Page 6 | GP receptionists?

cherrypied · 2025-07-05T18:58:58+00:00

They are called care navigators. I’m so poorly and fed up but they seem to want to do everything tiny to not give me a an appointment with a GP. Is this part of their training?

Colango · 08/07/2025 08:01

111 do not have any GP’s working in clinics during usual GP opening hours therefore you need to be sent back. Unless it’s out of hours

All 111 can do is triage you to another service in hours

GP receptionists cannot book the 111 slots

If you call 111 8-6.30 you will either be sent to your GP, A&E or another type of urgent walk in

notatinydancer · 08/07/2025 08:16

ChocolateMagnum · 05/07/2025 20:03

Yes, they're trying to make sure they get you the most appropriate care in as timely a manner as possible. They have team leads and duty clinicians who they can get advice from. It may be that a GP isn't the most appropriate route for you.

But they are not medically trained , in ED you have extra training to triage.
It’s easy to miss things.

KindLemur · 08/07/2025 08:21

And they’re obsessed with giving you appointments with ‘nurse practitioners ‘ I thought this was a DOCTORS surgery??

I find if you talk to them in person and be unfailingly polite but firm they sort things out in a lot more timely manner. Don’t think they have it in them to be as bolshy face to face as on the phone

Parker231 · 08/07/2025 09:18

KindLemur · 08/07/2025 08:21

And they’re obsessed with giving you appointments with ‘nurse practitioners ‘ I thought this was a DOCTORS surgery??

I find if you talk to them in person and be unfailingly polite but firm they sort things out in a lot more timely manner. Don’t think they have it in them to be as bolshy face to face as on the phone

Appointments are offered with nurse practitioners as it may be more appropriate and if you want a doctors appointment there could be a couple of weeks wait. It’s supply and demand - more people than ever want an appointment but there are less GP’s.
You can’t have an appointment if there aren’t any available

Colango · 08/07/2025 11:25

KindLemur · 08/07/2025 08:21

And they’re obsessed with giving you appointments with ‘nurse practitioners ‘ I thought this was a DOCTORS surgery??

I find if you talk to them in person and be unfailingly polite but firm they sort things out in a lot more timely manner. Don’t think they have it in them to be as bolshy face to face as on the phone

They are not obsessed. The Conservative government has created a GP shortage. There are NOT ENOUGH DOCTORS.

TroysMammy · 08/07/2025 14:33

KindLemur · 08/07/2025 08:21

And they’re obsessed with giving you appointments with ‘nurse practitioners ‘ I thought this was a DOCTORS surgery??

I find if you talk to them in person and be unfailingly polite but firm they sort things out in a lot more timely manner. Don’t think they have it in them to be as bolshy face to face as on the phone

They are called Medical Centres now.

PocketSand · 08/07/2025 15:59

The issue I have is the expectation you will be endlessly available for health checks and reviews when they want to see you for no clinical reason but unable to book an appointment when there is clinical need. I’ve never had so many blood tests as long as I have no control but I suspect it would be different story if I requested investigation. Your cholesterol is a bit high - how about statins? 6 months later - your cholesterol has reduced and you never had any other issues so you don’t need statins. What a waste of time and money.

My son is on ADHD medication and his consultant does regular height, weight, BP and HR but GP insists he goes to the surgery every couple of months for BP. They won’t accept home readings so a 40 minute round trip for an everything’s fine and taking up nurse consult time.

I suspect that GP surgeries skew their consults to those that are funded and are quick and easy.

Leaving less available to patients requesting consults that they want/need but don’t attract extra funding.

MischiefandMayhemManaged · 08/07/2025 16:13

ChocolateMagnum · 05/07/2025 20:03

Yes, they're trying to make sure they get you the most appropriate care in as timely a manner as possible. They have team leads and duty clinicians who they can get advice from. It may be that a GP isn't the most appropriate route for you.

HA! Thats a bloody laugh!

A couple of years ago I ended up with septeceamia after having my appendix out.

Started going downhill in the early hours - rang the GP at 8am for advice - the receptionist said my symptoms "Weren't urgent and they would have someone call me back later, "probably this afternoon or tomorrow"
In the meantime it worsened further to the point that mum rang the ambulance - I spent 4 hours in resus, in critical condition, and a furher 2 weeks in the hospital.

The receptionist rang back, eventually. My gran gave her an earfull, and a complaint was raised.

Those GP recpetionists are litterally paid to be bloody minded and unhelpful.

Practice nurses can only do so much, and half of them cant even draw blood properly.

Most practice nurses have no IDEA about drug interactions, nor do they check them before prescribing, its ridiculous.

PinkPauline · 08/07/2025 16:17

Tagyoureit · 05/07/2025 21:31

As in all professions, there are pure arseholes who seem to enjoy making other people miserable.

GP receptionists seem to be at the top of this list because we only contact them when we are feeling our lowest and in need of help.

Far too many GP surgeries adopted new procedures during covid and have not reverted back to what was a workable system in that you could phone up, book an appointment for the next week or so and feel reassured that you were going to see a doctor face to face and discuss whatever was concerning you.

These days, you have to phone up at exactly 8.30am and 4 seconds and are made to feel as though you are a complete arsehole for even daring to phone up and merely exist let alone feel the need to see or want to speak to a doctor.

Scheduled appointments really need to return as the lack of these is straining our A&E depts.

Yes it’s exactly this. I have just walked down to my doctors surgery to post my prescription request through the letter box they have for the purpose. The surgery was closed. A young lad was there ringing the bell. He had received a text telling him attend the surgery today. He had biked from a village several miles away to find the surgery closed. It was only to pick up a form. Someone eventually spoke to him through the intercom system and told him to go away and come back at 8am tomorrow morning. Then followed a lengthy explanation as to why it wasn’t possible to give him the form today even though they themselves had texted for him to come and get the form today. They literally could have walked to the door with the form. It would have taken seconds. The whole system is a shit show and patients are being treated as an inconvenience.

Colango · 08/07/2025 16:32

@PocketSand that's not how the funding works.

Original poster

cherrypied · 08/07/2025 21:06

@Colangodo you work in Primary Care? You seem very considered and well informed. I like your posts

OP posts:

Lavenderflower · 08/07/2025 22:48

cherrypied · 07/07/2025 08:05

So if the GP has a duty of care. Why won’t they give you an appointment but if you call via 111 they will?

I’m struggling to reconcile the logic.

On three occasions I have seen/ spoken with an GP. But it was a lot of hoops to jump through.

The appointments are there they are just being gate-kept. I was called at 3 pm but the nurse and then given a GP appointment at 5.30.

Show quote history

It probably because your contact with 111 has been documented - if something happened to you that can be sued, whereas if you present to the receptionist there probably no record of that conversation.

Original poster

cherrypied · 09/07/2025 19:08

Finally, finally, finally I am feeling well enough to not spend the day in bed and now all I have to do to get a sick note out of the surgery on Friday!

I’m so happy! I’ve had a meal and a gin and tonic!

Wish me luck!

OP posts: