Receptionist insisted I wait four weeks for high blood pressure appointment

[Arimatata]

I was told by my GP practice to periodically check my BP. I did a week of readings and it was on average 163/99. I know this is too high, especially for home readings.

I filled in the online referral form and subsequently had a text with an appointment for four weeks on with a nurse. I have previously had blood clots in my eye, so I felt it was too long to wait, so I called them. When I got through I tried to explain to the receptionist that I should be seen sooner. He interrupted me to patronisingly explain that there weren’t any appointments sooner. When I tried to speak he told me off for interrupting him. This is a receptionist who isn’t medically trained deciding how soon I should be seen. No one medically trained was involved thus far.

I then asked for a GP appointment but he said no, I have to see a nurse. Anyway, I held my nerve and repeated that my BP was too high to wait four weeks.

An hour later he rang with an appointment at 3pm with the nurse. I’m now on medication.

It was a traumatic experience. I felt humiliated to be told off and it was hard to stick to my guns. This was someone not medically trained explaining to me that I had to wait because there weren’t any appointments before four weeks time. It was said as if that was ok and I was being troublesome for wanting something sooner.

Thanks for allowing me to rant.

Yes, it’s typical these days and it’s not right. I hope you’re ok?

I've given up on ever trying to get a GP appointment or even speak to them on the phone, the answer from the receptionists is always basically "No, fuck off"! I have a long, long history of kidney infections/UTI's which ultimately resulted in the loss of one of my kidneys. Last time I got an infection I called the surgery to be told by the receptionists that they don't deal with that any more for anyone who isn't over 70 and that I should go to the pharmacy to get antibiotics. I went to the pharmacy and they were completely confused as to why the GP receptionist had sent me there and said no, they could not give me antibiotics. It took me physically going in and arguing with the receptionists about what exactly I was supposed to do before they grudgingly allowed me to speak to a doctor who prescribed me some antibiotics.

I've had the same experience for infected ingrown toenails - not interested unless I'm over 70, refused a referral to podiatry. I was then quoted £1000 to have my toenails removed privately, which I couldn't afford. I was seeing a physio for foot/ankle pain and she referred me to podiatry for insoles. That podiatrist took one look at my toenails and said "they need to be removed" and immediately put in a referral for me to have that done!

My children can get appointments easily, no problem at all. But if you are between the ages of 16 and 70 don't bother, just bugger off and die somewhere quietly please!

You really should complain. I had an absolute nightmare with one of the receptionists at my GP practice. She didn't understand what I was talking about at all. Anything more complicated than "can I have an appointment please" just got a weird answer which didn't make sense in the context. It was a bit like a real life version of those dreadful, outdated chatbots who don't understand anything and repeat the same nonsense back at you.

She would not let me speak to anyone else and it was often her when I called. She refused to pass on a message to a GP when they had literally told me to contact the surgery and let them know something. It was infuriating.

Anyway, I eventually complained to the practice manager and they reviewed the calls I had made (they are all recorded) and they agreed that she didn't know what was going on at all. She also didn't do something she said she was going to do on the call. If I hadn't been so persistent she would have totally ignored and dismissed me which actually would've been dangerous. The practice manager called to let me know and was really apologetic etc, said she would be given more trainig and gave me the names of the managers at the front desk so I could ask specifically to talk to them if she ever answered again and was being a useless brick wall again. I haven't actually seen or heard her there since, so hopefully she has moved on, as she was not suited to the job at all.

I would have been upset too OP, it's horrible to feel unheard when you have good cause to worry.

This. I'm a GP too. A BP of around 160 systolic is not an emergency and would normally be absolutely fine to wait for 4 weeks.

In OP's specific situation I can understand the anxiety, and I'm glad she was seen sooner, but in general I wouldn't be alarmed by that BP reading.

OP - the NHS is only resourced to provide a very basic service. A private GP might give you a nicer experience - longer appointments, better continuity, easier booking, and shorter waits.

Yes the receptionists are doing their job. Yes they should be treated with politeness. But they in turn should be polite & respectful to patients. They should not dismiss you as not needing an appointment, especially if you rarely ask for one. They should not refuse to process a request from a consultant deemed urgent and assume it's fine to leave it 10 days before getting the GP to sign it off.
If they process something wrong they should not blame the patient.
My dd tried to register her newborn with the GP. Filled out the form correctly. Then a required prescription requested by the HV was delayed because someone had input the wrong name for her (used just middle name & half the surname - think A B Smithson but put B Smith). Dd had to physically go in to correct them & was given short shrift by the receptionist for having to do the form again. It was their fault, not DD's!

My old GP was brilliant. Couldn't fault any of the staff. We moved & had to change. Such a shame.

YABU to describe a minor squabble with a GP receptionist ‘traumatic‘.

Pretty standard these days. At mine it could be a couple of weeks or a couple of months. If it is urgent they will tell you to call back at 8:30 the next morning (and hope you get through before all the urgent ones have gone!). If you can’t get me and it is urgent enough, they will tell you to go to A&E or call 111

They do though.

and when I spoke to my practice manager about the receptionist saying 6 weeks of intense headaches wasn’t urgent she told me herself they are trained to triage.

I did dispute their training and pointed out NICE guidelines.

I also went to 111 who suggested immediate referral to neurology where I was subsequently diagnosed with neurological condition.

According to the receptionists medical triage training I “just” had lots of headaches.

You weren’t party to the actual conversation, so you are in no position to judge.

YABU to dismiss how someone felt.

Doesn't matter how many times you repeat it, those who are medically trained setup the triage and system and the staff stick to that and are trained for that.

Did you actually ask for an emergency appointment? If you ask for a gp appointment, you don't get preferential treatment no matter what the issue you get the first available. If it is urgent but still gp level, you call first thing as ask for an emergency appointment that day. It sounds like you were trying to argue he should bump you up the list he can't do, and asked for the wrong thing.

If it is urgent immediately, or outside gp hours, call 101 or go to hospital.

Put in a complaint to the surgery

// No use to you

Thank you, OP, I’m fine - blood pressure now much lower with the blood pressure medication.

Yes, complain you were patronised and degraded by the awful attitude of a receptionist who is better suited to a prison than a GP Surgery.

His conduct could infact be considered negligent, in view of the fact your BP was so high.

Don’t be so dramatic. You weren’t privy to the call so have no idea if she was patronised and degraded.

And the clinicians determine the appointment timeframe, not the receptionist. Her BP wasn’t “so high”. The clinician who reviewed her econsult decided a routine appointment was appropriate.

Your blood pressure isnt that high. Not dangerously high anyway.

A blood pressure reading of 163/99 is high and falls into the stage two category of hypertension. I have a history of blood clots in my eye, which is why I was told to monitor my BP and to report straight away if it went above 140/90.

Have you had bloods done?

I couldn't start until I had.
As it happened I had recently which they allowed else it would have been three plus weeks due to the shocking delays on having blood taken.
Also test again after three weeks..
Perhaps you're on different meds to me.

Hope you feel ok.

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is categorized by systolic and diastolic readings. A clinical diagnosis typically requires readings ≥ 140/90 mmHg, or ≥ 135/85 mmHg for home monitoring. The clinical categories are defined as follows: 1, 2]
Normal: Less than 120 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic.
Elevated: 120-129 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic.
Stage 1 Hypertension: 130-139 mmHg systolic or 80-89 mmHg diastolic.
Stage 2 Hypertension: 140 mmHg or higher systolic or 90 mmHg or higher diastolic.

Yes I’ve recently had a full range of blood tests.

They should send a urine sample to check your kidney function and have a routine set of bloods including Hba1c and lipids (if not done already) and a GP should do a fundal eye check. So not urgent, but they do need to see you in person pretty soon with a new diagnosis.
Practice nurse.

A woman in the waiting room once said they deliberately try to stop people being seen because if they die then that's one less patient causing bother. At the time, I thought she was overreacting.
If need be, go to a walk-in or pay for private if you can OP. You shouldn't have to, but.

Ideally btw, you should also have an ECG.

Yes I’ve got a urine sample bottle to see to.