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.

Atnd many people do. I didn't say all people are intelligent but plenty are so don't treat them as the lowest common denominator . They try it at my surgery and there is ONE GP a part time nurse and 3 receptionists. No need to see what do tor specializes in what as there's no choice. Nurse in 2 days a week

If their computer system is anything like the one we use in veterinary, you know the "jumped up" receptionist can read all your information anyway. They already know about your bipolar or recurring genital warts.

So the doctor can google your symptoms before you arrive

Because they have been trained too would be my best guess

Apologies, I thought you meant you were talking to the receptionist in front of a queue of people.

They don't anymore. I just don't go after they have twice not allowed be to make a doctors appointment and told me to buy painkillers OTC which led to me being in hospital for a month while they removed my burst appendix and tried to the the sepsis under control

Indeed but someone cannot get ABs fir a tooth infection, they may develop sepsis and I'd have thought that is best avoided for the individual and the NHS as a whole. Whilst it is not the fault of the GP that NHS dentistry is a mess, neither is it the fault of the patient. My dentist can prescribe ABs for dental issues. He also will cover an emergency at weekends - it used to be £250 - not sure what it costs now. Poor people don't have the privilege of paying that sort of money but they should have the privilege of avoiding sepsis and I'd have thought any GP with two brain cells would appreciate that from the oersoective of the patient and the NHS.

Ok so how does it work when it's one gp and one nurse ( p/t) in the practice to. " Refer" all these people to services the surgery isn't providing?

The only thing I can't stick about GP receptionists is their tendency to call people "love". My name isn't love and I don't hear them calling the doctors love.

It is embarrassing having to disclose your piles, STD, yeast infection etc.. but I can see why they do it. Awful if you have to call whilst at work or on the bus, or in a crowded house share. Similar to being interrogated by the pharmacist while buying laxatives or pile cream - is it for you? Have you taken it before etc. whilst there's a queue behind you. Mortifying.

They are trained to triage, just like 999 and 111 call handlers.
I work in healthcare. There are still a lot of people who think that only a doctor can address whatever issue they have when in fact another HCP is more appropriate.

Maybe don't call up to make an appointment for your piles whilst in the office? Pop into an empty meeting room?

I think that's the first time I've genuinely laughed out loud at a post.

An alarming percentage of people are as quick as a glacier.

I still think it’s a lot of responsibility to take on as a receptionist.

What do you expect the receptionist to do? They can only work with what they have.

It's also not fair to blame receptionists for doing what they have been told to do.

Do people think receptionists just decide to ask for this stuff because they've taken it upon themselves to triage?

No. They've been told to and trained to. Don't like it then the thing to do is complain to the practice manager.

So they can't be " referring" you to people that don't exist. Hence why this scenario of they " need to refer you to the right clinician" doesn't wash.

Our gps phone message thing says “in order to direct you to the most appropriate care”. Can you tell I’m caller 12 in the que?? 🤣

In principle it’s so they can signpost to the best person, however in practice, 99% of the time they then say there is no appointments anyway so all a bit pointless.

We can't always be up to speed on the latest NHS guidance though. Not so very long ago you'd have seen a GP to get antibiotics for cystitis. Even where we go locally for bloods has changed and is no longer the local GP surgery.

It's easy enough to summarise in a couple of words even if sensitive. Just say it's to discuss mental health, gynae problems, HRT or whatever.

I've had a lot of kindness, patience and compassion from my GP receptionists. They are under a lot of pressure and have never been anything less than helpful. It must be a pretty thankless task at times

So they can work out the doctor’s schedule and ascertain if you need an urgent appointment. Not difficult to understand

You sound like a charmer. Also people lie

Lie about what?

Mine too. They are fab. They always do their very best to get us seen and are just so kind. I've taken the surgery gifts more than once.

My whole surgery is just amazing tbh. They are so supportive.