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.

I didn't say nurses did have PhDs I said neither did GPs.

'I think that people who are genuinely ill tend to know if they need a doctor.

Secondly, I think people who take the pee when it comes to asking for a GP app and don't need it, would think better of it in future if, on seeing the doctor, he or she gave the patient the reason why they have a nurse.'

vintage not IME you really are crediting some people with too much intelligence. Just because you are capable of and do understand does not mean that others will. Some can't understand and some won't.

I know of one person who has requested and urgent GPs appointment over 200 times this year (that is not a typo and yes that is more than once a day). Only once did he actually need to see a doctor. Although he is an extreme example you get the picture. I too only phone the dr when really needed as I am more than capable of triaging myself and my family. I have no shame in telling them the basic gist of the problem personally but if it was particularly embarrassing I would just politely say that it was a little to personal.

"Yet if you don't answer she gives you an appointment anyway...leading to the conclusion that it wasn't vital for her to know in the first place."

And you probably get given an appointment at the most inconvenient time, when there is likely to be most delays and with all the other whingers who insisted on seeing the doctor, come hell or high water and then discussing their whole life story... Enjoy your wait!

jamieagain - what do you mean? I wasn't being a snobby cow.

Yes, at the expense of others who maybe need it more(according to the doctors triage rules which the receptionist merely enforces). But who cares as long as you get your appointment eh? Breathtaking arrogance.

'Fanjo- and yet I still get an appointment, so I can't see how it is relevant.'

It is relevant because if everyone did that then there would be the very real danger that there wouldn't be an appointment and someone who had sneezed got an appointment when someone who had eg worsening asthma had to wait just by virtue of who succeeded in getting through on the line first.

vintage - no, you weren't. You were accused of being so. That was my point

Exactly

Perhaps I should have mentioned that at our surgery, you cannot book appointments for any time in the future.

You can only book an appointment for the same day or the next day at a push. If I called and said can I book an appoinment for Friday, they'd say no, call back on Friday. I guess that's perhaps why the receptionists are always so narky and why they try to triage.

Well that's the appointment system.

They only do same day appointments. You ring up you ask for a doctor, you are given a time, you go in and sign in on the computer, and the computer alerts when to go in. It's really rather straight forward.

If I don't engaged in conversation with the receptionist over issues that are none of her business, I still get to see a doctor, because that's how the NHS works here.

Xposts,, Vintage do you go to my GPs?!

She is an employee of the GP carrying out their wishes,since the GP cant answer the phone.

Anyway I shall leave you to your astonishing arrogance.

Me too.

She is an employee of the surgery. The GP doesn't pay her wages.

Nope - you are in Wales aren't you?

I am, I am.

Land of the free prescriptions.

The GPs make the decisions about how the appointments should be allocated because as you have pointed out they have the most training. In any surgery I know off the reception staff are working to a protocol.

She is an employee of the surgery. The GP doesn't pay her wages.

So are you saying that someone employed by, say, Marks & Spencer doesn't have to do as directed by their supervisor, because he/she doesn't pay their wages? Because the principle is the same.

"Its so annoying, the taxes you pay would probably only just pay for you to have one appointment with a highly qualified doctor in a surgery once every 10 years!"

err how do you figure that out exactly?

XStitch- If I don't answer her line of interrogation I still get an appointment. If it was protocol she would say;

"If you don't answer these questions I'm afraid I can't give you an appointment".

No because that wouldn't be a safe protocol lady, even stubborn people can be really ill.

Yes it wouldn't be safe because they are not medically trained...so as the protocol is not fool proof I shan't be engaging with it.

She probably gave you the appt then said to the GP 'sorry, that awful pita woman who always complains wouldn't tell me what was up so I had to give her an appt'

Fanjo's right, behaving like a cunt tends not to get you the best service.

Same way that if you're rude to the waiter, he pisses on your dinner. :o

It's an NHS doctor.

What's he going to do? Give me a prescription for Anthrax?

I so don't like the 'c' word