to not want to give symptoms to GP receptionist?

[vintageteacups]

So I called the GP surgery this morning and, as like the last time I rang, the first thing the receptionist said when I asked to book a doc's appoinment for dd (9) was:

"what seems to be the problem? We have a nurse's clinic this afternoon"

I calmly said that I would like a doctor's appointment and didn't tell her the symptoms.

What on earth? We pay our taxes and it's our right to take dd to see the gp, yet this cold fish of a woman just went "right, Dr .... at 11:50 then", took the name and address and put down the phone.

As has happened before, I felt really guilty about taking DD and felt as though I was wasting their time (even though I hadn't said what was wrong wtih dd).

Surely they can sift out the ones who turn up every monday morning with a spot on their finger and another runny nose (however, it's surely their right to book an appointment if they want) compared to me who has taken dd and ds probably twice each in 2 years. I have been once in 2 years!

They have a comments sheet - was thinking about extending it into a letter.
The receptionists have a really bad reputation for being grumpy and unhelpful.

[Rebecca41]

I'm a GP. We need our receptionists to get some idea of what the problem is so that appointments can be directed appropriately. For example, I have lost count of the number of patients who make an appointment with me to ask me when their out-patient clinic appointment is likely to come through. This is an admin issue, which our secretary can easily deal with on the phone. By seeing me they are wasting an appointment that could have been given to someone who was actually ill. Patients don't necessarily know this, so it's the receptionist's job to ask them.

GP's time isn't infinite. Most GP surgeries have 2000 patients per GP, so you can appreciate we have to try and distribute workload. It's not possible for everyone who wants to see a Dr to see one that day, hence sharing work with nurses, admin staff etc. You can talk all you like about rights and taxes and so on, but at the end of the day we can only see what we can see, we don't have the power to stop time!

[Orbinator]

Rebecca I appreciate you have many people on your books and most GP's do. I think most people are aware they are not the only patient. However, when you are ill and haven't bothered said GP for the rest of the year, say, then you can't expect the general public not to expect some level of care from the only person they have asked to specifically look after them?

XStitch made a point earlier that drop ins at the hospital cost GP's money. I assume I am one of those, after having had to go up last week when faced with no other option. I'm glad that my common sense prevailed rather than the words of the right hand man/lady of my healthcare professional. My point is, will my GP look at the bill and wonder why a pregnant lady ringing in with possible DVT issues was left without any advice or care to make her own way to the hospital off her own back and was not offered an appointment? As I said before, if my mother hadn't had a stroke I may not have realised the implications myself. The mind boggles at how many people potentially could try to get appointments with doctors and never make it!

[LadyOfTheCuntryManor]

I didn't say it was books I wrote.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

honestly, who cares what exactly you write.

[xstitch]

Don't some people who have been told there are no appointments realise that perhaps the reason there are no appointments is that some of them are taken up by people like the ones in the example given above and the example given by Rebecca amongst other reasons. This to me supports the receptionist asking what the appointment is for. It also helps avoid using up an appointment unnecessarily and wasting a patients time too when the appointment should have been with the nurse, midwife, chirpoidist etc.

I would always support people going to the hospital or contacting OOH if they become worse or are genuinely ill and haven't managed to get an appointment but really people should be supporting anything that helps free up any appointments for the really ill.

[vintageteacups]

Well - I still think that for the people who book a GP app for something like an admin issue, asking whether their hospital app has come through, need a) a serious talking to/letter from GP stating they wasted an appointment and b) charging for the time they wasted.

But yes, contrary to my OP, I have said that I agree with the receptionist saying something....... but in a way that respects the patient and makes them feel as thuogh they are cared about - rather than just being a stat that needs dealing with, ie:

"Good morning, how can I help you?"
"I would like to book a GP app please"
"Is it a matter for the GP or would the nurse/midwife etc be able to see you?"
"oh well actually, yes, it's about my dd's asthma"
"Well, the nurse runs an asthma clinic tomorrow after school - would that be any good for you?"
"yes, that'd be great thank you"

Rather than........
"yes?"
"I'd like to book a GP app please"
"What are the sympoms - there's a nurse's clinic this afternnoon?"
"errr, no, I really want to see the GP"
"11:50 then. Bye"

See the difference? The softer tone approach gets so much more out of people.

[xstitch]

Only sensible people, I learnt that the hard way.

I was on the bus and over heard a long conversation. The gist is that the lady had called for a GP appointment just to have her dressing changed, the receptionist had suggested if it was a dressing change the the nurse would probably be better and could see her in an hour. The patient was in a strop because she wanted to see the GP even though there were no other issues and that meant waiting 48hrs and she wanted her dressing changed that day. You will always get people asking for GP appointments for stupid things and they will definitely answer no it has to be a GP if they were asked that question offering no opportunity to try and explain why another option may be better.

This example is slightly different but works on the same principal, I was newly qualified and someone called asking to speak to my boss who was out at a meeting. Was asked if anybody else could help and after much umming, aghing, tutting and huffing supposed I would do. I came on the phone after excusing myself from the current patient as it was apparently urgent only to be asked when we closed that night. On asking if there was anything else I could help with was told that was all. Now anybody in the place new when we closed so anybody could answer that question.

[begonyabampot]

Lady, don't you or haven't you worked in a tea room time serving teas and scones?

[LadyOfTheCuntryManor]

No I own a Georgian manor house that used to operate a tea rooms from the orangery. I owned the business, I didn't work in it.

However, I have put the house on the market, including the business.

I also own rights to a boutique hotel. That does not make me a chambermaid.

[begonyabampot]

I stand corrected then.

Curious Lady - have you ever done work like shop assistant, chambermaid, waitress etc?

[OpusProSerenus]

It seems like Lady is doing something of a Cameron here! Too grand to have ever soiled her hands with jobs she regards as menial but thinks she knows enough to criticise those that do.
I too think your opinions would benefit from some maturity and humility

Receptionists are an incredibly valuable part of any surgery team.

[LadyOfTheCuntryManor]

Yes I worked for a mobile phone company when I was studying.

[begonyabampot]

not office or sales work - but more menial work, like chambermaid - I recommend it and think it would do you the world of good.

[begonyabampot]

no seriously Lady - you have done well, fair play. You made it to Oxford, fell pregnant about 22yrs and now are a SAHM at the age of 24 with another on the way and own a million plus country manor. Jeepers, how did you manage to achieve all that, you must be very ambitions and determined.

[LadyOfTheCuntryManor]

Number 1) I didn't go to Oxford, thank you very much.

Number 2) My property was inherited, you are welcome to see the link if you think you can afford to buy it as it's for sale.

Number 3) I stay at home with my child because he's 14 months and I write from home-so I technically work from home (as and when I need to). I'm pregnant because I can afford to have children without relying on social help-not that I have to justify my want for children to you.

Why on Earth are you a) so interested b) so bitter?

[LadyOfTheCuntryManor]

I got married at 20 and had my son at 23. Last time I checked that was legal.

[LadyOfTheCuntryManor]

Oh and I worked my bollocks off in school and university so I wouldn't have to be a chambermaid. I don't need to change other peoples' bedding to know that it's an awful way to earn money. Thankfully I stayed in education so that wouldn't be a reality for me.

My point earlier on (which is what you're harping after) is that once my studying is finished, I then went on to be a chambermaid.

If I wanted to be a chambermaid I would have left school at 16/18 to do it.

[begonyabampot]

No what I'm saying is Lady is that you should count yourself lucky you have had the privileges that you have had in life. It doesn't sound that you have earned anything you have - it has all been given to you (not denying that you are intelligent and worked hard at uni). But what have you actually earned for yourself before you scoff and look down your nose at others who haven't had your advantages.

I'm not bitter, I also haven't really earned what I have but have been lucky to have a clever husband who can provide me with a more than good standard of living - but, I consider myself bloody lucky to have what I have and realise that many other through no fault of their own have it much harder.

[LadyOfTheCuntryManor]

My bloody point was you wouldn't go to Oxbridge to become a receptionist.

if you have to due to a child/partner with SN and the hours suit, then that's great...but that wasn't clarified at the time.

Do a straw poll from Oxbridge grads and ask how many of them went there to become a phone-answerer before I'm made out to be completely unreasonable. I've worked my arse off so I can earn my own living (away from husbands) when my second child is old enough.

[begonyabampot]

Lady, not your fault but you come from a different world to the majority of folk in this country and on MN - hope you can learn something from your time on this site. Do you really understand how privileged your life has been or do you really think you truly 'earned ' what you have?

[BustersOfDoom]

Jeez this thread has taken a bit of a diversion. One for the worst.

Anyway I am quite happy to give my symptoms to the GP's receptionist as she has got me in quicker to see the GP when I did. My 'might have a bit of a chest infection' was a nasty case of bronchitis requiring strong antibiotics and steroids. If she hadn't asked I would've accepted an appointment a week later. I had no idea how ill I was and nearly ended up in hospital.

And having a DS who has had cancer I am well used to discussing symptoms over the phone. I will quite happily discuss symptoms with a consultant's secretary so why not a GP's receptionist? Just exactly how personal and private can it be?

[nancychew]

Ladyofthecuntrymanor

you've given an awful lot about yourself away on this site, it's not always a good idea, might be time for a name change. I really doubt you would ever have had to a be a chambermaid though as other have said, it probably would have done you the world of good.

[Orbinator]

Yes, I don't think we need to go into peoples socio-economic background to allow them to voice an opinion... move on & stick to the OP, please.

I've worked as a hotel receptionist in the long distant past. All I can say is that I would never dream of speaking to clients the way some GP's receptionists speak to theirs. I wasn't even in a healthcare profession either! Why go for a job that involves care, even if just a brief telephone/face to face chat, if you are going to have the attitude of a bulldog chewing on a wasp?

I have had the odd good doc's receptionists, but I think we can safely say that this thread wouldn't have got us all talking if there wasn't at least some truth in the OP.

Oh and I'm all for charging for wasted appointments. I'm not oblivious to the mass imbeciles out there either. However, if the receptionists are going to ask all of these questions at booking in, why aren't they filtering the idiots out? They can't have it both ways.

[nancychew]

Says who Orb - you? Ladyofthecuntrymanor is well capable of voicing her opinion and sticking up for herself.

[Orbinator]

Nancy I'm sure she can and will. I just don't think people who are on this thread care as much about that as the OP. I certainly don't. Maybe you could start a new thread with a different title?
Just an idea.