to not want to discuss my medical problem with a receptionist?

[Wearsuncream]

Yes I understand they are trying to triage patients by asking what's wrong - but sorry I just don't believe a Doctors receptionist should be making that assessment anyway and that's aside from the confidentiality/data protection issues.
I got to my Doctors today and found they'd booked me in with a nurse because I 'wouldnt' tell the receptionist what was wrong (to be fair it is a very personal and potentially serious problem that I realised I would need a referral for-which I was correct about).
AIBU to want to speak to a doctor about something? I want their training, clinical experience and expertise, ability to refer etc and not the 'skills' of a possibly well meaning but ultimately untrained recptionist (who has previously made comments about test results I've been sent for and even questioned to me why they've done it..?! As well as telling me that the midwife at our practice had the same condition?!?!?) garghhh!!!

All our receptionist asks is is it urgent, if yes they put you on to the triage nurse

I've always been annoyed by this, but actually, I've recently realised that if you tell them what the problem is they can be really quite helpful. Over the past couple of weeks I've had a lost tampon which I explained to the receptionist, who actually went to find the nurse if she could see me straight away - 15 mins later it was out. Same with a lump in my breast, she got me a same day appt within an hour, with a female GP. I think it makes them feel important, which is obviously not the way it should work, but hey, if it means I get a quick appointment that's absolutely fine with me. I lost all my dignity when I had my dc's after all.

YANBU

I had this with a receptionist before, I told her I had green discharge coming out of my vagina. She was very ermm, ohh, errmm okay you can see a doctor!!

Just to clarify I did not have any dischage, I just didn't want the nosey cow asking questions!

I'm always a bit mixed about this - on the one hand I don't always like saying what the problem is to the receptionist; but then all of the GPs at my surgery have specialisms - female health, skin conditions, minor surgery, etc, so if you are willing to give the receptionist a rough idea what the problem is, they will book you in with the GP with the correct specialism. I have even been to see one GP with several issues, and they have advised me to make another appointment to see one of their colleagues for one of the problems, because they have more expertise in that area.

As a former receptionist ... edwinbear no it doesn't make receptionists feel important to ask what the matter is it is just what they are trained and instructed to do by the Doctors who then give staff a major bollocking if they don't do their jobs correctly.

What jak said. I also used to be a GP receptionist, I did my job which involved doing what my boss, the doctors, asked me to do.

If the GP knows what they are about to be faced with they can do a much better job in the short time they're given.

Would you also lie at an A&E desk when the receptionist asks there what the problem is?

If it were up to me, patients who lied to get apmts would be kicked out. It's a waste of a doctor's valuable time.

My GP's receptionist has only ever asked what the problem was when the appointments were so badly booked up she could essentiallly only give me one if I was actively dying. If she has appointments, she just gives you one, no questions asked. If she doesn't, she tries to help, and that I don't mind - she once told me the schedule was packed, but what was the issue, did she need to getme an emergency appointment? When I said I had an earache that hurt like hell and wouldn't go away, but I didn't think it merited an emergency slot, she insisted because 'you poor thing, earache is so awful'.

I cherish my GP's surgery. They should all be like that.

I am a dr's receptionist and we only have to ask what the problem is if the patient asks for an emergency appt. If a patient says its private and dont want to discuss then i accept that and would write personal doesnt want to discuss on their file. This is what we are told to do by the doctors, we are just doing out job.

If we are fully booked on the day and a patient says they really needs to see a dr, i would ask what the problem is, as sometimes patients will say its not an emergency but have an earache or urine infection etc which are painful and i dont think they should have to wait another day for an appt.

I am not a dragon as so many of us are portrayed lol. The receptionists where i am a patient do leave a lot to be desired though!