Sexual discrimination?

[Cleikumstovies]

If a person refuses to speak to a receptionist because of their sex, and demands one of the other sex, is that sexual discrimination?

Ds working at a GP surgery - only man, with ten women taking calls for appointments. Patients call for appointments. Staff ask " do you mind giving me an idea what the issue is?". Most happy to say, some say it's personal - not a problem for the staff. If it's "lady bits" the staff will book a double appointment to allow a PV exam. No pressure on patients.

In the last two weeks he has had four women upon hearing his voice say " I need to speak to a woman, not a man". We'd appreciate thoughts before he makes a complaint.

Speechless. This can't be real. Who in their right mind thinks a man has a discrimination case because women won't talk to them?

It’s not discrimination in the slightest

Men and their handmaidens

The mother-son duo from hell apparently!

I think you're being a bit unfair on the residents of hell there. They wouldn't want these 2 either.

I really wish GP surgeries didn’t ask the receptionist to ask you what is wrong.
They are told to do it. They are not medically trained to make judgements.

@Cleikumstovies what a load of rubbish!!! Its nothing to do with trump. You are talking absolute rubbish, its not sexual discrimination at all!

So you/your son would prefer that women don't access medical care because their preference to disclose sensitive information about their bodies to a man? Because that's what would happen.

ITS NOT ABOUT HIM!

Some women have been sexually assaulted, some women may have issues talking to men about these because of cultural or generational concerns. But you think that it's discrimination if they don't want to talk to a man about their breast pain, vaginal discharge etc?

You think he is being discriminated against because of this?

I doubt the ladies asking to speak with a female receptionist are calling to book an appointment for their sore knee are they?

Is it really that distressing for him that his poor ego should trump a woman's ability to access healthcare?

Complain to whom? And what would be the remedy?

I think this is a first. It’s usually about patients wanting to complain about the GP receptionists. This time it’s the receptionists wanting to complain about the patients. 🍿

And calls it ‘sexual’ discrimination.

Tales from the other side -
I had a prostate exam a while ago, the finger-up-the-bum one us older men are encouraged to have as an investigation for prostate cancer. Male GP, no issue having it done. Before the actual procedure, he asked if I wanted a chaperone, which I declined.
After, I asked, out of interest, who would the chaperone have been. 'One of the ladies from the office', he said. I found that very amusing, and was glad I'd declined, I wouldn't wish that role on anyone 😂

So what you mean is the issue isnot so much the occasional woman asking to speak to another woman about their private health issues but that they are rude about it?

Yes, they are some very rude demanding people around, that's the nature of working with the public sadly.

Rudeness is not discrimination!

My advice is to stop giving him bad advice that could get him a reputation of being a troublemaker dick. Especially a so;you seem to have brought up to think he is the sunshine.

In the real world you keep your head down in a new job.

For goodness sake. It's not personal, if they have a problem they don't feel comfortable talking to a man about then yes of course they can ask for a woman. Putting a complaint in about how someone who may have a completely valid reason to want to speak to a woman just sounds pathetic. On the otherside of the coin I'm sure there are many men who prefer to speak to another man about somethings.

You can't complain about the public at large, to secure redress that doesn't exist, because an ego has been pricked.

Maybe working in a GP surgery is just not for him?

No it’s not sex discrimination, the patient is letting him know that they are uncomfortable discussing their personal medical issue with a male. He has several choices at this point as to how he responds:

1. go into a snit and insist they tell him because he’s the receptionist and that’s his job and they just have to suck it up
2. transfer them to a female receptionist
3. explain that it’s fine, if they’d prefer not to disclose the reason for the visit he can book an appt without that info.

Personally, I feel that if I want an appointment I'll tell whoever is on the end of the phone what they want to know regardless of sex. It doesn't have to be chapter and verse and it's unlikely to be something they've not heard before.

I can see why other cultures might not be as pragmatic though.

Other people have aak3d, but i can't see an answer:

Who is he going to complain to and what would he like them to do?

Who is he going to make a complaint to? What is he hoping to achieve from the complaint? How is he being discriminated against? Sorry for so many questions, I just don’t think I understand what the problem actually is.

Definitely engage the services of a good employment lawyer.

Women should be struck off the practice list if they refuse to speak to an unqualified, 20 year old male about their medical appointment.

You're really setting him up to fail at his job (and life...) encouraging him with your way of thinking. It just smacks of entitlement and disregard for women's privacy and feelings.

Kindly, you both need to take a step back and consider the fact that callers are perfectly entitled not to disclose the nature of their issue to him or any receptionist if they don't feel comfortable to do so.

It's also strange that he's keeping tally and up to 4.

Two points to take away -
ITS NOT SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION
and
HE SHOULD NOT BE DISCUSSING THESE OR ANY OTHER CALLS WITH YOU

Honestly what exactly do you think the practice managers are going to be able to do here? Ring all their patients and demand that they speak to male receptionists ?

let this one go.

What's important is that the callers need some medical help and your DS and the other receptionists help them to get it. What's not important is your DS feeling he's being slighted because a woman doesn't want to talk about her girly bits with him.

Patients have the right to request a staff member of the same sex, we should try to accommodate them the best we can, but if it is not possible (e.g there is only one staff member available) then this should be explained to the patient and they can choose to access the service another time instead or go ahead with the staff present.

This is standard NHS practice and is not discrimination.

Your son presumably would have had this explained to him as it happens very often.