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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to not want to discuss my private health with doctor receptionists

232 replies

Jasmine00 · 14/12/2021 12:08

I'm so sick of calling my doc surgery and having to explain to the receptionist my ailments especially as they are mostly endometriosis related. Sometimes they even try and give advice back. Arggggg I hate it.
Doesn't help that I live in a small village and these are the people I see on a daily basis either

OP posts:
milly74 · 14/12/2021 12:34

yes its unacceptable especially as with all their non medical training deciding who gets seen! 🙄 which they do ie reported case guy goes in mentions back pain receptionist immediately booked him for physio as he didn'twant to mention to her he was having problems urinating. . Prostate cancer

Original poster
Jasmine00 · 14/12/2021 12:35

@Emerald5hamrock

They're specifically trained as a medical secretary, I'm sure they sign a confidentiality contract.
Unfortunately anyone here who is in a small village will know that this doesn't always work when everyone knows everyone. Eg receptionists congratulating women in playground when they have called in for morning sickness medicine etc you get the picture!
OP posts:
triceratopsatemyhat · 14/12/2021 12:35

I'm a HCA specifically training to become RN. I have to do a weekly slot on the phones answering reception calls and being on front desk.

When I'm in uniform, any advice I give (which I only do if I'm qualified to do so) is gratefully revived.

In civvi clothes the same advice would cause people to kick off at me and be patronising.

TheOrigRights · 14/12/2021 12:36

Telling them why you're calling you just have to suck up.
Them giving you advice - nope. Say "I'd prefer to talk to the GP about that".

Do you think they're talking about your condition with people in the village? If you think so then complain.

triceratopsatemyhat · 14/12/2021 12:36

@Jasmine00 we are all bound by confidentiality and I work in a very small surgery. If anyone is making disclosures without permission that's a very serious offence.

glimpsing · 14/12/2021 12:36

@Jasmine00,

Unfortunately anyone here who is in a small village will know that this doesn't always work when everyone knows everyone. Eg receptionists congratulating women in playground when they have called in for morning sickness medicine etc you get the picture!

I think this is a 'small village' problem rather than a problem with all doctor's receptionists....Are you sure you're happy living there?

pigsDOfly · 14/12/2021 12:39

They're doing it to ensure patients are prioritised accordingly,

Are they?

Didn't work for my DD when she phoned to get an appointment for a mole she was worried about.

I don't consider the five weeks she had to wait for a call back before she could even make a face to face appointment with the doctor prioritising.

When she phoned them during the five week wait to ask when she would get a call back she was told she would have to wait until they called her.

LittleMissTake · 14/12/2021 12:39

The receptionists at my practice are based in the small waiting room. It’s hugely entertaining (if highly inappropriate) to hear about the afflictions of all the other people in the small village where I live.

Seriously it’s wrong. Receptionists should be based somewhere where the patient can’t be overheard.

girlmom21 · 14/12/2021 12:43

I think we need to get out of the "they're just a receptionist" mindset. They are asking for a reason.

Honestly, they don't care what your appointment is for. They're doing their job and are going to add a note for the HCP who will be carrying out the appointment.

They're not asking so they can diagnose you themselves (and anyone who tries should be reported).

triceratopsatemyhat · 14/12/2021 12:45

Receptionist isn't the person deciding the priority. We take the info and send it through to the medical staff and they work our order of priority.

I've had people demanding a doctor instantly for things such as a paper cut to the index finger, a man who wanted to know if the doctor thought he would be ok to have a fried egg for his lunch. In the next call it can be someone attempting to do themselves harm, someone who is experiencing a TIA and doesn't want to go to hospital.

This is why we triage.

SickAndTiredAgain · 14/12/2021 12:49

[quote glimpsing]**@Jasmine00,

Unfortunately anyone here who is in a small village will know that this doesn't always work when everyone knows everyone. Eg receptionists congratulating women in playground when they have called in for morning sickness medicine etc you get the picture!

I think this is a 'small village' problem rather than a problem with all doctor's receptionists....Are you sure you're happy living there?[/quote]
No it’s an issue of someone not understanding their job. This example isn’t something people should just put up with because they live in a village. And I’d be putting in a complaint if it happened to me.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 14/12/2021 12:51

@valnevavaxx

They can see your records anyway presumably? Like PP said, they're not asking to be nosy.
No they should not be seeing your records anyway. They can only access records when needed, not just Willy nilly.
glimpsing · 14/12/2021 12:51

No it’s an issue of someone not understanding their job. This example isn’t something people should just put up with because they live in a village. And I’d be putting in a complaint if it happened to me.

Granted. But it does sound like the village culture there is a contributory factor which I bet reaches further than the doctor's receptionists...

SickAndTiredAgain · 14/12/2021 12:53

@glimpsing

No it’s an issue of someone not understanding their job. This example isn’t something people should just put up with because they live in a village. And I’d be putting in a complaint if it happened to me.

Granted. But it does sound like the village culture there is a contributory factor which I bet reaches further than the doctor's receptionists...

I bet it does as well.

But if a receptionist finds out someone is pregnant through her job, and then shouts it across the playground, no amount of “village culture” excuses it.

milly74 · 14/12/2021 12:56

@triceratopsatemyhat

Receptionist isn't the person deciding the priority. We take the info and send it through to the medical staff and they work our order of priority.

I've had people demanding a doctor instantly for things such as a paper cut to the index finger, a man who wanted to know if the doctor thought he would be ok to have a fried egg for his lunch. In the next call it can be someone attempting to do themselves harm, someone who is experiencing a TIA and doesn't want to go to hospital.

This is why we triage.

no way you shoukd be triaging!!!!!
Roselilly36 · 14/12/2021 12:58

My GP surgery do this, it’s so the receptionist knows the right pathway for treatment. They shouldn’t be giving medical advice though, as they are not part of the clinical team.

glimpsing · 14/12/2021 12:59

But if a receptionist finds out someone is pregnant through her job, and then shouts it across the playground, no amount of “village culture” excuses it.

Absolutely true. But it does explain it (just a little).

girlmom21 · 14/12/2021 12:59

@triceratopsatemyhat

Receptionist isn't the person deciding the priority. We take the info and send it through to the medical staff and they work our order of priority.

I've had people demanding a doctor instantly for things such as a paper cut to the index finger, a man who wanted to know if the doctor thought he would be ok to have a fried egg for his lunch. In the next call it can be someone attempting to do themselves harm, someone who is experiencing a TIA and doesn't want to go to hospital.

This is why we triage.

Receptionists shouldn't triage. Our receptionists take the details so doctors can triage.
musicviking1 · 14/12/2021 13:01

We have to book appointments online now and describe why we need to see the GP...this online form goes to the receptionist. I went a long time not booking an appointment because of this new system as I found it mentally difficult to write down how I was feeling and because I didn't want the receptionists to read it. Might sound foolish but that's how I was feeling.

TisTheSeasonToBeVegan · 14/12/2021 13:07

We don’t use NHS GP anymore but when we did, they would sometimes offer medical advice. But if you rang for a blood test result, they couldn’t tell you anything because they’re ‘not medically trained’. I did once say, ‘that’s funny because you were last month when offering my partner medical advice’, but she didn’t seem to think it was very funny. We use private now and never get asked, you just book an appointment.

KissedintheDark · 14/12/2021 13:10

Sounds unbearable, op. I've never had to tell a receptionist
what my ailments are before getting an appointment. It
would cross a line for me regardless.
Like pp said I'd just try to be vague about your medical condition.

Blinkingbatshit · 14/12/2021 13:13

I agree with you - I’m not always comfortable discussing symptoms with the receptionist but I’m afraid it is now the way it works and you’ve no choice but to do it.

EmpressCixi · 14/12/2021 13:15

@MadeOfStarStuff

YABU

They’re doing it to ensure patients are prioritised accordingly, not to be nosy. They’re bound by the same confidentiality as anyone else who has access to your medical records.

Yes, exactly this 100%
Peaseblossum22 · 14/12/2021 13:17

In general I agree with the comments about triage and the receptionists at my surgery are lovely however there has recently been a case highlighted by the corners which raised concerns about triage by receptionists.A young man presented with a headache , the receptionists didn't ask further and he subsequently died of meningitis. The coroner highlighted that GPs need to ensure that receptionists are trained properly and that young people in particular where not always able to understand themselves what are relevant symptoms .

“Realising that young people may be reticent in explaining a cluster of symptoms which they may not themselves understand requires skilful probing by anyone taking telephone calls and acting as an interface between patient and clinician.”

It worries me that receptionists are being asked to take responsibility for decisions that they are neither paid for or trained appropriately for.

JuergenSchwarzwald · 14/12/2021 13:19

@glimpsing

Ah, you have to brave it out! I mean the GP could easily be someone you know locally too.
I did a local parkrun last week and one of the other participants was a gynaelogical consultant who has seen my nether regions...