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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect more privacy at the GPs

80 replies

GSfordays · 14/08/2018 14:05

I was recently prescribed pregabaline by my psychiatrist.

I went to the GP today to see if the prescription had arrived.

Busy but very quiet waiting room. I asked the receptionist if she had a prescription for me to pick up. She asked what it was for and I lent over and whispered to her pregabaline.

She looks at her screen and says in a loud voice “no the only scripts I have on my screen for you are Sertraline and diazepam”

AIBU to think there was no need for her to read those out in front of everyone? She could have just said no I don’t have it here?

OP posts:

mimibunz · 14/08/2018 14:08

I would have a word with the head nurse. That woman needs some training in discretion.

mimibunz · 14/08/2018 14:09

Also, I wonder if data protection laws cover this sort of thing?

YeTalkShiteHen · 14/08/2018 14:10

Absolutely unacceptable. You have the right to privacy, and she should have known that.

TheQueef · 14/08/2018 14:12

Our doctors do this.
So much so that I've started writing notes to be passed to my GP rather than try and bellow through perspex.
As relaxed as I am about my medical history I don't want to describe my prolapse or fissure or fistula or piles with a full audience hanging off my every word.
I must be shy.

MrsA6 · 14/08/2018 14:12

No, that shouldn't have happened. Maybe you could ring the Practice Manager and feedback to them - you don't have to name names but it might prompt them to remind staff about confidentiality.

However, my guess would be 95% of people in the waiting room wouldn't know what the drug is for (I wouldn't!). Also, it probably wasn't as loud as you remember and I bet most other patients were absorbed in their own thoughts/phones rather thsn listening to the receptionist.

Hope you get your script sorted soon.

Bombardier25966 · 14/08/2018 14:13

Why did you need to whisper pregabaline?

In an ideal world we would have more privacy in GP receptions, but that costs money and there's not enough of that for treatment let alone structural changes.

FourFriedChickensDryWhiteToast · 14/08/2018 14:14

I would complain to the practice manager tbh.

digressing a bit, but I do wish people wouldn't say 'script' when they mean 'prescription', unless they really want to sound like full on needle junkies.

YeTalkShiteHen · 14/08/2018 14:15

Why did you need to whisper pregabaline?

So the rest of the waiting room didn’t hear?

alittlequinnie · 14/08/2018 14:16

I complained at my GP surgery when I discreetly pushed my invitation to a smear letter at the receptionist and asked her for an appointment in relation to this.

There was a queue of about 12 people right behind me and she said "you do know you need to have this mid cycle - when was the first day of your last period"?

i know its not the end of the world but i'd rather not have to discuss this in front of everyone - we then had to go on to have an in depth discussion about why the appointment could be at any time becuase i didn't have periods - no i'm not menopausal just on the mini pill.

i'm sure the queue enjoyed the show! i don't know what happened I just put a complaint in.

ggirl · 14/08/2018 14:17

You need to report this , it is a clear breach of confidentiality and the receptionist needs to realise that.

I am a nurse and every nurse/hcp/medic who works for NHS does Information governance training ..pretty sure GP land is the same but not sure.

As a patient I am often appealed at the lack of privacy at surgery receptions.

ggirl · 14/08/2018 14:17

appalled not appealed

nonevernotever · 14/08/2018 14:19

YANBU Our practice has started a new phone triage for all appointments with the doctor. Not only do you have to tell the receptionist briefly what the problem is, but when the dr phones back (which can be at any time during the day) you then have to tell them the details over the phone. That's fine if you're too ill to be at work or are at home for other reasons. It's not nearly so much fun when you work in a large open-plan area with no mobile phone reception so have no choice but to go into details that you'd rather not share with colleagues (and I was only phoning about sinusitis that has persisted since May. Presumably if I want to phone about anything more personal I'll need to take a day off work to do it. [ I can see that the system would work well for all those looking for an appointment that day; it's a complete and utter pain if I'm looking to arrange a non-urgent appointment since it means that I can only arrange to phone on a day when I have no meetings (so that I am contactable) . They also don't let you book appointments in advance any more.]

FourFriedChickensDryWhiteToast · 14/08/2018 14:21

" Why did you need to whisper pregabaline? "

because it's nobody's business what medication she is on?

I remember when I first moved out of London, and the pharmacy assistant used to get your prescription, and SHOUT OUT your name and address to a full chemist shop!!

And then when I complained , looked at me like I was batty.

ggirl · 14/08/2018 14:23

It is a practical problem ..surgery waiting rooms should be out of hearing of the area you speak to the receptionist..takes planning and money..

YeTalkShiteHen · 14/08/2018 14:24

I remember when I first moved out of London, and the pharmacy assistant used to get your prescription, and SHOUT OUT your name and address to a full chemist shop!!

That’s awful! Ours shouts surname, then if more than one person steps forward (lots of Mc names here) they do first name too. Only confirming address (quietly) when you go to the counter.

Mushroomsarehorrible · 14/08/2018 14:27

I've been witness to this sort of thing so many times and it's totally unacceptable. I was in Boots the other day, an embarrased woman was being shuffled of into a side room and the pharmacist shouted out to her colleague "just doing a MAP" for all of us to hear.

How utterly crass and insensitive of her

Original poster

GSfordays · 14/08/2018 14:30

My own GP says script so I’m not too concerned if anyone thinks I’m a needle junkie tbh.

And yes I whispered it because it’s my business and I’d rather not let the village gossips know anything about my medical issues. I also presumed that it would subtly let the receptionist know I was trying to be discreet

OP posts:

Mushroomsarehorrible · 14/08/2018 14:31

My GP also says 'script'. Perfectly acceptable terminology

TroysMammy · 14/08/2018 14:32

I'm a Receptionist and I'm mortified when patients mention their controlled drug medication in a normal voice when waving the box at me. Although we have lovely patients we are situated in a rough part of town.

I wouldn't talk about any meds patients haven't first mentioned either. Unfortunately privacy is crap and although patients can ask to speak in private we don't have access to computers to assist them as the rooms are being used by Doctors and Nurses so we just have to speak to them in the corridor away from the waiting room and Reception desk.

TroysMammy · 14/08/2018 14:33

Sorry for the lack of punctuation.

mostdays · 14/08/2018 14:34

digressing a bit, but I do wish people wouldn't say 'script' when they mean 'prescription', unless they really want to sound like full on needle junkies.

No, they don't .

YeTalkShiteHen · 14/08/2018 14:35

I say script, it’s what my doctor calls a repeat prescription.

sleepylittlebunnies · 14/08/2018 14:35

Yes even though most GP receptions aren’t designed with privacy in mind staff can be more discreet. When I was first pregnant with DC1 I called into the surgery to make an appointment with the GP. I asked very quietly as there was a queue and it is open to the large waiting room. The receptionist explained it would be the midwife I needed to see then shouted through to another receptionist across the room “where are the early pregnancy referral forms for this lady?”. The only person who knew I was pregnant was DH, now half my neighbourhood knew!

MrsA6 · 14/08/2018 14:40

Saying script doesn't make you sound like a drug addict . I say it as I'm married to a medic and that's what he calls them - as PPs also testify! HCPs use abbreviations/shortenings for nearly everything!

YeTalkShiteHen · 14/08/2018 14:41

Also, surely any addict getting a script is engaging with help which is a good thing?

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