"Can I ask what it's for?"

[Syrinx89]

Is it normal for the receptionist to ask this question when booking a GP appointment over the phone? This happened to me for the first time on Monday when calling my local surgery for an appointment and I wondered what I would have said if it was something I wanted to keep confidential (thankfully, it wasn't!). Has anyone else had any experience with this? Is it allowed/the norm?

YABU - YES it is common practice
YANBU - No, this doesn't sit well

Yes very normal. Why are you worried? Receptionist are trained professionals and kept everything confidential.
It's not like you are telling a random person off the street.

Totally normal. I don’t mind telling them what I need an appointment for, they’re the ones who generally know if it needs a doctor. For example I’ve had one UTI in my life, told them this when I phoned for an appointment, and they told me that UTIs are now dealt with under the minor ailments scheme. Saved wasting a doctor’s time when the pharmacist was able to deal with it.

Our doctors surgery has a 1 minute and 30 second message before you can speak to someone explaining that it is the receptionists job to ask why you need an appointment, they have been asked to do this and they will keep it confidential, so obviously you’re not the only one who has a problem with it. Drives me mad having to listen to it every time I call for an appointment!

The receptionists at my surgery are not clinically trained, reception also isn’t a private area so when asked if I can provide more info I always say no.

Ours aren’t very discreet, I once heard one say very loudly “how long have your stools been watery” obviously the poor lady was mortified.

I don’t really understand the problem with telling them? Don’t they open mail, post referrals, scan letters, handle scripts etc.

I think it's normal now - just so they can gauge the urgency.

I have worked at a surgery and there are a couple of reasons:

1. So they can prioritize
2. In case it is something a particular doctor or nurse can't do and so they can put you with someone who can.

You can always say that you would prefer not to say or its confidential and they should be fine with that. If they are not, that's a problem.

You don't have to be specific.

'pain' 'mental health' 'period issue' it's just so they have some idea and if they think it's more urgent can bring you on sooner or later if not.

At all the GPs I’ve been with the last few years this is totally standard. They’re not being nosy, just so the GP has a heads up as to what they’ll be dealing with.

At ours they call them Care Navigators
They've got a voice message before you get through from one of the doctors saying "please give our trained care navigators a brief description of the reason for your call so they can allocate you to the right doctor and give your call the right priority".
😂😂

They do this at my GP, sometimes it can be dealt with by a telephone chat with a doctor or seeing a nurse practitioner,

Never had this before, but was asked last week as they are screening for coronavirus - thats all.

Do this at my GP for several years and it is used for most GP surgeries for 'triage' but yes I find it intrusive. I keep it to the bare minimum . I did not vote as I do not think you are unreasonable.

Another normal here. It’s annoying. But at least the dr/nurses have stopped asking how often you have sex. That was seriously annoying and rudely intrusive.

At my surgery they ask so that they know whether to book a phone appointment or a surgery appointment and also gp’s have things they specialise in so they can make the appointment with the right one

Some GPs will have areas of special interest as well, so it can be about getting you to see the most appropriate doctor, not just whether to send you to a nurse instead.

I don't mind it but I completely understand why others do. It's a bit of a necessary evil I think.

This is what it says on the practice website

Care navigation
IG Medical participates in the Care navigation scheme, which is designed to help direct patients to the most appropriate care.

As part of the care navigation initiative, receptionists may ask callers seeking to book an appointment a few simple questions to establish who could best meet their needs.

Patients might then be offered a slot within the practice – for example with a GP, nurse or pharmacist – or be referred to other services e.g. wellbeing or community services.

Care navigation will only be applicable to adults and is completely voluntary.

It's common at ours. I hate it. The receptionist is untrained. I found a lump in my breast and she said I wasn't urgent... I went to another doc and they saw me and gave me the 2 week referral (all is fine, but still...!!)

I make no urgent appointments on line.If I need to see someone in under 2-3 weeks I phone.Anything urgent for next day I have to use all my persuasive powers as they want you to call at 8am.I am working at 8am so cannot call.If I do it on my days off I may get through but they still try to put you off.The last time when I found a large Andi mass the receptionist told me to try senna cot,I insisted she spoke to a Dr.and was seen later that day.

It’s normal but I do feel like saying “none of your bloody business “ but assume it’s so they know who to put you with as in a nurse or gp or if it’s an emergency

Never been asked this.

It’s pretty much common practice for receptionist to ask this question. Reason being so they can make sure you see the most appropriate GP or practitioner. I’m more than certain they’re not actually interested in hearing about your health problems!

Yep, it's so they can signpost you to the right person. Not always necessary to see a GP these days, quite often the nurse practitioner is suitable, that's the only reason

Ours ask what it's for - or did last time I managed to get through to speak to someone to actually ask for an appointment. However they claim it's so they can allocate you to the right GP. As they only ask after they've given you the appointment I think they're lying on that point.

I can see why they want you to have something wrong rather than just ringing up for a chat like the previous but two practice managers once alleged old people did all the time taking up about 75% of appointments.