I'm a GP receptionist AMA

[Lalaisloopsy]

I read a thread about GP receptionist yesterday so I thought I would add a thread here for questions. We seem a hated lot.

Is there a reason we get asked what's wrong with us by a receptionist when we want to see a doctor and then get huffed at when we say we'd prefer to discuss it with an actual doctor? Happens to me a lot and think this is a main reason why people get annoyed 😂

Is there a reason we get asked what's wrong with us by a receptionist when we want to see a doctor

Yes we ask because there are a lot of things that don't need a GP in the first instance like UTI in certain people, eye problems, veruccas these can be seem by the pharmacist/nurse/optician.

Trying to have it deal with without the GP means there are more appointment for things the GP can only deal with or people with acute chronic illness.

Receptionists that get huffy either are just moany or work in a practice where the GP will complain if we send someone with a verucca to them.

If I ho to the walk-in does it have any negative issues for my surgery

Not really. The only way it would have a negative effect is if you complain formally we check the diary and there were lots of appointments or if we are audited and it shows we are not filling appointments.

This never happens in our surgery we are always booked to capacity usually the GP will add in emergency appointments if it's serious and stat late.

If a GP is nice/ a bit of a pushover, do you end up giving them more to do than a GP who is stricter/ more likely to say no?

If a GP is nice/ a bit of a pushover, do you end up giving them more to do than a GP who is stricter/ more likely to say no?

No we just go by next appointment or what suits the patient but some GP's are more likely to squeeze in extra emergency appointments than others. We can't add in people unless thr GP says it's OK.

We have 1 GP we don't even ask to see extra people as she will only stay until her last appointment. 1 GP never leaves on time she usually puts in as many extra as she can without making us stay very late. The rest vary depending on what else they have on.

Yes, I only presumed that the recpetionist is asking because most things don't actually need a doctor. In factI assume most thigns can be 'cured' by OTC medicine, or a pharmacist at least.

Oh, you've got a mild headache? Well, jog on down to tesco and buy some paracetamol for 16p! come bback if it's still ther in a few days...

You have a clogged ear? Yep, pharmacy first, oil drops. if if t doens't clear, then fine coem and see a nurse

I have a friend who will claim "chest infections" and insist on seeing adoctor, they just havea cough!

Do you think your reputation as rude and interfering is fair?

0010000 a lot of people come for unnessesary things meaning we have to turn away people who are very ill. We have some people who come weekly and others who hand in urine samples no one requested because they feel 'off'.

Do you think your reputation as rude and interfering is fair?

For me it's unfair I know I try my best to help everyone as do many many of us but there are lots of receptionists who are so fucking rude and patronising it makes me cringe. I think they could expain to patients why we do things how we do them instead of stone walling things would be better for everyone.

How do you feel about the different GPs you work for? If you don't get on with some of them, how does that impact on your working relationship, and on patient care?

How do you feel about the different GPs you work for? If you don't get on with some of them, how does that impact on your working relationship, and on patient care?

We rarely see the GP's they are non stop all day hardly coming out of their rooms we mostly interact though DM but some are much nicer than others some will stop to chat in the way out others ran around looking stressed and hardly say a word.

It only makes a difference to patient care in that the less approchable friendly ones are less likely to allow extra appointments or sign last min prescriptions but since the are not required to do either they are not techincally doing anything wrong.

how annoying is it when a patient doesn't turn up for an appointment? Is there a lot of work that goes on when this happens?

How do you feel about the different GPs you work for? If you don't get on with some of them, how does that impact on your working relationship, and on patient care?

Very if the cancel even 20 mins before we can usually fill it but when they just don't turn up it's a waste. They GP will use the time for other things but still it's a waste. The worst is when people have demanded an appointment we bend over backward to fit them in then they don't turn up.

It happens every single day at least once.

Has anyone ever turned up with personal that they want a Dr to see?

Yes we ask because there are a lot of things that don't need a GP in the first instance like UTI in certain

Eh? Firstly it's not great standing in the reception announcing "I think I have a UTI" to all an sundry. Secondly how and where are people supposed to get diagnosis and prescription for a Uti if you can't see a doctor?

I'm a Practice Nurse and take my hat off to our reception team, they get a lot of abuse.
It isn't their fault if the GP is running late, needs to discuss your prescription, has forgotten to refer you for an X-ray but often patients seem to think it is.
I've seen patients having a real go at the desk but when they come to see their HCP they're nice as pie. I do make sure they know that I've seen their behaviour.
I couldn't do it.

SinisterBumFacedCat

This is exactly why receptionists ask what the appointment is for. If you suspect a UTI, a nurse can test for that and prescribe antibiotics, rather than book you in for a GP slot when it's not required.

sinisterbut by insisting on seeing Dr without any kind of triage is just a waste of time.

You wouldn't wander into a A&E unit, refuse to tell the receptionist what's wrong andrefuse to see the triage team, and insist that your ailment is only serious enough to be seen by a doctor.. Then wait for hours and hours ...and hours only to have the Dr go "hmm, you know a nurse could have sorted this for you 5 hours ago"

You're just wasting your own time (and the Doctors) by refusing to just say what's wrong with you.

What makes you think you are more knowledgeable than the trained receptionist about whether you need to see a nurse or a doctor?

Also, what makes you think the the reception "cares" about what is wrong with you? They just want to get to you to see the correct person. You're one of probably 100s of patients they see each day.

OP: Has anyone ever turned up with pet that they want a Dr to see?

What is the weirdest thing you have been asked (assuming someone will have come in and it not being a medical issue at all...)?

Do some surgeries intentionally hire ‘bolshy’ receptionists to try to avoid giving people appointments. It seems like there is a culture in different surgeries and I can only assume it’s because of who the partners choose to hire!

Sorry to high jack OP

At the practice I work at, there are more than ten receptionists. I honestly don't feel any are bolshy. Without fail, at least one receptionist a day is verbally abused by a patient. It has an impact on each one, some take it better than others.

Why is my surgery always complaining that missed appointments caused x amount of hours to be wasted, yet if that many people just don't turn up how come I'm always seen late?! If they can't keep to their appointment times you'd think they'd be grateful for a few no-shows...

Yes we ask because there are a lot of things that don't need a GP in the first instance like UTI in certain

A UTI in certain circumstances can be treated my a pharmacy or prescribing nurse. If you don't want to say you could explain your not comfortable saying in public in my surgery we would take you aside. Most people phone though.