To let you know that you're not doing yourself any favours by refusing to tell the GP receptionist your symptoms?

[privateeyefan]

I'm a GP. My surgery operate a triage system - if you ring up or walk in asking for an appointment, then you get put on the triage list, and get a phone call from the doctor that same day, who can then make an appointment for you if you need one.

When patients ring up or walk in, the receptionists who speak to them will ask for a brief outline of the problem. This means that, as we usually have at least 3 doctors doing triage at any one time, we can prioritise the calls - if if see things that I know will need an appointment, then I will call those patients first so that I can get them into the surgery on the same day, often within the hour.

If you refuse to tell the receptionist what the problem is, and there is therefore nothing next to your name on the triage list, then I leave you until last. I'm not going to prioritise you over people I know will have to be seen, when I have no idea whether or not you will need an appointment. Therefore, if you don't tell the receptionist, your chances of a same-day appointment decrease substantially, and you will also have last choice of appointments over the next few days - the most convenient times after working hours will be long gone.

In addition, I, like most of my colleagues, have a special interest in a certain field. As I glance through the triage list, I generally pick out patients whose problem relates to my particular field of expertise, as do my colleagues. By refusing to give even the briefest of outlines, you rule out the chance that the GP with the most relevant experience will contact you directly.

Receptionists don't have medical training. Of course not. But that doesn't make them incapable of typing a one line summary of your problem dictated by you, in order to help the doctors do their job.

And please also remember - they speak to hundreds of patients daily. Your problem will occupy their mind for a few seconds, and then they will move on to the next patient and you will be swiftly forgotten.

I won't tell mine.

She's the bloody village gossip and WILL tell people who's been in lately and why.

Yes, they do earn pro rata six figure salaries. My daughter is a junior doctor and is considering being a GP because of the part time possibilities and the comparatively easy money!

Well it will be good if your daughter does apply for GP training, as so few doctors went to enter GP training, and so many GPs are leaving.

Ask yourself why there is such a huge GP recruitment and retainment problem if GPs are so highly paid for the job?

And how reducing GP salaries would affect retainment?

Some GPs will earn six figures of course, there are a range of salaries like in many professions. I'm a salaried GP and if I worked full time I'd earn 70-80k, but I would honestly end up resigning within a few months due to stress.

I also wouldn't have believed GP would be so draining and stressful when I was a junior doctor, but it is. To me most days feel like a junior doctor on-call day, and it is isolating to barely see your colleagues rather than feel part of a team. As a junior doctor I would have rolled my eyes to hear a GP say that, but it is true.

Hearing comments about "six figure salaries" and it being "comparatively easy" is frustrating. Although part-time working is very doable, that's true, that is the reason I have stuck with it.

I like our triage system. I’ve managed to get a lot of things dealt with without having to see a GP which is great.
However I need to review the medication I’m on for my arthritis, there have also been a few occasions where I’ve wondered whether I should see someone about my anxiety or depression but don’t know what to say as I feel like I’m wasting their time. I can’t explain it, it’s just makes me feel uncomfortable and can’t quite bring myself to ring and tell the receptionist how I’m feeling. If anyone can help me pluck up the courage I’d be eternally grateful x

*I won't tell mine.

She's the bloody village gossip and WILL tell people who's been in lately and why*

Then please report her to the practice manager. That is utterly unacceptable.

My husband phoned for an appointment - he explained his symptoms to a receptionist and was told he needed an non-urgent appointment. He was offered one three weeks later which he accepted.

Saw the GP at 11am (three weeks later) and was admitted to hospital later the same day with leukaemia.

Although I do to some extent agree with the OP - receptionists should not triage for anything other than very minor conditions.

They are not private reception areas, and faaaaar to many people I know and worse, work with, attend my surgery.
In waiting in the area not even closest to reception I could probably tell you most of the other peoples issues. I wasn’t listening. It was quiet. You can’t unhear

I understand your point @privateeyefan but I can tell you I do not feel happy discussing private medical details in front of Mums from school/clients from work all sitting round in the large open reception area.

I also feel extremely awkward discussing a family members mental health condition on their behalf. It should be private and confidential.

I think some surgeries should make a real effort to have a kind of private kiosk in the reception area for this type of conversation.

I'm honestly afraid of the trouble from it.

It's a small area and I don't want the trouble for being 'thay girls that got her sacked".

I also agree with other posters than discussing issues at the desk in a waiting room isn't nice.

Every system is flawed in some way.

I’ve been very impressed with the handling of my baby’s health care from the GP, and the receptionist referred us straight away. And we were seen outside of hours due to her other health concerns at the time.

A&E exists for urgent things, GPs can’t always see everyone immediately. And there’s always some poor service/experiences with any industry including medical.

OP I'd give up answering, you're dealing with 'stupid' people who can't properly read your responses or understand why this system works. They'll be the same ones complaining that they can't get in to see a doctor for 3 weeks and just need a plaster anyway 🤦‍♀️

It’s certainly none of a nosy unqualified receptionist’s business to demote me on the list of appointments because they’ve diagnosed me on the phone and found me wanting.

Our system ensures that this never happens. Our receptionists do no make that decision. It is done solely by the doctors.

Again, if patients were told this in a short recorded message spoken by one of the doctors, before they were put through to the receptionists I think that would stave off some of the grief that the're getting.

I'm honestly afraid of the trouble from it. It's a small area and I don't want the trouble for being 'thay girls that got her sacked".

All complaints are handled confidentially. She would never be told who had made the complaint.

If people are so concerned about privacy when making an appointment, then why on earth don’t they just make a phone call?

The system you have involves someone explaining their problem to the receptionist, who offers no advice and is not trained to ask questions.

Then you have to wait, possibly for several hours, for a call from the Doctor, where you explain it all again, this time with questions.

Then if that Doctor thinks you need to be seen, you get an appointment, when you come in to the surgery, and you explain your issue a 3rd time (possibly to a different doctor to the one you spoke to on the phone), before you get access to treatment.

3 times you have to talk about it before someone actually starts helping you. Can you not see why the public might see this is a system that works for you, but is a massive waste of their time and get angry at the system, with the first point of call of that system, the receptionist, baring the brunt of a system that is designed to waste their time.

The whole GP system doesn't work, all these little practices around the country, often several practices in one town rather than a larger health centre which can afford to have nurse support and less wastage of doctor time on admin like this booking system.

My gp surgery is fantastic. I phone at 8 am for an appointment, give the receptionist details of the issue, and they fit me in. They do have 2 surgeries though so a bit easier and I live in the middle of nowhere.

I agree.
As long as the receptionist isn't broadcasting the phone call to a full waiting room of people.

Not all GPs follow this, though.

I recently was in desperate need of pregabalin - I'd missed 2 days worth and was having terrible withdrawals. Absolutely splitting headache 100 times worse than a normal headache, brain zaps, vomiting, cold sweat that soaked through a towel every hour, horrible confusion and agitation, severe suicidal ideation. I phoned 3 times over the day begging to talk to talk to a doctor or nurse. The receptionist was very condescending, spoke to me like absolute shit. Eventually late afternoon a doctor phoned and was extremely sympathetic - understood how terrible and how desperate I was feeling. He said noone had highlighted my situation earlier in the day or he would have phoned immediately.

Another time prior to that I had had a mental breakdown and was extremely suicidal. The GP told me I must see them every week and after an appointment would book me in themselves for the following week. I missed one appointment as I'd been in hospital due to an overdose. I tried ringing at 8 and 2 every day to get an appointment and was just told there were none. I told them the doctor said I needed to be seen weekly. They didn't care - just told me there were no appointments. Would it have been beyond them to check my file and see why it was important I had to see the GP? In the end I asked them to pass on a message to the GP that I had tried to make an appointment on numerous occasions and been unsuccessful and to please understand why I had ended my life - I was obviously in a complete state and crying - all of a sudden an appoitment appeared - but I had to lose my dignity to get it [sad.

These are some of the reasons people dislike speaking to receptionists.

@LovePoppy - many people walk into the Drs to make an appointment, because you can't get through on the phone.

"Hello, this is Dr X. You will shortly be put through to the receptionist who will ask you a couple of short questions about your health. Your answers will be passed straight on to the triage doctor, who will then contact you to let you know when a doctor is able to see you or offer you a phone consultation."

Then please report her to the practice manager. That is utterly unacceptable

Reporting to the practise manager is often pointless.

You say “I heard your receptionist discussing a patient with friends/at the school gate/in Asda” and you inevitably get the reply of “We’ll investigate. Thank you for bringing it to our attention”.

Then one of two things happens. Either you are told there is no proof but “we have reminded all staff about confidentiality” or confidentiality means you don’t know what happened, but the receptionist is still there.

then after that your ability to get by said receptionist for anything is impossible.

Plus even if they get a bollocking the entire waiting room already knows that you have an appointment at 2.25pm to discussing your pregnancy options so you can’t escape the fall out from that.

The only time our surgery (and we have no option to move) did anything was when one of the receptionists commented in a WhatsApp group. And in her defence she wasn’t even gossiping she just didn’t think (they were discussing who task with a shit PTA job and she said not me; which inadvertently meant everyone knew something was going on), but she’s not besties with the practise manager, or the pm’s daughter so that was dealt with properly

I couldn’t tell you what sort of triage system my GP surgery is running. My leg swelled up last weekend following an insect bite. Antihistamines we’re having no impact so on Monday I visited my local pharmacy for advice. The pharmacist said they thought I had developed cellulitis and should see my GP as I needed antibiotics. I duly phoned my surgery, at 9:30am, to be told I should call 111 as all the morning appointments were taken and the surgery was closing for the afternoon!

fiydwi

Please go. I know how hard it is to speak to someone about a mental health issue, I was terrified. The GP I saw could not have been more lovely. I’m actually welling up a bit as I remember how I felt when I finally verbalised it to her and she said “well done for coming, and thank you for telling me. We can help you”.

I know some GPs are more sympathetic than others but the majority I have seen are at the least polite and professional. Perhaps you could arrange to see one you have seen before and know isn’t a bad egg?

Please do go, you’ll be so pleased you did - and if you don’t want to tell the receptionist then don’t. As OP has explained, it won’t stop you getting an appointment. Or you could say side effects of your medication?

Good luck

*were
Flipping autocorrect

Plus whilst I know that Sarah from number 12 could access my medical records if she wishes, that’s a bit different from openly telling someone I know about my discharge or my dark thoughts or my prolapse

OP, here’s the problem- in your opening post you berate people for not wanting to discuss their issue with the receptionists at their GP.

When people have responded outlining many various (perfectly reasonable) suggestions of why they have an issue with such a system, or examples of why it has failed them in the past, you are only able to give examples from your own practice as to why their problem isn’t really a problem:

We’ve had this system for over a decade, and it is explained clearly to every new person who registers.

Our receptionists do not have the ability to book GP appointments

We don’t order the patients by priority - it’s an entirely mental process, nothing is written down

we save about 4/5 of our appointments for people off the triage list

Our receptionists do not book GP appointments. Ever.

We are in an area with next to no immigration, so have hardly any patients who don’t speak English.

Our reception is separate from the waiting areas, so no, people there cannot hear what is going on in reception. And our receptionists only call one person up to the desk at a time to maximise privacy.

Our receptionists don’t ask questions. They simply ask for an outline of the concern and type down what the patient says.

Our receptionists speak to hundreds of patients a day. They will not remember you.

Our system ensures that this never happens. Our receptionists do no make that decision.

Under our system that would not happen

Here’s the thing though- not every practice is the same. So whilst your practice may be a model of efficiency, your receptionists paragons of virtue with a god-like reverence for patient confidentiality and no short-term memory, this is not necessarily true for everyone else. So it’s a bit pointless coming on here and telling us off for not liking this system just because it happens to work like a charm at your practice.