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

[Jasmine00]

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

@pianolessons1

I'm a GP. About 5% of my patients refuse to say and just say 'personal', which is fine. But I prioritise based on what the receptionists say and 'personal' goes in with non urgent.

@pianolessons1 As other posters have said, that is shockingly bad treatment. I really genuinely hope this isn't true.

@ClaudiaWankleman

It was patronising for the poster to suggest using “big words” that apparently a receptionist in a doctors surgery could not possibly know the meaning of.

It feels like common sense that non-specialists (which GP receptionists are) won't know the range of applicable medical terminology to describe all conditions. I think many people who are more highly educated than the average GP receptionist would struggle to understand medical terminology. It doesn't feel patronising to me - what sense of superiority is gained?

Thank you @ClaudiaWankleman you've put it into much better words but that's exactly what I meant. I'm just a regular Joe and if someone said to me 'I'm struggling with the effects of my spinal headache which has been caused by a dural puncture tap causing low pressure in the brain. My new medication isn't helping my migraines' (which is what I now say to the GP receptionists) I'd have no clue what that really means and what advice to give them. Hence me saying I now use big words so a GP can call me to discuss it.

All I meant was I don't dumb it down by saying 'I'm struggling with my spinal headache' because receptionists try to give advice which isn't applicable. That's all.

@Hillarious not sure if you're just trying to find something to be insulted by but I meant bless them as in bless them for trying to help. The advice given may not apply but they mean well..

At our surgery it's clearly signed that the Receptionists will ask for details of your condition, they are trained to signpost you to correct care for your specific issue. It's also announced before you get through on the phone. Your GP is no longer your one stop shop and they are there to ensure they're only seeing the people who actually need a GP.

@OnlyonemoresleeptilChristmas all the more reason why they should be seeing people. Or are they just THAT busy. All I see on here is that GP's are not taking people etc etc

@Jasmine00

It's harder because these receptionists I see at school, local shops and local places. Do I really want these people to have to know about my gynae issues, not really! In a city you are more anonymous so I don't think this would be such an issue

I'm sure you wouldn't mind if they picked up on something that meant you needed to be seen urgently and you hadnt realised it was that important, though.

I used to take calls where after asking really gently, reluctant people would then give me exactly the information I needed to be able to override the system and rules set by on high to get them in within 24 hours. Or where management had banned overrides and overbooking altogether, to go and speak to the consultant and get them to add the patient onto the list for the next day.

Other times, it was the casual remark made at the end where I'd realise that they should actually be calling an ambulance/referred on a two week wonder/USC.

I never had any interest in sharing the intimate gynaecological workings of anybody I knew. I'd rather talk about films or running. And I preferred to be able to put people who actually did need an urgent appointment ahead of those with the gynaecological equivalent of an ingrowing toenail.

I'm sure there are some gp receptionists who try to overstep their role. And maybe some who gossip.

But generally speaking, they are just like you and I. Doing a job. Trying to be helpful. Wanting every person they engage with through the day to be courteous. Worried about their risk to covid. Trying to be a Supportive team member to their colleagues who (again) had the rug pulled from under them on Sunday.

[quote bestdhever]@OnlyonemoresleeptilChristmas all the more reason why they should be seeing people. Or are they just THAT busy. All I see on here is that GP's are not taking people etc etc[/quote]
Agree with this. Unfortunately, many GPs in most surgeries don't seem to be treating anything with any urgency. They are the only profession who are still largely refusing to see anyone, and yet no-one seems to be doing anything about it.

My daughter's SiL is our doctors receptionist and I always tell her why I'm ringing. Its her job and I'm 100% positive that she is only doing it because she needs to know before booking my appointment.

At our surgery different Drs have different areas of interests, medically, and by letting the receptionist know the reason for the call helps them to direct the patient to the Dr who may specialise in a particular area of medicine. We have a female Dr at the surgery who has a real interest in womens health, especially gynae issues, and is a real asset for women in the area. This isn't really advertised, so unless you made an appointment with her for that reason, or disclosed relevant info with the receptionist so that they can direct you to her, then you would maybe miss out on the expertise she has an this area.

Most receptionists are just trying to make sure that you see the right person.

@Jasmine00

It's harder because these receptionists I see at school, local shops and local places. Do I really want these people to have to know about my gynae issues, not really! In a city you are more anonymous so I don't think this would be such an issue

They're professional and understand the need for confidentiality. Just the same as I do about the health problems of clients who live in my small town (not to mention their criminal records, addictions, DV, the fact that their kids are on the at risk register, etc etc).

love all the GPs and receptionists defending themselves!!!

Receptionists are a core part of GP team, they are subject to same confidentiality rules as the GP.
No they aren't. Receptionists do not have professional registration. If they are sacked for breaching patient confidentiality they can get another job as a receptionist somewhere else (depending how stringent the somewhere else is about references).
Doctors and nurses have to adhere to professional standards or risk being suspended/struck off. The same rules do not apply to receptionists.
Of course most of us understand why receptionists have to ask the questions they do, but that doesn't alter the embarrassment if the receptionist is someone you are likely to bump into elsewhere. It's part of the problem of having large numbers of small primary care practices: they aren't big enough to employ triage nurses, so patients end up having to discuss very personal details with receptionists. But, of course, the trade-off to have larger practices is that they will be harder to access for many patients.

@pianolessons1

I'm a GP. About 5% of my patients refuse to say and just say 'personal', which is fine. But I prioritise based on what the receptionists say and 'personal' goes in with non urgent.

My problem with this is that these people who are too nervous, reticent, private to tell the receptionist are most likely it seems to me to have a serious problem. In my experience the time wasters can’t wait to give you intricate details if exactly how awful and how serious their problems are even if it’s a splinter.

The silent ones, the ones who don’t come to the doctors very often , who don’t necessarily understand how the system works because they haven’t been since they last needed a tetanus , who know something is wrong but are not sure what and who are possibly embarrassed or scared that it really is something serious are the ones who really really need seeing .

As my Gp once said to my father you haven’t been here for a decade so I knew there must be a problem. For the record there is no way my 70 something father could have brought himself to discuss this matter or even voice it to a ‘lady from church’ on reception goodness here could barely discuss it with his wife.

@Hillarious not sure if you're just trying to find something to be insulted by but I meant bless them as in bless them for trying to help. The advice given may not apply but they mean well.

Not looking to be insulted, @Bratzybaby, rather you were questioning what was patronizing about your original message, so I pointed out it was possibly the use of "bless them". Bless you, though, for your response. i understand now that you meant well.

As other posters have said, that is shockingly bad treatment
Why is it shocking? What is so personal that can be discussed with a GP but not a receptionist who is bound by the sane rules of confidentiality? They couldn't care less what patient call for. You are nothing to them but a number. They've heard it all and going into some detail of what troubles the endemitriosis is causing them is not going to generate any views, or wish for gossip. They are doing their job and that's that.

If it's too much of an issue to even give a quick sypnosis of what the issue is, then it is not far fetch that it can't be that urgent.

@milly74

love all the GPs and receptionists defending themselves!!!

And some of us even use big words. It was satisfying to both say and type 'Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingooophrectomy'.

Still set up an autocorrect for 'tah' and 'ooo', though. More time for filing my nails and thinking about bunnies that way.

For the record there is no way my 70 something father could have brought himself to discuss this matter or even voice it to a ‘lady from church’ on reception goodness here could barely discuss it with his wife.

But the GP you were quoting said they'd still see your dad, just not urgently.

Unfortunately your dad is going to struggle anywhere he needs medical assistance. There's no front door to the NHS anymore where you don't have to speak to a non-doctor before a doctor. 999, 111, A&E... You'll be triaged first on all accounts.

I don't mind telling them what's wrong. I understand the need to triage. At my GP surgery we're told that the triage nurse decides whether to ring us back or if we need a doctor to ring instead.

I do mind them giving me advice. One recommended that I gave aspirin to DS (then about 4 months old). When I said that I didn't think you were supposed to give aspirin to under 16s, she said she'd "never heard of that rule"

@NeverDropYourMoonCupever

Couldn’t you see a Dr outside the area? Villagers are so bored that unfortunately you become the nosy cunts entertainments.

I don’t discuss my medical history/needs with anyone not medically trained, in the same way I didn’t discuss my mortgage applications with the secretary of my broker/solicitor, or in the same way I wouldn’t discuss a safeguarding issue with a school receptionist instead of a safeguarding lead.

Absolute bear minimum provided, and I refuse to provide further details.

Having said that, you can’t actually get through to my GP unless you call between 8.30 and 9.30, when I am working, so I’ve opted for a private GP doing forward.

Sorry if I've missed something but why are receptionists triaging? What could they possibly know about medicine?
I can understand them needing details to pass on to the doctor, or write in the appointment details but that's it. They should not be gatekeeping!

Receptionist really don't care what you have. They have heard it all and probably filed a letter about it.

GPs face massive problems with time wasters, if receptionists don't filter them out you will never get an appointment.

Curious as to why people are saying GPs and receptionists are held to the same professional standards…GPs are registered and could be struck off for unprofessional, ruining their career. They’ve also probably trained for ten years +. Receptionists are not comparable - worst case if they gossip they get sacked

@Peaseblossum22 but the GP could just as easily be a woman from the church.

Honestly the silent ones dont really need seeing anymore than people willing to disclose why they are coming in. They aren't more likely to have cancer because they are shy.

You don't have to go full out describing your symptoms on the phone to the receptionist. Just a couple of words, and medical terms may help. E.g. I am struggling with my endometriosis is fine.

No medical professional is a miracle worker and patients have to say what is wrong with them in order to get the best care. In order to get the appropriate appointment you have to say what is wrong to the receptionist, just roughly, just a brief couple of words. A GP receptionist hears hundreds of bodily functions everyday, I doubt they even clock that Bob is here is about his prostate when he's the 10th 70 year old man that day whose rung about his prostate.