To think that Doctors receptionists shouldn't have a medical opinion?!

[jazz412]

Now I am making a HUGE generalisation and I'm sure that not all doctors receptionists are opinionated and rude BUT.. any I've ever come across are!

For example, my first visit to our local practice, I asked to see the doctor and she (receptionist) asked why! Now I did think that medical information was confidential however I chose to tell her "I'm pregnant and would like an appointment :)" she asked how far along I was and when I told her 6 weeks she announced that he wouldn't want to see me because I wasn't over 8 weeks and there wasn't any point.

hmm I did think people went to the doctors if they were pregnant... oh well I will have to wait oh just remembered please could I have the flu injection?

to which she scoffed and told me I couldn't until I'd seen the doctor/midwife (!!) I said ooo catch 22 really isn't it... so what I've read about pregnant women being at risk and to get a flu jab if they can (1st baby so perhaps irrational at this point) is all a load of rubbish? I moaned that as there is a lot of flu around me at the moment I might just get it and DIE. (I was pointedly hanging around waiting for her to book me with someone by now!)
she then rang the nurse for a "second opinion" (I would call it a first opinion as I wasn't aware of her medical training... ) and said " you can't give a flu jab to a pregnant one who hasn't seen m/w can you?" The nurse obviously replied to the contrary as I was asked grudgingly to wait for 5 minutes and she would give me a jab

Now am I being unreasonable or was this in fact none of her business and the doctors/nurses opinion is the one I wanted not the receptionist?! (I'm not putting down receptionists as a whole - I was one!)

Rant over :o

At my drs (both here & in the UK) you needed to see a dr to confirm the pregnancy. In the UK as you needed a referral to the midwife & here because you need a blood test before they can refer you.

So yeah, some drs do want/need to see you first.I don't think it is unreasonable to think you need to see a dr, after all, most of the books say 'if you suspect you are pregnant, see your GP'

I don't think you're being unreasonable on either count (wanting to see GP with first pregnancy, not wanting to discuss with receptionist).

When you're booking for something like a smear often you do have to tell them what it's for - they may need to book a double appointment or have 2 nurses available - and it galls me every time.

I have had to argue with a receptionist on more than one occasion to get an appointment for one of my children - when I was told that in her opinion they could see the nurse I blew a gasket, told them I'd been a doctor for over 6 years and they needed a GP. I must have had "snotty medical mother" alerts next to my details after that because I stopped having to argue :)

I'm sure your GP would have loved to see a healthy newly pregnant woman as a lighter happy patient episode in the middle of a morning clinic!

Tabu, she probably has to ask as part of her job and would get a blocking if you turned up to see GP at 6 weeks pregnant as the practice rules are probably to ask people to wait til 8 weeks.

It astounds me how ignorant people are, do you all think receptionists are just given free reign? There will be a whole host of rules and protocols to follow.

I am a dental receptionist and often get grief from patients for refusing them an appointment and making them come in and sit and wait.

I'd love to make them appointments but the rules are that people sit and wait, and I'd get disciplined for not following them.

Is it that hard to understand?

YABU, not tabu, flaming autocorrect.

I see why receptionists ask - getting you in to see the right person and making sure there is enough time for what you need. I would imagine it is nice for the Dr. to have a tiny bit of heads up about what you're about to ask about when you walk in the door as well. Being asked doesn't mean you have to answer.

But YANBU to be annoyed about the flu jab bit or about the manner in which she spoke to you. I've also generally found (with some wonderful exceptions) that Dr.s office receptionists are poorly trained, think they know more than it turns out they do, and have poor customer service skills. I think there is generally a lack of oversight, training and management for front office staff (and for GPs surgeries in general).

They have a difficult job - complex problems, diverse patient base who are generally not at their best when they need attention, sensitive situations and, I would assume, a disproportionate number of people with significant mental health issues. It's not like being the receptionist at a corporate HQ. But I would be surprised if the hiring and training procedures really reflected the huge skill set needed to do the job well.

Fanjo I agree-they are following strict practice guidelines on appointments and require information to prioritise allocating appointments.

So for example my Ds needed to see the Gp for his excema. It's non urgent so I was given an appointment in 3days. When dd had conjunctivitis soon after her birth I was seen immediately as this is nhs guidelines.

Those that gossip are abusing their position and patient confidentiality.

Those that are dragons seem to be the preferred type of receptionist in the nhs!

I think most receptionists have to be reasonably bulletproof because they deal with sick and unhappy people all day. And yes, they have strict procedures to follow (which differ between surgeries) and are likely to be bollocked if they don't follow them.

It isn't that they have a medical opinion. They have guidelines to follow regarding who takes priority for apointments, who can be referred to a nurse, etc.

Perhaps the receptionist could have explained more clearly, i.e. "At this surgery, you book directly with the midwife, shall I schedule you an appointment for a few weeks time?".

But I'm a little surprised that you just presented yourself at the surgery and expected to be seen and attended to right then. The doctors and nurses aren't just sitting drinking coffee and waiting for sick people to turn up--they're attending to the patients who actually rang ahead and booked appointments. Unless it really is an emergency (which the receptionists will ask you about to confirm), you really shouldn't just turn up.

OP, YADNBU!!

If I believe I need to see the doctor, that's for me to decide and not the receptionists. If the doctor thinks I've seen them when I didn't need to, they can tell me themselves. I will listen to them b/c they are the expert. The receptionist is not.

Fanjo is right to say that a large part of the reason why receptionists do this is because the "system rules" dictate that they have to. And SuchProspects is right that another large part is because receptionists have often not had the training they require and don't have the management support they need.

In the past when I've been challenged about the need for an urgent appointment, I have asked for her name, so that if the situation deteriorates and there are serious consequences, I will know who to report for negligence.
All done in a very calm and reasonable tone.
It usually solved the problem.
Our current practice are lovely all round, and very good at treating individuals, rather than following a prescribed path.

I hate when people ask my name at work, it says clearly to me 'I don't trust you' and makes me feel small.

I am a practice manager and it is completely unacceptable for receptionists to ask what is wrong with a patient in all but the most extreme circumstances so they can advise to call 999. ( they usually have training as to when to do this)

However, it is not their fault. It is the fault of the practice manager/GPs. The system is set up and they follow protocols.

If they want to direct the patient to the appropriate clinician, all they need to do is ask the patient if the problem could be dealt with by a nurse.

As for someone in early pregnancy seeing a GP - that is completely appropriate. They may not get a midwife's appointment for weeks and there needs to be a discussion around folic acid, vitamin D, nuchal scanning ( if not available on NHS) and general lifestyle advice.

I think it just depends on the receptionist and possibly how busy/overworked they are. I've had some doozeys but I've also had some really helpful receptionists.

My dd had an allergic reaction at 8mths and was covered in hives. I took her to the GP and was told I'd have to wait two hours as they were all in a practice meeting.
I walked out, crossed the road and saw the health visitor instead who sent me straight to A&E.
The GP phoned later all apologetic but I was really stressed out that one of them couldn't just have come out of their meeting to have a look. Mind you the receptionist never bothered to tell them.

More recently my DH had an infection on his leg. Long story but he's had 6 months of slow recovery after a bike accident. He tried to see the GP on a Friday and was told the earliest appt would be Tues. I went in to see if they could just write a prescription for antibiotics (he'd had them before) but the receptionist wouldn't budge. She wasn't going to ask the Dr and insisted I wait till the surgery was shut and ring out of hrs instead.

Now when I get asked if it's an emergency I tell them every gory detail and let her decide if she's willing to take the risk. It's silly that you have to go to these lengths but then all I usually want is to speak to the Dr/nurse first and if he/she thinks it's not serious they can tell me using their medical expertise.

We can't all be wrong. Either there is a real problem or a serious lack of communication.

so YANBU

As for emergency on the day appointments, every single request should be put down as a telephone call for the on call GP to triage. It is not the role of a receptionist.

Don't feel like that fanjo, I always always ask for people's names and thank them using it when we're finished with our work/issue.

I have it to write to thank them (as I did recently with two kids at B&Q who were partcularly helpful) or if I need to get back to them/the company - not just to complain.

i saw the doctor when pg tho it wasn't needed - i didn't know, how could i?

No return by the amazingly rude troisgarcons?

On another thread I asked when the GPs aer all commissioning, who will be doing the GPing? Think we can see...

That saud, the receptionists at my local surgery are lovely

'I hate when people ask my name at work, it says clearly to me 'I don't trust you' and makes me feel small.'

Exactly.
Give me an appointment when I ask for one, and don't quiz me about it to an unacceptable degree. Especially if it is for one of my children.

Oh and at my local surgery you can either call at 8.30 for an appointment, and call back when all lines are engaged to get through at 8.35 and be told all appointments gone...or you can turn up on the dot of 8.30, when they'll usually find you an appointment in the next half hour

Goblin child a) I am a dental receptionist

B) any questions I ask are ones I am duty bound to ask sonic you find it unacceptable take it up wth the practice.

Goblin child - I have a lot of respect for you in general but it makes me a bit that you would want to make someone feel small for doing their job.

And I wish the ipad would stop breaking your name Into two separate words.

And saying 'sonic' for 'so if'

I don't see the problem fanjo.
If you have the right to deny me access to my doctor, you have the responsibility to be accountable for the consequences. For that I need your name.

Well, I don't have the right as I work for a dentist. But fair enough I suppose.

We have one lovely receptionist and one horrid one, whom I should have made a complaint about when DD was young but I was too frazzled from her reflux to take on any more stress

When I had sinusitis the other day I actually cried when DH told me I had to see the doctor, as I didn't feel strong enough to go into battle with the receptionist! I do get that they get a lot of grief, but it shouldn't be like that.