Why tell the receptionist why I'm seeing the doctor

[Eldermileniummam]

Why do they ask this? Is it so they can give you an appointment with the appropriate person or some other reason?

I usually don't mind but sometimes I'm embarrassed to say and never sure how specific I need to be.

And it’s normally receptionists who do the triaging

You sound like one of the good ones and we need more like you. But if you've been in the job for any length of time, presumably you've come across some receptionists who are rude/abrasive/unhelpful, etc?

People definitely shouldn't tar an entire profession with one brush, and the receptionists at our place have been super helpful to me recently and I'm grateful. And I couldn't do your job, I know receptionists take a lot of unwarranted flak and it's not right. However, I do think some receptionists are in the wrong job and shouldn't be working with people.

I know. Not sure what point you're making.

It's just a saying were I live when something is shoved in your direction to prove they are correct, but 6 tablets a day for 28 days is 168 she was saying it should last 56 days and used a calculator to try and prove it

Because they're being nosy. 😂 Seriously,I think it's so they can try and fob you off with going to see a pharmacist if they don't think it warrants a doctor's appointment. This does annoy me as they are not medically qualified to judge what is serious or not, and indeed I have heard some awful stories resulting in people being taken seriously ill or even dying because of this.

Who do you think should decide whether and when you should have an appointment?

No, it’s because it’s their job to triage patients.

And how would they have got antibiotics otherwise?

I'm a GP Receptionist. It really is to put you with the right person. We have GP's that specialise in certain areas like Female or Male health, Dermatology, MSK, Geriatric, Paediatrics etc. You're quite within your right to not disclose why you want an appointment but you risk not seeing the best GP for your issue. For example if you wanted to extend your HRT to cover something that would improve your sex drive like testosterone you would def have to see a GP that has a special interest in female health to obtain it.

The dentist. Who are contracted to look after dental issues. GP’s are not

GP's cannot prescribe meds for a dental issue. You have to get them from the dentist. You might get some painkillers if you were lucky but many wont touch it.

Most surgeries got rid of the 8am phone call wait/ malarkey quite, a few years ago. You can contact them online via their website...systemconnectnhs
Very efficiient. The triage doctor logs on and sorts out appointments/follow ups accordingly

It’s not efficient at ours and many other surgeries. It’s just the same but online and worse as they switch the system off as soon as it’s full which is pdq.

Similar to the hospital when they triage you. The receptionist ask, so they can decide which health care practitioner would be best seeing you, Dr, nurse, etc, not every ailment needs a GP. Most receptionist hate asking, but they have to as part of their role. (I was a GP HR manager, that's what they did at my surgery).

No it isn’t it’s supposed to be a GP

How would the receptionists know which treatment you needed without medical training? They can’t signpost without training it’s risky and a slippery slope - My son presented with tonsillitis symptoms got fobbed off with seeing a clinician who missed the diagnosis of sepsis - son hospitalised for 3 days very unwell.

Wow. That jumped up receptionist has obviously wasted her time being trained to make appointments with the appropriate member of the medical team.

The Receptionist is trained to signposts patients to the correct person - this might not be a GP.

I make less urgent appointments online now. You can leave the box explaining why you need an appointment blank or just write issue with knee etc. I didn't want to announce the reason and they had no problem — the Dr just asked me when I arrived.

Those unqualified jumped up receptionists are usually just doing their job as directed by their bosses, the doctors. I can assure you as a past medical receptionist, I don’t want to know your business any more than you want to tell it.

MOST people are better seeing someone else than a GP.

😂😂
You’re pretty lucky to not have to face seeing a nurse and then being told you should see a GP anyway
Seeing a physio that gives up and sends you back to GP etc..
All of which would have been avoided if you had seen the GP in the first place,

Seriously, it’s so hard to see a GP that I think most people will see a nurse etc… before at the very least to be seen quickly.

To assess the severity I guess. I don't mind saying bit of it's anything embarrassing I would be general or say personal.

Good to know they can prescribe for sinusitis now.

They triage and assess your credibility/situation/emergency.

I only called for babies having rash and pretty sure already of what they had. I was asked pictures. Didn’t even go there. Is it mad? Yes!!! Is it great? Well my kids are still ok but if you happen to disagree with the diagnostic…might be more tricky.

Except when they don’t…

Like when I went to see a nurse for persistent daily headaches. The best person apparently .
Except I have a complex health history and it actually ended up with me seeing my cardiologist instead….

Some times, patients know their body and their history best. Better than the nurse in that case. And certainly better than the receptionist who refused to book me with the GP…..