To really despise Drs receptionists asking why I want an appointment?

[ShapelyBingoWing]

I've been trying to get an appointment at my surgery all week. If I'd booked in on Monday, I'd have been waiting until a week on Friday to be seen, so the receptionist that day said to call at 8 in the morning for an appointment that gets released on the day.

By the time I've gotten through every single day, all the appointments have been gone. But after telling me that, I've been asked each day what I need the appointment for as though an appointment can be found if they deem my issue serious enough. And every day they've tutted at me down the phone when I've explained I'd rather not say.

I've finally got an appointment with my practice nurse today after she triaged me and agreed I needed seeing.

I get that receptionists need to prioritise, I really do, but I feel very strongly that they're not trained to prioritise based on very little medical information. And tutting down the phone is a fairly reasonable marker that they're not particularly good at the job they are trained to do. AIBU? Or just a grumpy sod?

I think I just wanted a moan.

[ShapelyBingoWing]

since I guess that is who you requested, can't be urgent or you would be saying so.

I did say so.

[AndNoneForGretchenWieners]

Our family GP took notice of the complaints about the manner of his receptionists, and changed the questioning from what is wrong with you to do you feel it is urgent or more routine? He says he hasn't seen an increased uptake in "urgent" appointments that were really "routine" issues because people are generally honest when asked that, but has seen that men in particular are more likely to say something is routine (and hence can wait longer for an appointment) when the matter is actually classed as urgent, so there is more deterioration in the condition due to the wait. However he also sent his receptionists on a customer service training course because he did a mystery shopper exercise after getting loads of complaints and had bad feedback. (I know all this because my friend is a nurse there).

[ChickenVindaloo2]

I generally find "there's blood coming out my arse" gets me an appointment when I need it.

[NeegansWife]

The receptionists are also subject to confidentiality/data protection agreements. They're not there to snoop and gossip about patient's medical conditions and could lose their jobs if they did so.

[ChickenVindaloo2]

I also object to having to phone at 8am and wait on hold for hours as if I'm trying to get Take That tickets or something.

I work full-time. I rarely ask for an appointment. I think I should get one either urgently if I need it or bookable in advance if it's routine. I should not have to play telephone roulette or have to resort to subterfuge to get a suitable appointment.

[MissionItsPossible]

I just can't believe how impersonal they can be. I was in the reception before when someone rang up and the receptionist bellowed down the phone "You've got a rash WHERE, Mr Massood?" so the whole waiting room could hear!

[ShapelyBingoWing]

Our family GP took notice of the complaints about the manner of his receptionists, and changed the questioning from what is wrong with you to do you feel it is urgent or more routine?

This would work well here. I did say to them that it didn't have to be the same day but that it really did need to be within 3 days or so. They said the only way of that happening was to get one of the urgent appointments. Their website still claims patients will get appointments within 2 days! I can't remember the last time that was really the case.

[SapphireStrange]

Maybe instead of asking you to say what the problem is (very personal/embarrassing), or if it's urgent or not (like the average punter should know! ), they should read out a list of things that you need a different type of appointment for and you can just say 'yes, it's for immunisations/over-40 check up' etc.

[martiniwini]

They're not being nosey it's their job. The doctors and nurses rely on the receptionist to organise the appointments, therefore they need to know the nature of your problem. You think she was rude to tut. She may have thought you were rude to dismiss her and overlook her profession.

[ChrisPrattsFace]

The reception at my GP has caused me nothing but problems! A three-four week wait each time. On three different occasions i made an appointment with the GP - i turned up each time and they had booked it in with the Nurse (because its gyno and theres a gyno nurse) Now this isn't in issue in itself, we are quiet Lucky we have nurses who run excellent clinics - except i was going for medication repeats and physical examinations. Each time they wouldn't let me wait to see a GP even though it was their error.
On the third occasion i said 'the Dr wants to do an internal exam - i am being monitored so NEED to see the GP'...turned up and still booked me in with a nurse. I can't win in that place.
But anyway - my point being sometimes even telling them the problem makes no difference. and eventually to good dr looked at my vagina

[SleepFreeZone]

I am happy to tell them about my piles or thrush if it gets me an appnt.

[PigletWasPoohsFriend]

Receptionists in the NHS are so ridiculously rude in general.

@Dina1234 No they really aren't.

[oldlaundbooth]

I totally agree with you op.

A receptionist isn't trained to give a medical opinion.

Point blank.

[alfagirl73]

While they are not medically trained, it is likely that they will have been given some training on key symptoms/words that would warrant an immediate appointment because they are red flags. That happened with me when I had suspected ovarian cancer, my symptoms were classic, I had an appointment within 2 hours and had a referral to a consultant within days.

That said, there is no need for receptionists to be rude and you do have the right not to disclose what the problem is. It just makes it harder for the receptionist to determine the quickest and most appropriate person to see you. Don't get me wrong, I have no time for receptionists who are rude and obstructive, but I also get that they have often been told to ask questions.

[Mesgegra]

Im back in my home town and i hate talking to the receptionists too. Smear tests, polyps, bleeding, in earlier years, the pill... cystitis, an sti test. All mortifying and receptionists making you feel l8ke a shabby article. Shudder.

[rightknockered]

The receptionists at my Dr's surgery are lovely. They do ask what the appointment is for but generally so that they can match you with the GP best able to help you. If you say you don't wish to discuss with them, they happily book you an appointment. Always polite, always go out of their way to help when at the surgery.

[catmumof1]

@ChrisPrattsFace I've had the same problem with gyno, I fought to see an actual doctor after a nurse telling me to get on with it essentially. The GP was pretty concerned and gave me an urgent referral to a gynaecologist!

[Slimthistime]

how are you defining "tutting"?

they are trying to be helpful. If you hear a sigh, it might not be "why won't this woman share her private info" it might well be "I wish I could help".

[Beevor]

I too completely agree OP, it should not be necessary. I was sat in my surgery earlier this week and could hear one of the receptionist pushing a caller on the issue. Obviously I could only hear half of the dialogue but it included 'you really have to tell me what the issue is for me to help you', 'the nurse practitioner is used to dealing will all 'lady bits'' ( I object to that one on its own) and 'well it can't be that urgent then'. Once the need for an appointment had been established the receptionist took detailed information on the spelling of her name, repeating it back for the entire waiting room to hear..! Small village too.

[TonicAndTonic]

I don;'t know how it works in other surgeries, but in mine, to get a same day appointment you have to go through telephone triage with the duty doctor. The receptionists have to ask for a brief description of what's wrong to put against your name in the telephone triage list. It determines how quickly you get a call back. Ours are always really apologetic about having to ask, and make it clear that it's just a brief note to help the doctor, they don't do the decision-making.

I think if I was calling about something that I didn't want to share with the receptionist (though presumably they all receive sensitivity/confidentiality training as they deal with patient data), I'd just make something up, then tell the actual doctor the real problem.

[Natashaox]

My mum is a doctors receptionist and I just want to put it out there that they are asked by the doctors to ask you a rough guideline of what's wrong just so they are able to prioritise the very unwell/need to be seen today to the general cold/ear ache person.

Obviously it was very rude for her to tut down the phone but she was only doing her job and they aren't asking for the ins and outs of whats wrong. Plus they will never be able to discuss your medical records to anybody else so if you was worried about that you could put a letter into the practice manager.

[Moreisnnogedag]

There are good and bad everywhere. The tutting is unacceptable.

i now have an excellent GP surgery (rural) that I can get an appt the next day (and only get asked if a nurse would be appropriate) in the central clinic or within the week at our local branch. Truly the best one I've been at.

[SerfTerf]

Just not that particular one as without my full medical history and medical training, they can't properly prioritise.

Yes, I'm having a similar issue recently.

It turns out that some things are beyond a receptionist's training. Here, if your issue isn't urgent, you might easily not get one of the scarce "routine" appointments, so triage is suddenly important.

There's probably a lot that they can triage reasonably accurately based on common sense, but once you get into more complicated, more unusual things, the appropriateness of their assessment is bound to fall, just as the importance of getting it right rises.

I can see why hard pressed desperate GP practices have done it, but it's bound to hamper appropriate access to healthcare in some cases and will lead to the odd tragedy, as far as I can see.

[ChickenVindaloo2]

'the nurse practitioner is used to dealing will all 'lady bits'' ( I object to that one on its own) and 'well it can't be that urgent then'. Once the need for an appointment had been established the receptionist took detailed information on the spelling of her name, repeating it back for the entire waiting room to hear..! Small village too.

THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS! I WOULD HAVE DEMANDED TO SEE THE PRACTICE MANAGER ON THE SPOT, THAT POOR LADY WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE KNOWN THE VILLAGE NOW KNEW ALL ABOUT IT

[ChickenVindaloo2]

When I become old/ill and need a doctor on a more than annual basis, I'm just going to go private. Although I don't see why I should have to.
Maybe the only drs appt I should book is that one-off trip to the clinic in Switzerland...