about doctors' receptionists

[Choufleur]

they are not medically trained. I know they need to screen requests for appointments to a degree but when I think my son is actually very poorly and needs to see a doctor I don't expect to be told to call back Monday.

My DSM stood up to a GP's receptionist in the seventies (all babies cry, you're neurotic, etc) and managed to see the GP. That's why she has a 40 yo DS (serious kidney problems in a 6 week old baby).

But is there a walk in centre near you?

No - we're in a village so no nearby walk-in centres. I did get an appointment after saying I didn't want to talk to her any more and wanted to speak to the practice manager and I would blame them if my son had meningitis (I was probably being a bit paranoid but he has a headache, light aversion, feels sick and his neck hurts when he puts it forward - he actually has a nasty ear infection and swollen glands) and it wasn't diagnosed.

complain, complain, complain. Although doubt much will be done. They are a law unto themselves. Speaks from bitter bad experience.

My ex-sil had that the other way round, to be fair. Receptionist advised her to bring DN in with a rash and menigitis in the area, and GP told her off for being paranoid when is was a post-viral rash...

Glad you got an appointment, though.

A bloke i know went into the doctors because he had been having chest pains and they got really bad. Receptionist told him there was only two doctors and one was at lunch, the one working was fully booked up so he'd have to wait until the one at lunch got back. She said to 'shout if it got any worse' He said 'any worse and i'll be on the floor dead'. doctor comes back from lunch and calls ambulance straight away he'd had massive heart attack. He should have took it further really but he's not the type.

Minshu> My DS had a bad reaction to the MMR, receptionist wouldn't let us make an appointment over the phone kept saying that a rash is a side effect of the jab. In the end he got so bad that my mum put her foot down, the doctor was great (she does have 5 boys of her own so is good with kids!), and spent about half an hour examining him (should be 5 min appointment), she said you must never ever assume that something is due to jabs and always get it checked out.

Our receptionists never ask what's wrong. There are usually appointments left anyway, but if you need an emergency appointment they just ask if it is important you see a doctor that day, and if you say yes, then you get to see one.
And they used to look after my DC so I could have a smear test in peace.
They've deservedly won awards for loveliness.

YANBU about your doctor's receptionist in your particular scenario, but YABU to tar them all with the same brush.

Since I started making doctor's appointments for myself (about 25 years ago), and my DCs (5 years ago) they have all been lovely and accommodating and I have never been told I couldn't make a same day emergency appointment.

Choufleur it is not meningitis but would still not wait a weekend. Good for you for pushing it and getting a result.

No way are you being paranoid!! Good Mum award of the day to you!!

Strange, I thought receptionists had to just book the appointment no questions asked. This is definitely the case with all the HP surgerys I've come across

Morph2, what should the receptionist have done then if one Dr was with a patient and the other at lunch? Wave her magic wand and make another appear? I'm a receptionist, only part-time thank god, and am constantly dumbfounded by peoples rudeness and expectation that everyone is on standby awaiting their royal arrival and can drop everything at a moments notice just for them.

GP surgeries

morph I think your friend was BU. He should have gone to A&E if he felt that bad. How was the receptionist to know he was that serious?
By the way I'm not a receptionist or GP. Just trying to be fair

Shuffle - a man of a certain age suffering severe chest pain.., what would you think of right away? A heart attack if you've any common sense. The receptionist should have used this common sense and got the doctor promptly.

Even if it did turn out to be bad indigestion or something, it's not a risk you take.

They vary. There is the lovely one. There is the thick one who once yelled across the surgery "the computer says your smear's overdue, do you want it book it nah yer 'ere". There is the stroppy one. There is the efficient one. Ultimately I suppose they provide the service the doctors want them to as their employers. Bit sad really, especially when the doctor says "ooh, that was very wrong, I shall have a word". If there ever was a word, things would have improved wouldn't they. Got to feel sorry for them really.

TBH people are always on here saying the receptionist is not medically trained etc etc. In Morphs example this is true, it is not her place to diagnose the severity of the mans chest pain.
If he really thought 'any worse and I'll be on the floor' then surely he should have gone to a&e.
Well done OP for fighting your case. After my recent dealings with NHS I've definitely realised that you have to make a nosie to be heard.