To think that not all Doctors receptionists are interfering biddies?

[SingingSands]

I've just had an argument by text with my friend.

It started with a very long text from my best friend, ranting on about how she couldn't get a doctors appointment and laying the blame at the feet of the receptionists and calling them interfering biddies.

Basically, she wanted an appointment for today and they couldn't fit her in. When they enquired what she needed she refused to give them any information (she reckons it's not their place to know and will tell them she will only speak to a doctor).

We go to the same doctors surgery and I have always spoken very nicely to the receptionists and give them as much information as I can about my problem as they very often come up with a solution for me - e.g. I had run out of my pills, thinking I had another packet in the cupboard, no appointments available with doctor or nurse that day so receptionist had the doctor write me a prescription to collect at the front desk, and made an appointment with the nurse for 2 days later to do my blood pressure check. Problem solved.

I think my friend sees the receptionists as the enemy instead of as a source of information and advice and people who can actually help her. She also tends to treat the Doctors as an emergency service, expecting to be seen immediately.

I tried to tell her to be a bit more diplomatic in dealing with the receptionists but she just thinks they are there to answer the phones and book in patients. I tried to tell her that if she was a bit sweeter in her attitude they would really try to help her, but she was having none of it.

Is it just me who thinks this? AIBU?

YANBU, there is no reason for your friend not to be polite, but she does have a point.

Lots of receptionists can seem very jobsworthy. We have a same day appointment policy at our practice, so even if you need to go for something minor, you have to phone up that morning. Which involves at least ten minutes of constantly ringing and getting engaged tones until you are lucky enough to get through. Then when you need an appointment that fits in with school or work, they get an attitude on, because they seem to think that your life should revolve around a doctors appointment.

Life just doesn't work like that. Then if they ask what the problem is and it's something you don't feel comfortable telling them about, they get an attitude on then as well. Normally I will be happy to say what the problem is, but occasionally, I'm not and they should respect that and still provide all the help thay can.

I find that they are only helpful if I treat them like they are Very Important People. They need their egos stroked. I have to go over the top to be nice to them if I need anything from them, and that is just silly. Especially because you are only talking to them about something you are worried about!

If they are being unhelpful I just ask for a phonecall from a doctor, and that usually works.

I don't find them interfering, but on the whole I do think they sometimes need reminding they are, effectively, administrators rather than qualified medical staff.

It worries me too, sometimes, that they prevent people seeing a doctor because they (with all their medical knowledge an' all ) decide the person doesn't merit a visit. That is Not On. A lot of less assertive people can be very put off by the bossybritches approach taken by some of them, with potentially disastrous consequences.

they probably "get an attitude on" because you talk to them in a condescending manner, since you believe they are the lowest of the low.

not got energy to explain the triage system again and how they will have to follow rules set by GPs and don't just decide to ask questions for no reason.

Mine are pretty good, but then my drs surgery is rather fantastic anyway. The receptionists at the ante natal clinic on the other hand ... Doesnt inspire me that the hideous experience I had in that hospital 4 years ago is not going to be repeated this time.

What makes you automatically think I talk to them in a condescending manner?

I don't.

But even if I did, I still have a right to be helped as much as possible to access healthcare! Receptionists don't have the right to decide who they are going to help most based on how much respect a patient is giving them. And unfortunately, many of them do just that. When presumably they know they are involved with the public at their most vulnerable time. If I have a good reason to be worried about something that I find hard to talk about, and therefore need to see a doctor, I don't expect my access to that doctor to be inhibited by someone untrained who thinks she has the right to know my problem, and worse, has the power to make things harder then they already are.

What I object to is that I effectively have to 'suck up' to them to get anything other than one appointmant time offered. I wouldn't have to do that with any other service area. Basic politeness is usually more than enough. And like it or not, some GP receptionists do get above their station.

"who thinks she has the right to know my problem"

or who is told to ask for a basic explanation by the GPs so they can triage the appointments appropriately perhaps.

I understand that there is a big benefit to them asking the problem in many cases. And more often than not (as I already said) I'm happy to tell them.

But sometimes, it's personal and I'm not happy to tell someone that isn't the doctor, and who is behind a desk in a room full of people. I'm an adult, and my choice should be respected if I say 'I'm sorry, I'd rather talk to the doctor about it'.

Medical problems can be very personal, surely it's understandable?

I have experienced receptionists that go from being ok, to being extremaly difficult just because I won't tell them my problem. That cannot possibly be right, it is not justifiable just because of a triage system.

What someone said about confidentiality, sorry I can't remember who. It is true that they don't have to be a member of a professional body but they do have to sign confidentiality agreements as part of their contract. If they were to blab stuff they could get the sack for gross misconduct. So if a receptionist blabs they should be complained about.

Most of the receptionists don't actually care what is wrong with you. They just don't want to get balled at because eg they didn't put a note on the appointment to let the GP know why you were there or didn't find a separate waiting are for someone with chicken pox complications. More importantly they would rather be able to call a 999 ambulance if necessary rather than have someone waiting about for an appointment unnecessarily.

unfortunately triage is necessary as loads of people abuse emergency appointment system, if you give the first people to ask emergency appointments without asking what is wrong you run out of emergency appointments and someone who perhaps really needs it then can not get one and by the time the patient is there and you realise it was not an emergency the time has gone and someone else has lost an opportunity to be seen, other times people book emergency appointments then fail to turn up, the failure rate for patients is about 1 in 8, that is not a tiny percentage

receptionists do have to respect confidentiality they could be sacked instantly for gross misconduct ( technically you can sue doctor as they are his responsibilty) also most but not all medical receptionists are trained in triage. however the patient that overhears in the waiting room can tell whoever they want so the desk should ideally not be in hearing distance of waiting room and of a long queue the recptionist should ask people to queue further away to protect privacy, you could always say to rceptionist " i do not mind telling you the problem but i do not want anyone else to hear so i would need to tell you in private"

though annoying for you triage is essential to make sure optimum use of time and manpower so the problem can be sorted by the roght person in the right time frame