It is frustrating, particularly having it pretty much right away.
When I used it recently on recommendation from another to access local services, it was off-putting to jump into all of this. I can see why some might from the AI bot just too much of a slog to get through the innaneness and obvious data collection before getting to anything of value.
No-one is asking you to call anyone else by their preferred pronouns, they're asking you want to be called. Why are you allowing this to prevent you from getting access to mental health support?
Except it doesn't really ask what anyone wants to be called, not really. The closest it gets it asking: Is [name] your preferred first name?
This is the starting sequence after being asked if the referral is being made for 'myself' or someone else, and selecting 'myself':
What's your full name?
Is [name] your preferred first name?
Which gender do you identify as?
Is your gender the same as the gender you were assigned at birth?
What's your title?
And what are your preferred pronouns?
It then goes on to collect several other data points including date of birth, post code and so on. It doesn't get into actually asking questions related to mental health until after the dozens of data point questions.
It never asks if you prefer to go by your first name or title + surname or something else.
It doesn't give the option to have no title or use any other title other than the options it gives.
It doesn't give the option to say any pronouns or give any set of pronouns other than the pre-set options
If those behind it cared and wanted to ask 'what do you want to be called', they would have programmed it in. They didn't. They asked a series of data questions, asked in a way that presumes everyone has a certain, firm answer that can fit into the presets (going against many theraputic practices) and is okay with going through all that before getting to apparently less significant questions like "have you had thoughts that you would be better off dead, or thoughts of hurting yourself in some way?"
This isn't 'what do you want to be called?', it's 'What data can we get on you?'." This isn't a mistake - the function shows its purpose. The mental health support is visibly secondary (or tertiary) to data collection. In many locations, these types of bots are the only way to access NHS mental services -- those who can afford to can get support without being asked anything on this data list.
If don't see how it raises questions about quality of support to be asked how you want others to refer to you.
I mean, on mine (which I saved a copy), it says "Alright, I'm just going to search you in the NHS database with the details you've given me
Found you!" and still went on to ask serveral more data questions before getting that what I think are far more essential to the core of the service. There were multiple times throughout I was tempted to close because it felt like it was doing nothing but trying to gather more data on me that I didn't need to do with any other related service.
Also this is a private company getting paid public funds to do all this - one that is partially owned by a US asset management company, which means the data collected by the sections they own likely come under US laws.
Can you guess why it raises questions about quality of support to know why a private company with that ownership that is focused on asking those kinds of data questions before asking mental health questions?