AIBU to be annoyed at doctors receptionist?

[ihatetheoneshow]

NC because this may out me (I've whinged a lot about this to various friends today)

Called doctors surgery this morning to get an appointment for 6 month old. Obviously wanted one for today so was calling between 8 and 9 am.

Eventually, after an hour on hold (it's a busy surgery so not overly bothered about that), receptionist answers asking how she can help. Conversation went like this:

R: how can I help?
Me: id like an appointment for today please.
R: we only have emergency appts. Is it really an emergency?
Me: yes it's for my 6 month old.
R: okay. (Takes DDs name) and what is wrong with her?

This is where I got annoyed, as that's the reason I'm seeing a doctor. I shouldn't have to list symptoms to the receptionist. She asked with such a patronising tone that I almost snapped back at her that is was the doctors business not hers. However, that is unreasonable so I answered politely whilst seething quietly.

I probably ABU, is it standard practice now for receptionists to ask why you are seeing a doctor? Does it help them decide if it is an emergency? I just don't get why she needed to know.

When I phoned for an appointment for dh the receptionist asked what was wrong. His symptoms didn't seem alarming to me but she said he needed to speak to a Dr.and went and got one. Dr told us to call ambulance at once and he ended up on cardio ward. Thankfully he now controls his condition and we are both grateful to that receptionist.

Sigh.

She's not triaging or diagnosing anybody. She's ascertaining whether the problem can wait until say 2 o clock or needs to be seen sooner. Or whether the nurse practitioner can see the patient. Or whether she needs to call 999 instead of making an appointment.

Receptionists do receive training you know.

The Doctors are our bosses. If my boss tells me to ask briefly what the problem is then I do as I am told. It could be the difference between your little one being seen sooner rather than later in the day.

Yabu. This has been standard practice at several surgeries I've been registered with for about a decade. She was just doing her job.

Standard practice. I bet she has a crib sheet and saying certains words means you get priority phone bAck.

Errrrm not trying to be rude but I know this becasuse you need absoloutly no medical training to be a Receptionist at a Doctors surgery so therefore they are not able to determine what appointment would constitute as a medical emergency.

Errrrrm, not trying to be rude but receptionists on this thread have said that it is their job.

There will be things that the nurse sees and stuff the doctor sees and other things that we clearly not emergencies (like people booking up emergency appointments to get a pill prescription and the like).

There will also be people on the other hand making appointments for crushing chest pain, non blanching rashes etc that need signposting to a&e.

Standard practice. I bet she has a crib sheet and saying certains words means you get priority phone bAck.

Me and my colleagues have sheets with allsorts of issues on and the who/what/whens next to it.

I also had to have chaperone training. My job isnt just answering the phone and booking in appts.

I always get asked and I really don't see the problem. As someone else said sometimes they offer you a phone appt or tell you to drop off a wee sample. It's also to the gp a heads up, I assume so they can look at the relevant parts of your notes before you go in. I think being a gp practice receptionist must be really crap at times. If it's something embarrassing you can say you don't want to say. Yabu

I also had to have chaperone training. My job isnt just answering the phone and booking in appts.

I and others I am sure know this is not the only aspect of your job, however I stand by the fact receptionists no matter how well trained do not have the training required to triage patients, and if someone is ringing they really shouldn't need to give a full explanation to someone who is not medically trained. Besides as there isn't any way of stopping someone elabourating or making up symptoms to get seen, asking just seems a little futile.

Our Drs receptionist is brilliant. When ds1 had a rash at 1 she said bring him in ASAP. He was seen within5 mins of walking through the door. She has training, not to diagnose but of when to get the Drs attention immediately.

Without her the drs would have no way to prioritise. They are given plenty of on the job training.

I think being a gp practice receptionist must be really crap at times.

It is, Seven.

See I wouldn't mind explaining to someone over the phone what the issue is, because I am not a medical professional and so I have no idea if it's really an emergency or not. Could it be a cough or cancer, a headache or an aneurism, I don't know, that is why I need to see a doctor.

What I do have an issue with is being expected to be happy with the opinion of someone who has the same level of medical training that I do.

I understand that receptionists are 'just doing their job' but it's ridiculous that people who do not have medical training are gatekeepers to access to healthcare.

To clarify I think it must be crap being a receptionist as they must have to put up with entitled know it alls. Not calling you that op.

Okay thanks. I did think it was unreasonable, I'd just never had to explain to a receptionist before.

Let me be clear about something though, because I seem to be getting some stick here: it wasn't an emergency. An emergency appointment is just an appointment for today. I can't call our doctors and just get an appointment for tomorrow or the day after. They don't work that way. It's either call early and get an 'emergency' appointment for that day, or book an appointment for 6/7/8 weeks away. So I say emergency appointment, but it wasn't an emergency, but nor can it wait over a month.

Also, those of you who have assumed I'm some neurotic first time mum calling about sniffles, fuck off.

Tbf, I would happily have some training.

My DM is a doctor's receptionist. They have to ask to offer the best solution. Like people have said it might be possible for a nurse /pharmacist to deal with it. Patients can choose not to say. I think it's helpful though, I've rung for an appointment and told them what's wrong and it was suggested that a double appointment would be appropriate to give me time to go over everything.

Things like this make me so angry, people are happy to waste doctors time/nhs money and then bitch about how bad the nhs is. Receptionists are trying to save time/ money.

Not long ago I was in the drs waiting room waiting for an ambulance for my v poorly ds (Dr was v worried about him) and some twat came in demanding an emergency appointment, scream at the receptionists that he wasn't going to tell them what was wrong etc and then screamed at the receptionist who was bringing me a cup of tea to calm me down. A Dr stepped in and told him to calm down or leave. He eventually called down and told the Dr the problem, it was a insect bite. The Dr told him where to go.

I won't deny tho that some receptionists try to play god but most are just trying to do their job.

Oh give over some of you,

When you ask to book at appointment to see a doctor & the receptionist refuses to book you any appointment at all, how is that right?

Also when you get refused a prescription repeat, then you call 111 & they ring through to the receptionist, they suddenly change their mind & say okay, I'll put it through as if it's a hard ge inconvenience?!

How is that being helpful at all? It's just wasting people's time!

We have 1 nice receptionist who will do anything really, you've just got to be lucky & get through to her!

yabvu

Just because it's for a 6 month old doesn't mean it's an emergency.

They're doing their job so that doctors see the people who need them, nurses see the ones who they are best placed to help (asthma review, contraception etc), and if it's a blue lights emergency they tell you that.

I am confident they are trained to know what red flags to look for and hope they'd err on the side of caution if unsure.

Not standard practice at my current practice or my previous one. They are receptionists, not trained meical professionals who can triage - what is wrong with me or my children is between me and the GP.

At our GP - and I assume most - the gps have special areas of interest, so when they ask you it could also be to make sure where possible appointments are with the best docotor

Just because it's for a 6 month old doesn't mean it's an emergency.

But just like the OP doesn't know if it is an emergency. hence wanting to see a doctor neither does the Receptionist know if it is an emergency, or as people said above someone could just lie and therefore the whole conversation is moot.

Triaging just means "to sort". Receptionists can triage when they've been trained.

They have training, and algorithms to follow. If someone phones and says "my 6 month old is really sleepy and has a fever" they'll either get seen very very quickly or the receptionist will call 999.

If someone says "my 6 month old needs to be seen urgently as they have cradle cap" they know that can wait.

Honestly, please have some faith in your surgery staff. They're acting in your best interests.