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.

@privateeyefan why do your receptionists not book appointments?

So they don't get an appointment?

If they need one, they get one. It will simply be the next day, as we prioritised the calls of people we knew would need appointments.

OP so if it says ‘before 1pm’ but they have refused to say what’s wrong do you atleast call them at that time, or are they still at the bottom? Seems pointless to do this thread and basically ignore all valid points criticising your system.

I finally plucked up the courage to see a GP to have DV injuries recorded. It was so hard to do. I felt scared and ashamed. I'd made the appointment online and don't think I'd have felt able to tell the receptionist in advance.

Since then I've been refused an appointment (to have more injuries recorded) when I couldn't give the reason in front of other patients. I was visibly distressed. A DV case worker had recently emailed my GP via reception so the receptionist was fully aware of my situation. At the time, I'd been trying to build the courage to leave my partner. I was visibly distressed. couldn't say in front of other patients.

OP, I'm sorry your receptionists face abuse. That's very wrong. Equally wrong is what several of the receptionists at my GP surgery do, which is take out their frustrations on more vulnerable (non-abusive) patients. They've been unpleasant, obstructive, and bullying. I'm in debt yet because it's so awful dealing with them that I've paid to see a private GP.

I know not all receptionists are like this btw.

GettingLikeMyMother - or just ensure the design of the reception desk and waiting room means the people in the waiting room are completely unable to hear conversations at the reception desk, perhaps with a small room you go into to talk to the receptionist for every person, not just those who ask.

And maybe a nurse doing first conversations.

And less patients on each GPs books so they dont have the vast difference between numbers of appointments and people calling. Maybe centralised systems in more walk in centres.

The GP system really doesn't work for most people.

Presumably though, the amount of time it takes to speak to someone on the phone is the same as the time would take to see them, so now you phone them and then see some of them, doubling you time you spend dealing with that 1 person.

The only time efficiency I can see here is if you have a high rate of people who don't answer the phone because they missed the call or because they went to a walk in or A&E?

It's systems like this that drive people into urgent care practices or to ignore their symptoms and 'suffer' through it.

My old surgery used this system, it took around 30-40 minutes to get through to reception, I then had no idea when the GP would call. I cannot take private calls at work so I would have to book a day off just to make an appointment, I would then have to book a day off (we can’t book halfdays) to attend the appointment. Every single time what I had told the receptionist didn’t match a single detail they had typed.

I have type 1 diabetes, I even used to have to speak to the GP to book my compulsory annual review.

I now use a surgery that works in an efficient manner, you can either call and make a same day appointment, or one in a few days, or you can attend open surgery between 8-11am. I also no longer require permission to attend my annual diabetes check!

Apologies if this has already been answered I didn’t spot it in the thread - what happens if someone misses the call back? Do they get put on a list for calls the next day or can they call you back?

why do your receptionists not book appointments?

They book appointments with our nurses and HCAs. They don't book GP appointments - I have explained the reasoning behind this several times on this thread.

Online booking is fab...there's even a field to type in the issue - "manky elbow" or whatever - but of course that discriminates against people like my mum who don't use a computer...

That's awful @CoolCarrie I'm glad your dad was ok.

I remember a GP receptionist telling me loudly (in front of the queue) that I couldn't have condoms and I'd have to go on the pill.

For those of you who don't wish to spill all the gory details of your symptoms - certainly in my practice I don't want specifics. Mental health, anxiety, chest pain, joint issues, skin/mole concerns / women health etc.

We have a sign up at reception asking people to give space to those at the window to try to preserve confidentiality. We also have music playing which further covers voices and conversations.

Im lucky, in my practice I could usually give you an appt the same day. We don't need to offer emergency appts as we have availability. Our appts are 15mins long and we don't have an issue with DNA's.
Our system works because we have the capacity for it - in other more populated areas
this isn't the case

Presumably though, the amount of time it takes to speak to someone on the phone is the same as the time would take to see them, so now you phone them and then see some of them, doubling you time you spend dealing with that 1 person.

Not at all. It takes me far more time to see someone in person then to talk to them on the phone.

The only time efficiency I can see here is if you have a high rate of people who don't answer the phone because they missed the call or because they went to a walk in or A&E?

Again, no, because a lot of the time we are able to deal with the patient's concern over the phone, and there is no need for an appointment.

People on this thread have been very clear that they don't want receptionists making this call, so in our system, they don't. It's all done through the doctor.

Not all surgeries manage to recruit receptionists who can understand safeguarding, confidentiality and gdpr, sadly.

The practise manager at my surgery was promoted way beyind their capability.

There will never be a system thats suits all but to feign bafflement at some peoples (legitimate) issues with your system is ridiculous.

Sorry @privateeyefan but thats barmy. Youre wasting what could be a valuable, cheaper resource.
A good reception team is worth their weight in gold but you have to utilise them and give them the training and chance to do their job.

Apologies if this has already been answered I didn’t spot it in the thread - what happens if someone misses the call back? Do they get put on a list for calls the next day or can they call you back?

I don’t think this has been answered and I would be interested to know this too.

Our GP receptionists are lovely - they are really empathetic and helpful. At our practice you can ask to explain the reason to them in private if you prefer, and if you are in any way anxious about the reason you are calling, they have a system where they can PM the doctors there and then, and check anything urgent for you. They’re fab!

Apologies if this has already been answered I didn’t spot it in the thread - what happens if someone misses the call back? Do they get put on a list for calls the next day or can they call you back?

We try to call them twice, at least an hour apart.

The majority of people answer the phone. For people who cannot answer the phone at certain times, like teachers, our receptionists note down 'after 4pm', to maximise our chances of reaching them.

Ha!
Yeah.
Years ago the receptionist told me I "should be more careful" after I asked for an emergency appt for the MAP.

So you want me to walk into a busy surgery and tell in front of everyone to a receptionist who has no medical training my problem? No, thanks. I will tell me problems to a doctor!! Not the whole surgery!

This thread could simply go on and on. The OP was to simply say, in general, with their triage appointments, if you don't want to tell the receptionist a brief description of what's wrong then the patients who have something by their name will be called back first with the possibility of a special interest GP ringing if it's say a skin problem (dermatology), gynae related, MH issue etc. Of course everyone has had an encounter with a bad surgery/receptionist/GP etc but let's not forget the NHS is free.

Couldn't even get a same day appointment for a lump on my breast when I called at 8.20, because all the emergency slots had gone

The op's system would have been helpful in this instance, because instead of emergency slots being allocated to those who get through by phone first, the GP calls everyone back that day and books those that need a same-day appointment an urgent appointment, those that need a less urgent appointment one in a few days time, and deals with other issues by phone.

Really hoping that privateeyefan is not really a GP.

Of course everyone has had an encounter with a bad surgery/receptionist/GP etc but let's not forget the NHS is free.

Oh FFS. Not this nonsense again.

It. Is. Not. Free. We all pay for it.