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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

109 replies

jazz412 · 21/01/2011 20:52

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... Hmm) 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

OP posts:
Tokyotwist · 22/01/2011 08:59

Apparently you have the right to only give your first name as I recently found out while speaking to some blockhead at Eon.

RustyBear · 22/01/2011 09:02

I'm guessing it also changed 'so if' into 'sonic' too, fanjo...
(Mine just tried turning 'fanjo' into 'fang'-I'm beginning to think maybe an edit function wouldn't be so bad...)

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 22/01/2011 09:05

Yes, I turned it off for a bit, but on the whole I find it helpful as I am a terrible typist!

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 22/01/2011 09:08

The dentists I work for are strict about who they see. If I ever make someone wait to be seen (only if the dentist says so) and the person is outraged and complains to the dentist about me, they say 'damn right she did, she was doing her job', it's rather amusing.

I'd love to give everyone exactly what they wanted, would make life as a receptionist easier, damn practice rules get in the way!

AmberEyes · 22/01/2011 09:08

I had my DD in Ireland and as soon as you confirm you are pregnant you go to the GP.

As for receptionists,I'm appalled at these stories.I have not needed to use a GP in England yet but I have never once been asked personal questions by a receptionist.When making an appointment I was always asked ''Do you want to say what for?'' and if i said no that was fine.

RustyBear · 22/01/2011 09:09

Goblinchild - does your school receptionist let parents come and see you whenever they want? I wouldn't call it 'denying access', I'd call it trying to let you get on with your job.
And if a receptionist is told to ask the questions and get it wrong (as the OP's receptionist did with the flu jab question), it's their training that's at fault, so they shouldn't have to be accountable for that.

MyLifeIsChaotic · 22/01/2011 09:11

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Willabywallaby · 22/01/2011 09:12

Best thing to do is the 'hello name of practice such and such speaking how may I help you', then you've already given your name.

2rebecca · 22/01/2011 09:13

At our surgery if pregnant you book in with the midwife and she prefers to see people after 6 weeks, preferably 8, yet some people do preg tests the day after a missed period and won't wait, even when told about folic acid which is the only thing you have to do in the first few weeks. The food stuff is commonly known and relates to very rare risks anyway.
If someone booked in with one of our GPs they would be wasting everyone's time. Also only certain GPs refer people for terminations, certain ones fit coils, certain ones do joint injections. View the receptionist as your friend who stops you wasting your time by seeing the wrong person, not a barrier.

Goblinchild · 22/01/2011 09:20

'Goblinchild - does your school receptionist let parents come and see you whenever they want?'

Every request is passed to me and I get to decide when I see them. The receptionists will suggest alternatives, but would never send any parent away with a comment of 'It's not serious, so you need to book an appointment for next week.'
or
'Why exactly do you need to see her, is it to discuss the wetting, or the ADHD?
Or are you coming to discuss the breakup of your marriage, the abuse and the impact on your child? Because if it's something small, she can see you before school for five minutes, if not, you may want an after-school appointment.
Well?'

tyler80 · 22/01/2011 09:21

"If someone booked in with one of our GPs they would be wasting everyone's time."

Well, no I wouldn't actually. I have medical conditions that mean I need to see a doctor as soon as I knew I was pregnant to sort out dosages get referrals to other specialists. I shouldn't have to discuss my medical history with a receptionist to get this.

And are you really saying that someone should tell the receptionist they are pregnant and want a termination so the receptionist can book them in with the right doctor Shock

CrosswordAddict · 22/01/2011 09:23

Well, this topic is dear to my heart.
Monkeyjamtart, you made me lol.
I don't like being cross-questioned by the sixteen-year-old receptionist who only left school last week about confidential health matters. Isn't that why we train doctors?
Worst offenders are my local surgery, where my husband and children are registered.I now go to the surgery to make appointments for the family face to face as I find they are less likely to be rude in front of a waitingroom full of people. On the phone they can just say anything they like because they can close the hatch so only the person ringing and grovelling for an appointment can hear their rude unhelpful comments.
I have stayed with my old GP in a different practice because I am so unimpressed by the receptionists at the local one. Family can't change doctors for various good reasons.
However, I must say my own practice has lovely receptionists who do a fantastic job. So to all those receptionists out there, please don't get upset. We are complaining about the minority.

AmberEyes · 22/01/2011 09:27

Excuse my ignorance but is there not a rule that that they have to be a qualified medical receptionist?

2rebecca · 22/01/2011 09:29

Practice receptionists are bound by confidentiality. Only 2 of the 6 GPs in our practice refer patients directly for terminations, the others tell patients to go to the local family planning clinic as they refuse to get involved in the process (which they are allowed to do, they just have to point the patient towards someone who can arrange it). Patients can choose not to tell the receptionist they want a TOP, and most don't tell them, but if I ever wanted a TOP I would be asking a recptionist (over the phone, not in front of people) whether there was a GP I'd be better seeing, as if I saw 4 of the 6 GPs I'd be wasting my time.
If you have medical conditions needing referrals when pregnant then I agree seeing a GP is necessary, but most patients just want referring to the obstetric service and midwives. Receptionsists have alot of knowledge about how the practice and clinicians in it work. Why not use that knowledge?

RustyBear · 22/01/2011 09:32

That's what happens at the school I work at too (I'm not the secretary, but I help out in the office at busy times)

But you would probably be amazed at how many parents get annoyed and even abusive if they are denied instant access to the teacher. We do try to find out whether they need a quick word or a longer discussion, but frequently get told it's none of our business, even if we've only asked how long they think they will need.

PlanetLizard · 22/01/2011 09:45

YANBU. There are too many officious, busybody receptionists.

If there's particular guidance on seeing a GP in pregnancy they should have a leaflet. But they certainly shouldn't turn anyone away for making a GP appointment. What if someone was experiencing some kind of problem but the receptionist told them they couldn't see a doctor?

PlanetLizard · 22/01/2011 09:45

... and you don't have to tell the receptionist why you wish to see a doctor. Then they won't be able to tell you to go away.

monkeyflippers · 22/01/2011 09:45

Ahardmanisgoodtofind - that's funny.

slhilly · 22/01/2011 09:52

RustyBear, this analogy doesn't work. A teacher's main responsibility is to teach pupils; seeing parents is a secondary responsibility. A GP's main responsibility is to see patients. It's illogical to say that a GP should be protected from seeing patients so that they can get on with their job!

MyLifeIsChaotic · 22/01/2011 09:54

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Goblinchild · 22/01/2011 09:57

'Yes, there are a minority of power-hungry receptionists who may offend people, but you get this in any line of work. The majority are trying to do what the GPs expect of them - make best use of surgery time.'

I agree completely, the vast majority that I have had contact with have been very helpful and not intrusive or obstructive at all.
I've only met a couple that have been truly difficult.

PlanetLizard · 22/01/2011 10:02

MyLifeIsChaotic, the OP was told the doctor wouldn't want to see her. Supposing she'd had some kind of pregnancy-related problem that she'd hoped to discuss, but she took the receptionist's word for it that she would not be welcome to see someone?

MyLifeIsChaotic · 22/01/2011 10:14

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ledkr · 22/01/2011 10:17

arent some woman on mn vile about pg women?I always think its jealousy,I saw my dr asap as i was 43 with history of cancer and needed to know if it was safe to carry on with the pg,its not always straightforward as waiting till 8 wks.Receptionists can be a bit territorial too,we have lovely ones but you do sometimes need yto give a bit of info so they can decide if urgent or not.

PlanetLizard · 22/01/2011 10:18

I can't see anywhere the OP said she wanted a same-day appointment. But she did say "I felt as thought I was being told I couldn't have a doctors appointment."