Why aren’t doctor’s receptionists more discrete?

I told the receptionist at my doctors that I'd like to speak to the practice manager. The receptionist wouldn't let me see her and said she's probably gone home or to the other surgery... I said it was a matter for cqc and massive breach of confidentiality. She told me to put it in writing for the practice manager but wouldn't give me the email address 😒 told me to write a letter instead.. I have another ladies test results on my nhs app , her full name, address and phone number! Receptionists seem to need to know everything before you're allowed to speak to anyone else.
You are definitely not being unreasonable

The woman wasn't in the right state, but you can ask to speak in private with the receptionist.

If you thought it was inappropriate, you could complain to the practice manager on behalf of the patient.

Mostly because receptionists work in reception, a space not meant for privacy

They do the best they can given the constraints they work under and the additional work they have to do because the NHS doesn't have enough GPs

There's an assumuption that everyone has a smart phone with loads of credit (or can afford the bill), have internet at home, can use a keyboard, live somewhere reasonable where they have privacy. There is also an assumption that everyone can download stuff, fill it in and rerturn it as an attachment i was sent a chart via a link for me to record blood pressure readings on. I'm more than competent with computers but what about those who aren't? I think that homeless people are even more excluded by the reliance on tech for accessing health care. My practice is in a deprived area and to their credit they are well aware that tech can be a real barrier to getting the care you need and they do help people who struggle. However they do make it clear that they prefer you to contact them online or via the app.

Whereas before they had to follow you home…..

I take your point and I think the increasing reliance on technology is making it even harder for many people to access care. I renew my prescription online via the practice website and there must be people who lack the wherewithal to do this. I already mentioned that my surgery no longer does blood testing on site, there used to be a whole suite of treatment rooms on the second floor for various things including phelbotomy but commissioning changes meant the service was moved to a central hub in the city centre. If you need bloods doing the surgery sends you a text with a link and you have to book via this. in the past you would just pop upstairs book an appointment on the desk (thats all been closed down now), get seen a few days later . Now it takes at least a week to arrange an appointment that takes me nearly an hour to get to. They don't make it easy, it will all be about cost cutting i guess .

I'd gladly memorise mine if it meant never having to tell half the neighbourhood standing behind me in the queue my address or date of birth again!

Quite. I personally don't really care who knows what, when I have been in those conditions. Nobody is really concerned with other people's ails, and don't give it much thought, I would have thought.

We have "healh navigators" at my surgery, they are another layer of staff that are apparently meant to guide you to the correct practitioner. Blood tests that used to be done at the health centre, which is walking distance from most patients' homes is now done at a centralised hub in the city centre so what used to take me a total of 30 mins (walk there, have blood taken walk home) now takes up to two hours of travel there and back for a 5 min procedure. All down to funding and commissioning changes for the latter with considertion being given to ease of access. My meds reviews are done over the phone; the pharmacist and I have never set eyes on each other in the whole time I have been taking these meds. She is very nice and helpful but I wonder if things get missed because there is no face to face interaction.

You have to remember that a lot of people have disadvantages - low IQ, learning difficulties, low reading age, memory issues, brain injuries, addiction. And some people are just plain ditsy. Or they’re elderly or have special needs or they’re just not very smart.

A lot of people would just say ‘my what’ if asked that.

Mine's on my phone, they sent it to me via text when I needed it to get the NHS app. I appreciate that it would pose problems for people though. I wish I could just show the pharmacy the text they sent me to say that my presciption is ready and then they just check the address with me before they hand it over without me having to declare my name, address DOB to the whole waiting area. They could send a pass code with the text like a take away order.

Not nonsense at all.

The diversity of primary care now means different professionals have different skill sets and roles, even within a role.

Need an implant changing, your HRT or contraception adjusting, your asthma diagnosing or COPD reviewing? the receptionist will book you in with me, the specialist nurse practitioner.

Need a diabetic review? Off to my colleague, also a nurse, who is the diabetic specialist.

Need bloods, an ECG or your B12 injection? That'll be an appointment with our HCA.

Worried about some ongoing symptoms? Can I ask roughly what sort of symptoms? Oh a mole that's changed? let me find you something with Dr D, our GP who has a special interest (i.e. additional training and qualifications) in Dermatology. It's about a nasty cough and fever? Sure. I'll get you an appointment as soon as possible today with any GP.

Back pain, frozen shoulder or hip pain? The diagnostic physiotherapist for you. Oh the nurse said when doing your smear you need the Women's Health physio? Different person, let me book that for you.

Medication review? The clinical pharmacist will do that with you.

Help with filling in your PIP form, questions about support with your demented husband, problems with the housing association? Our social prescribing team can help with that.

Chasing a private referral, requesting a repeat prescription, need a copy of a hospital letter, wanting a firearms license? Our data team can help with that.

The bottom line is primary care has changed. The days of seeing a doctor for everything have gone. Given how much primary care has been decimated we just don't have enough GPs. And the government in all their wisdom allocates funding for practices but then says you can't spend it on doctors or nurses...

Also for the previous poster saying GPs now all work part time - many are women who want part time work like everyone else to care for their children. The nature of the work also means working 5 full days a week is unsustainable.

Ha! If you think most people are going to know the last 4 numbers of their NHS number you are deluded.

Then there would be safety concerns. The entire reason why the screens exist - protecting them against members of the public - and why a lot of pharmacies will only have the consultation rooms available if there are more than two people working at the time.

Certain GPs specialise in things such as minor surgery, menopause, dermatology and then nurses do too - is it for the asthma nurse, sexual health nurse or bloods?

It’s faster for everyone and gets you to the right person to just answer the triage. All nurses and doctors aren’t the same.

The receptionist attempted to do this to me but after I’d seen her force a much more elderly lady than me to disclose all her private information and prescriptions (it was clear this woman was literally dying of cancer) I said the second it was my turn to not even think of asking me the same questions as I would either disclose this information in a private room or I could write it down for her if she wanted. It was a long queue of people and I said it loudly and firmly - and then everyone in the queue after me said the same

we were all literally horrified at the treatment of this elderly lady

You try and handle someone having a mental breakdown by whispering and you’ll find out

I feel the same in the chemist when they ask for the first line of the address before handing your prescription. All those people waiting now know where I live.

Nonsense,you don't need to be directed to the person "most suitable" because you already have an appointment with a doctor/nurse.
you should not have to discuss your medical problem with someone who is not medically qualified.

TBH the only way this will change is is enough people (posters!) make their opinions known at the time.

If everyone here made the point at a pharmacy, it might help change things.
Or asked for more privacy when discussing medical stuff.

They can do it in the private health care system, so it's not out of order that other providers can do the same.

Same with the pharmacy. There’s 5 people behind me and the pharmacist wants an explanation why I’m buying Caneston and to confirm my home address. 🥴

Try being a hearing impaired receptionist who if she wears her hearing aids all she can hear is the blaring radio or her colleague on the phone around the back and not the patient standing in front of her but behind a glass screen.

Or in pedants' corner?

If the patient is presenting as anxious and loud then I imagine the receptionist is unwilling to take her somewhere more private because that could present as a difficult situation.

Unless you are taking copious notes of the loud conversation OP then you probably won’t remember it in twenty minutes time. I quite often overhear very personal conversations on buses and trains, some people are very indiscreet, especially when they are on their mobile when for some reason a lot of people seem to think they are in a soundproof booth!