read the patients who had been in before me notes
Had a very nosey gossipy neighbour go in once after I'd been seen to
Told doctor on my way out to move notes as
she was one of the worse people ever so put the notes out of her prying eyes and reach
Doctor did thankfully
Once heard, at same doctors the receptionist say to a young lady did her mother know she took the pill??
Judgemental and insensitive with a streak smug

😂😂

This happens at my local pharmacy too. One worker thinks it’s ok to speak loudly about the meds someone is collecting. She always repeats everyone’s address too. She’s loud. Strange no filter. All sorts of private info & the entire queue can hear.

My poor DM, who was an intensely private person, was once hideously embarrassed by a receptionist yelling across a busy waiting room, ‘Is it about your waterworks, dear?’ 😱

I was a doctors receptionist many years ago, never had to triage, thank God! The only time I had to ask what was wrong was when the patient requested an emergency appointment, I would write it down and put it with the patient’s notes. I dislike being triaged by people with little medical knowledge, if it’s something embarrassing I just say that it’s confidential!

It us exactly the same in my surgery, all the bloody time. No dignity for the patients really.

And for little pay. Doctors are very stingy employers