What do GP receptionists ask intrusive questions?

[jeaux90]

AIBU to not expect to tell the receptionist more details? She asked me the nature of the appointment. I said it’s a gynaecological issue, she asked if I could share more information I said no, I’m not comfortable doing that. It wasn’t an emergency appointment and I asked for a female GP. Surely she didn’t need to know anything more?

They're not medically trained...people are obviously not being 'coy children' as they are happy to discuss the issue with a qualified professional, just not an unqualified receptionist.

I spent time living in another country and it always amazes me that people in the UK accept their quality of life going down, or issues not being fixed, because they are happier rolling their eyes and being rude to people who bring up problems than to work together to fix them. I agree.

The issue is, in many areas it is not possible to get an immediate doctors appointment, there's often a waiting list of a couple of weeks.

Nobody is saying that receptionists are medically trained but they have a flow chart to see if the ilness/ailment is urgent. Somebody having a serious medical issue must take priority over someone who has a minor issue. The only way to sort this out is to ask questions. If the receptions can sign post you to another medical professional who can assist quicker than you can get a doctors appointment surely that is preface and worth a few seconds of embarrassment. I'd rather do that than suffer.

It’s their job to ask questions like that! The GP’s expect them to ask questions to make sure they’re booking people for the correct type of appointment. It was the same when I worked in a hospital as a receptionist… the consultants expected me to ask the right sort of questions so they got booked to an appropriate clinic session. They don’t ask to be nosy!!

Thing is OP everybody knows they need a prescription and also knows they need to see the GP. Literally every single person on the phone from those that are having a likely heart attack to those that have a bruise on their leg or a cough since 11am that morning. They ask similar questions to everyone to ensure no one is wasting anyone's time. There are also nurses who can prescribe ANP's possibly even one with additional gyane training that might even be slightly more knowledgeable than the GP as it's their particular scope of practice.

The receptionists are just making sure the right appointments go to the right people. Even if it isn't urgent, there may be someone other than the GP who can help.

But a lot of people do know. My friend is actually a doctor Herself doesn't stop the receptionist in her GP surgery thinking she knows better and trying to get her to see a nurse instead

So what if they are not? Some also are, it's not unusual for former nurses and paramedics to move to medical reception roles due to more sociable hours and better work life.

They are asking questuon that are required for the role.

What do you think they are going to do with the information that's so objectionable?

How does that work in surgeries like my own which has onegp and a nurse works twice a week? They still ask questions

Further to my post the person having the heart attack probably doesn't want to bother the GP today and says they can wait til next week, yet the one who had a bruise needs to be seen in the next hour. That's why they always ask additional questions.

I wouldn't be surprised if the receptionists also monitor all the online queries and group them into GP/Nurse/ANP/go to the pharmacy. There will be lists of who can clearly treat what.

I think you need to understand that some people don't know this. Some people are ill informed or frankly they are stupid. Also some people think what they have doesnt need an urgent appointment when it actually does. So unfortunately the receptionsts have to ask these questions because they don't know you.

Ours offered econsult during Covid andfir about a further year. It was great. I never heard anyone complain about it.

Now we have the 8am scramble for appointments yet my daughter, whose practice is in same health board, can still do econsult. Makes no sense.

It’s not always as simple as a lump or thrush. Anyway you coujd have a lump that’s been there for many weeks and new thrush which stops you swallowing. These untrained staff cant make clinical decisions. They are not trained for it. Often they make the decision there snd then without consulting a nurse or doctor. It’s a joke !
Plus there's the gossip factor on top of that.

Why would they gossip?
They'd be fired if they did that.

Yes definitely but that is not where my GP is technically right now. I am in tech myself and I am always surprised about the lack of technical solutions to these issues. They could easily send you a link to the mobile number you are calling from to enable you to answer more questions.

I am just not going to go into details on my gynaecological issue with someone non medically trained over the phone….or a man for that matter.

So why, on filling out the triage form this week, and receiving a phone call with a GP, and relevant prescription , are they having me come in tomorrow to actually be examined?

I have to admit I prefer the triage form to attempting to get through on the phone but our GP has implemented it well

There’s not enough resource to let everyone who wants to see a GP do so. They have to get enough information over the phone that the GP who triages can make a decision about the urgency. You don’t help yourself by withholding information.

Well I had male GP ring me re gynae issues this week. No problem with that, prescription issued as appropriate and asked me to come in next week. Asked if I'd prefer female GP for that to which I said I don't mind, because I honestly don't. I am somewhat surprised they asked me to come in but relieved that they are checking it isn't more than perimenopause chaos

Not up to a receptionist

This!!!! Jeez I dont need anyone medically untrained to tell me if it warrants a gp appt as soon as possible. Im calling for a reason.....I need to see a doctor.

And we wonder why A&Es/walk in clinics are overwhelmed.

It won't actually be THE receptionist though.
It will be the algorithm and question flow chart thing based on information the receptionist types into the computer.

@AwfullyGood I am afraid you are missing the point. What I find objectionable is giving details about my personal situation to someone over the phone. Especially when you turn up to the appointment and the GP has no idea why you are there so you disclose embarrassing information to someone who is not medically trained AND then it’s not even referred to by the GP.

Plus if I was bleeding or in pain etc I would have told her it was an emergency appointment.

@Harrysmummy246 some women like me don’t want to deal with males over gynaecological issues. As per the NHS policy it’s our right to ask for female only GP and HCPs.

The doctor will ask what is wrong because
An opener/ icebreaker
Perhaps they know some patients lie to the receptionist
Perhaps the description to the receptionist is vague
Perhaps too busy to look at the reason.

You have the right to ask for a female GP. You may have to wait for a few days.

You might have a reasonable grasp of what is urgent and what isn't, but is it beyond your comprehension to understand that that maybe isn't the case for everyone?

Our GP receptionists ask for details. These are passed on to a triage team who arranged an appointment as appropriate. At our surgery, this may be a GP, paramedic, nurse, prescribing nurse, phlebotomist, pharmacist, physiotherapist, mental health clinician or a paediatric nurse - the details determine which is appropriate and most of the time, it isnt a GP

They need to ask questions to make sure that the right people are seen first. It's also good to give the heads up in terms of what they are to expect when you arrive.
As a teacher, there's nothing worse than so-and-so wants a meeting with no other details. It's important to know what you're dealing with ahead of time if only to save time.

You may have told her you were bleeding if you were but not everyone does. They have to ask questions to ensure people see the right person within the right timeframe. I don't know why it's so difficult to understand, some people minimise their medical need while others do the opposite. They're not gatekeeping they're making sure someone with a 'gynaelocical issue' doesn't risk bleeding to death as they have minimised the issue over the phone.

I'm not too fussed usually about disclosing things over the phone because I assume they haven't got it on speaker.

But what did irk me recently was going to check in with the receptionist for an appointment when she very loudly announced that the surgery were currently undertaking an alcohol survey and could I say how many units I drink a week? Just within the full hearing of the five or six other people already in the waiting room. Now as it happens on a normal week (Christmas, birthdays, weddings and the like not occurring) I'm a very moderate drinker but I still don't want to have to share that information with the group.