Is this normal? Dealing with GP

[Pechanga]

My DD16 is having terrible trouble with her tummy/digestion (I suspect IBS or possibly a food intolerance) I've just telephoned to make an appointment...DD is at college.

I've been told my the receptionist that she will not talk to me or make an appointment through me because of DD's age she needs to make all appointments and liaise with medical staff herself. And DD should phone back some other time.

DD is quite shy and gets quite stressed dealing with strangers, she's obviously going to have to woman up and do this herself....Is this normal practice at GP's though?

I think so yes at 16. Does your GP have an app you have make appts through?

I can quite readily make appointments for my DH and vice versa, so I think it’s a specific rule for your practice.

I've never heard of this. I am sure Ive made appointments for mine after 16.

I make them for my dh amd my mum, too, and they're both 16+

I was taken aback by how rude the receptionist was to me (I wondered if I had overstepped by trying to book my poorly DD an appointment)

If she's that rude to my DD the we'll try to book online.

It seems like this rule may be specific to our GP.

I can make appointments for dd16. In fact I did just that this morning.

My 15 year old DD deals with the GP herself since I changed the contact details to her mobile number and email address. If she asks me to arrange an appointment for her then I do it on the app but she talks to the GP herself when they phone and then doesn't want to tell me forgets what they said.

I don’t think it’s standard practice, we get wives phoning up to make appointments and speak on behalf of their husbands a lot (no idea why so many grown men can’t handle their own medical issues, but there you are), tbh it sounds like it will benefit her to do it if she’s shy and struggles talking to strangers.

Huh, I thought it was as I was told my mum couldn't phone up for me when I was that age. Maybe it's certain practices, how odd

I'm able to make appts for my late teens when they're at work/busy … but I would get her to try to do it OP, one of mine is very shy and anxious about this sort of stuff and we need to try to coax them out of their comfort sign and start doing it.

You're right, it's a good life skill for her to learn and hopefully will build her confidence a bit!

Hi, I had a similar problem when I tried to make an appointment for my DD (also 16) whilst she was at school. I called back a couple of days later and got a different receptionist who happily let me make an appointment for her!

I make appointments over the telephone for my DS ( age 34) who has a speech impediment and have never had a problem and have nothing formal in pace with the GP as it is just the telephone that is problematic for her .
Seems odd as there are many reasons why someone else may be telephoning on some one else’s behalf.

DS is my sister not my son . I am not old enough to have a 34 year old son

Still making appointments for my 18yr old DD, might be because they have a mad phone-on-the-day system, normally all appointments have gone by 9am.
They won't give me results or talk to me about treatments, which is OK.

My dd, when 16, needed a blood test.
She went into the nurse on her own but then came out to get me as the nurse wouldn't do it without me present.
When I rang for her results, they wouldn't give them to me because she was 16.
I did point out the double standards of it all.

This is how it is at our GP surgery. I can’t do anything for dd anymore...!

You should be able to make appointments for her but now she has turned 16 you aren't able to discuss anything about her without our consent.

At our surgery we have lots of 16 to 18 year olds who have signed a consent form allowing us to speak to their parents. Check to see if your surgery does something the same - they should do.

Should say her consent, not our consent!!

I can certainly make appt for my 16 yr old DS but they want to speak to him directly at the appt (on the phone).

GP receptionist here - yes you can make an appointment for her (or anyone else for that matter) but she'll need to speak to the clinician herself unless she gives you written consent.

It is a bit crap they won't let you make an appointment for her - but a great excuse to get her to push her boundaries a little. I remember being shy on the phone as a teen too. Help her write out a script for what might happen. You can be there for the call and if it goes offscript and she panics she can always just shove the phone at you to finish up

You can make the appointment, and even say what it’s for. However, the GP will need your dd to give her consent to discuss clinical info with you.

This is normal, it's Gillick Competence. What your DD will need to do is speak to the surgery and give permission for you to make appointments for her etc if that's what she wants. They won't discuss anything about her with you.

Aww, this would have stressed me as a shy teen too. But in the long run, if the phone call goes well it will give her confidence.

I would help her do a rough script and go through some possible situations and what to say e.g. 'there are no appointments for the next seven years, you'll need to phone back at 4.23am the day after the next full moon' and ask if she wants you in the room to listen in on speakerphone or to leave the room. I don't mind people hearing me on the phone but my DH likes to be left to it.
Hopefully it will be straightforward.