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.

But what really irks me is that despite paying huge amounts of tax, when dd was ill with her mh the system provided nothing. Nada. Zilch

To suggest the NHS is completely flawed because of this one example is disingenuous.

DD has cerebral palsy and we cannot fault the NHS for her treatment over the past 8 years since diagnosis. Even before that, with her prematurity and two years of follow up.

The NHS caught a really serious issue my husband had when he attended A&E for a completely unrelated issue and he was treated immediately which saved his life.

I don’t disagree that they are woefully poor at dealing with mental health. We’ve had experience of that too. Their target to treat a third of children and young people in the next three years is appalling. I have a family member who has mental health issues for about 15 years and has never had decent treatment. They really do need to review the entire service.

However, triaging GP appointments to ensure the best use of time means they can free up GPs to take the time to properly assess patients who present with MH issues. It ensures the best use of resources so they have funds available to take on more counsellors, taking pressure off CAMHS services.

Don’t berate the whole of the NHS for one area they are failing in. That’s not fair.

what an arrogant OP

@SkydivingKittyCat as an owner whose dog has suffered from this i completely agree.
It was so much easier phoning the second time he had it knowing what it was called

I think there ought to be a more confidentiality around the receptionist I don't want to ask to go speak somewhere more private and draw more attention to myself.

You don’t want to do it in public, but don’t want to ask for privacy either? You can’t have it both ways. Why not call them?

Or, just explain it really is something you can only speak to a GP about. Nobody is suggesting everyone HAS to tell the receptionist, just that the vast majority can and should.

because it take over 45 minutes to get through to my GP by which stage there are no released appointments left.

How would I be discreet in saying about a thrush infection or some such in a room full of people, especially in a small village where you personally know the receptionist. And how on the phone can I get across the seriousness of needing an appointment when I say my child's been ill for months and isn't themselves and need to see the gp

Don’t berate the whole of the NHS for one area they are failing in. That’s not fair.

Don't assume that because you are getting all the help you need everybody else is getting it too.

Nurse here. I completely understand your point, it’s O.K. over the ‘phone, but definitely not if you’re standing at reception in front of other patients. I would never talk about my symptoms under those circumstances. Huge issues of confidentiality here.

An experienced GP’s receptionist is able enough to know what’s urgent and what isn’t

There are plenty of examples in this thread to show this isn't necessarily true, and I can add my own.

After having some worrying symptoms I tried to get an appointment at my GP, but after hearing my symptoms the receptionist (who has worked there for years) said I should see a pharmacist. Instead, I went to a walk-in centre and saw a nurse, who did some tests and said I should tell the surgery I needed an urgent GP referral for blood tests. So I called the surgery again and repeated what I was told, but the receptionist again said the symptoms weren't considered serious enough for an urgent appointment (the whites of my eyes had turned yellow, among other things), and a doctor would give me a call when they have a chance.

In desperation I went to A&E, and I was admitted straight away as I had viral hepatitis. The doctor called me on the second day I was in hospital.

I know it isn't fair to tar everyone with the same brush and I doubt there is a perfect solution, but the gatekeeper receptionist one is particularly frustrating when you know you're unwell.

Actually pitato I'd be minded to say I suspect Candida has visited and need to see the Dr. And watch their eyes glaze over and say yoo wot. They may be nice at some surgeries; some are at ours but it's the luck of the draw and many are like particularly rough fishwives.

The ex-receptionist at our local surgery was a complete nightmare...so rude and patronising especially to the elderly. She once asked my mother in front of a waiting room full of people..." Aw is it your waterworks again my love?" ...To which my 75 year old mother replied in a very loud voice.."no I'm pregnant...with twins oh and by the way has your rash cleared up yet?" Let's just say the receptionist was a little more discreet after that..well with Mum anyway!

I totally he why people don't want to tell the receptionist!

I used to be one in a Drs surgery, and some of the other receptionists were vile to patients. Strangely enough I didn't get verbal abuse as I always tried my best to get patients what they needed.

Some of my Colleagues would be awful to patients and then seen surprised when someone in pain/frightened or frustrated lashed out after being treated badly.

And the practice manager was a useless baggage who wasn't qualified for the job she was in. No point making complaints to her.

Surely if you are unwell enough to need an urgent appointment you're unwell enough to be in work?

But many surgeries operate this system for all appointments,not just urgent ones.

The OP says that the receptionist makes no appointments so I'm assuming that their surgery is one who insists on speaking to all.patients before granting an appointment. So you might well be at work and yet still need an appointment.

Oh I had once once who blasted across the waiting room "OhThe yer smears overdue, come and make an appointment". DD deputy Head was sitting there too. I took her to a discreet place and very robustly told her never ever to bellow my personal affairs across the surgery again and yes I did raise my voice.

I told the Dr who said she'd have another shout at her later and set standards across the team. Never ever had my smear taken at the surgery after that. Some of the conduct beggars belief.

You simply can't compare the US and UK systems. At a broad population level the US spends about 3 times as much per head and simultaneously has some very good quality healthcare and a lot of people with no cover. I've found their healthcare excellent (and very efficient and polite) but I wouldn't dare go there without a load of insurance.

In the UK we're all covered but everything's rationed by making you wait or putting you off (intentionally or not) and overall spending isn't well divided up by prevalence of illness. Acute can be quite good but chronic is poor - all that badly managed asthma and diabetes, for instance. Little innovation because no incentive.

Why on earth we can't learn from the genuinely better and fairer systems that exist in Europe, I don't know. It's like we don't want to know!

@kikibo
I disagree with the comments about nurses many practice nurses are advanced practitioners who are able to diagnose minor ailments, monitor chronic conditions and write prescriptions.
In fact I’d prefer a good practice nurse to the trainee GP (qualified Dr) who I saw when my children were toddlers and I had a breast lump and was clearly terrified due to family history of cancer, she barely made eye contact acted if my breasts were disgusting (they aren’t) then said it’s most likely cancer whilst playing with her obviously new engagement ring.
Luckily I had medical insurance and was seen by a fabulous breast surgeon the next day the difference in manner was amazing.
I think GP’s are well paid in comparison to most NHS professionals including Consultants.
working far less hours than they used to as they have out of hours service and rarely do home visits.

Don't assume that because you are getting all the help you need everybody else is getting it too.

I don’t assume that. But it’s easy to be sucked into the erroneous “NHS is shit everywhere” narrative, when the reality is there are far more stories of people being well treated and getting the help they need than the extreme stories of cases not being treated. They don’t make the headlines though as nobody is interested in “patient got treated and went home well” stories.

And when you have people (like on here) refusing to engage with systems which are trying to make it better, the NHS can never change for the better.

TBF when I had a breast lump apt at the Marsden - thought it wd be among the best in the world I saw a horrid dr. No eye contact as she manhandled me, uncaring and brusque, and said the lump was such a biopsy would certainly be required. By the time I had the mammo, I was physicalky shaking. The mammographer reassured, the ultrasound lady said it's just two cysts v clise together and aspirated so v gently. I decided not to go back for the once over with the dr. Letter signed by consultant said all clear and unusually the patient had left before the apt was concluded. I hope the other staff told her what a pig her registrar had been.

Fully support a Mutuelle system. The Service bit in NHS flew away years ago.

Why on earth we can't learn from the genuinely better and fairer systems that exist in Europe
Because they are partly private and we won't pay for health care here (not me personally).

Well, if you don't assume everybody else is getting the excellent care you are getting then don't call other people's experiences "erroneous belief*. It's quite insulting.

Noone is slagging off the NHS. The NHS children's A&E where i inevitably go now with my sports playing children and their frequent injuries (because there's nowhere else, GP wont see them and doesn't do xrays, minor injuries clinic doesnt see under 18s) is remarkably efficient, kind and non-judgemental. The receptionists at check-in are polite and respect patient confidentiality. It's about 100 times better than it was 15 years ago.

We're slagging off the ludicrous, dangerous, unfair and rude GP appointment booking system the OP describes, as well as the similar or worse ones at our own GPs.

Or narrative, Whatever.

I have not been able to get an appointment when I needed it for years. Except once, when I rang up and then a doctor called back and I had a last minute appointment.

Everything easel has been a struggle. So yes, while I see that other people get good care I also see that I don't, and that does not mean I'm sucked in into an erroneous narrative.

How bloody patronising and smug.

My GPs receptionist is a grumpy sour faced one and there's no way I'm telling her my personal problems.
Thankfully my surgery have online bookings which are pot luck but better than having to deal with a rude human.

Agree with the PP who said practice nurses are often highly qualified.

My hubby had an abscess recently. Practice nurse was able to assess it and prescribe antibiotics plus to e advice about what to do if it got worse.

No need to see the doctor at all. He’s quite happy with the service he had and he knew that if needed the nurse could access a doctor.

It's all very well saying that you have trained your receptionists to assist your triage system. However, if you trained them to treat patients with a basic level of civility and to speak quietly when discussing symptoms (especially personal and female ones) in an open plan reception area your patients might be a bit more willing to co-operate.

But then maybe I'm a bit scarred for life from having a receptionist bellow out "So you think there might be a problem from your vaginal surgery then?" in front of a packed waiting room including 3 of my neighbours and someone I worked with.....