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.

It’s their job to triage calls, they are trained by their bosses, the GP surgery to follow the process to handle calls.

I see one of 2 GPs at my GP surgery, but after a recent call to them they gave me an appointment with a different GP who is better placed to deal with my issue. I wouldn’t normally see this GP but I’m happy that I’m going straight to the right Dr straight away rather than a Dr who may have to “get advice” or book me in again.

You can give vague descriptions of personal details, you don’t have to go into everything. These people are professionals, they would have heard everything and are not allowed reveal what you tell them.

They do receive training - they aren’t just random people being nosy! Why would you not tell them? How would they know who to book you in with?

From the dentist. You're kind of proving my point

Yeah I didn't realise I was really impressed

People slagging of gp receptionists for triaging but happy to ring 111 and 999. Make it make sense

@Fundayout2025 so because you had appendicitis, every patient who wants to see a GP should be able to see one, even if it’s to ask what time the local Xray department is open?

You should be able to get antibiotics for a UTI from the pharmacy. It's relatively easy these days.

They certainly don't call anyone 'love' at my surgery. They actually rang me about something this morning and called me by my name. Might be worth mentioning this to the practice manager.

If you’ve already had one recently or in the past year you’re supposed to go to your GP.

The point is that GP receptionist was NOT able to do the triage properly! And refused an appointment with the GP.

They are called 'care navigators' at my surgery and are trained to signpost as appropriate.

Aren’t the people who answer the 111 calls nurses? Rather than receptionists (aka people with no medical training)

No with the new online system that we’re all going to get that is supposed to be better but is crap and worse GPs are supposed to be doing the triaging. Would be dangerous if they didn’t.

Most people can yes, I can’t and need to see the GP

You are missing the point.

It's so that an appropriate appointment can be given to routine, non urgent and urgent appointment.

Nothing to do with knowing who to book with

DH was a GP for over 20 years. Their major problem was the continual increase in patients so not everyone could have an appointment when they wanted it. Systems and services have continued to improve but there are only a limited number of appointments, particularly face to face

No they may get a nurse to call you back but the original person you speak to who triages you is not medically trained

Which if that's the case you need to tell the receptionist that so that they can accommodate you

So they can prioritise requests and make sure you get the appointment with the appropriate person. You don’t need to see the GP for everything. It might be more appropriate to see the practice nurse / diabetic nurse specialist / the pharmacist / the physio etc. depending on your needs or whether there is a GP with an specific interest or specialism in your illness. They are trying to optimise available resources to manage their patient lists which are far too large.

I have always been uneasy about telling the receptionist about my medical issue/problem, I understand re sign posting to the appropriate practitioner but receptionists are unqualified and should not be triaging, I never disclose my reason for requesting an appointment, its not for receptionist to define the urgency or not for the appt just get on and book it, too much of this kind of this is going on these days, I would add that I am a bit feisty and old and not afraid to speak my mind where appropriate.

So when you call up because all the same day appointments are taken, who you going to blame?

So don’t give GPs money to modernise(polish a turd) and lie to is all that we’re getting a great new system- tell them to employ more doctors.

And some of them voted for Brexit 😂

Not in our surgery. Nobody seems to know what is going on and patients aren’t told anything. I honestly don’t know how practices get away with the crap that a lot of patients are having to tolerate at the moment.

I didn't know that, but they are very easy to buy from an online pharmacy and usually arrive the next day.