GP receptionist

Halladubha72

Should a gp receptionist ask you your personal business

Squatman

you are right to be enraged, if it was me id be livid. First thing when you get a chance make a phonecall and complain. Tell them that you have been looking after them for 24 years, changing their nappies, bringing them into school every day, providing for their every need. The least they can do now is look after their own appointments and not be worrying their family over their own GD medical appointments. Presumably they have phones in this other county where she lives? to the receptionist the phonecall is. Someone i know has a delicate matter and needs to see a doctor, could you book in a slot that might or might not suit this other persons schedule. Shes very worried abuot it, but not worried enough to do anything about it herself, or take a day off work to get it checked out. Let me know what times you might have available, il call her and then call you back to confirm which time might suit her.... ps. dont dare question me.

Jim_Hodge

They wouldn't make an appointment based on zero information but once they got some information the appointment was made. Why could a 24 year old not phone up herself?

Leg End Reject

There was a time you could ring and make an appointment without having to discuss your private medical information with a receptionist. It's unfair that patients have to justify getting an appointment by explaining their symptoms to a person who isn't medically qualified.

freshpopcorn

It's a fairly common experience in my experience people can have a rash in a sensitive place, a mental health issue, etc. They eventually get up the courage to see the GP and book an appointment and they then get grilled by the receptionist. You've to grin and answer the question or alternatively lie to the secretary. Alternatively you can ring again and get through to a different secretary.

Mrs OBumble

Your adult daughter needs to be making her own medical care arrangements. If I was the receptionist, you'd have been told, very nicely but firmly, that we wouldn't be discussing her business with you or anyone else, and that she should call herself.

MOD: Removed quoted post.

Can you edit to put in some paragraphs? Its very difficult to read a wall of text like that.

Pissy Missy

Unfortunately it doesn't matter what line of work someone is in, if they have an abrupt manner, it will shine through, though maybe they were having a bad day and didn't have the patience for sensitivity and compassion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119783957#Comment_119783957

I've had this issue with GP receptionists myself.

I do not agree that someone should have to disclose that nature of their complaint or reason for requesting an appointment to a medically un-qualified receptionist.

"I need a consultation with my doctor" should be all that is required.

Receptionists are not trained to triage patients, which some of them try to do.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784373#Comment_119784373

I’d be in two minds about it to be honest - it’s true that people calling to make an appointment for someone else to see the GP, don’t have to disclose the details to the receptionist, but at the same time, the receptionists are responsible for ensuring that they are directed to the appropriate GP in a surgery where there are a number of GPs in the one clinic. They can’t do that if they don’t know the details. That’s not expecting them to offer a medical opinion on anything, it’s just doing their job.

It’s obviously a busy surgery if there’s six GPs in the practice and the OP had to call 40 times just to get through, and then when they get through they give a vague answer about the nature of their call on their daughters behalf. Can anyone honestly say they’d have been able to empathise with the OP if they hadn’t provided the context they did in their opening post?

My own GP’s receptionists are battleaxes, but the same time they’re lovely, they’re just not, “people” people, not sure how to put that 😂 I’ve been in the surgery when the phones are ringing off the hook and they’re up to their necks in paperwork and fielding phone calls from irate people who are frustrated at how long it’s taken them to get through on the phone as though they’re a VIP, and I’ve seen them patient and empathetic with people on the phone too.

They’re not medical professionals, but they’re not mind-readers either, and they have to be able to prioritise and direct people to the right resources, which may mean they don’t always get an immediate appointment with the GP they want. I think it’s unreasonable for the OP to assume their daughter was treated any differently than any other person, just to spite her for the earlier interaction with her mother.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784793#Comment_119784793

A GP is a general practitioner, none of them are specialists.

All the receptionist needs to ask is your name, clarify your address if you share a name with another patient and your GP's name. If your GP is on leave they should check you're happy to see another GP in the practice or a locum.

They should not ask you to diagnose yourself or to detail your symptoms or reason for requesting an appointment bar asking if it's urgent. They are not medical professionals and are not qualified to make clinical assessments or deem whether you're worthy of seeing a GP or not. Doctor patient confidentiality does not include the receptionist.

It's healthcare, if a person is sick or concerned about a symptom they shouldn't have to successfully complete an interrogation before seeing their GP.

Squatman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784874#Comment_119784874

you're right i.e. they are all general practitioners now. however, in my local, one of the GPS speciality was respiratory care, another was womens reproductive systems, etc. and is called out as such on their website. so it may be a thing to direct to the most appropriate Dr. in the case of a last minute /more urgent bookng

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784965#Comment_119784965

If a surgery has specialisms then surely it's sufficient to say which one you require then? No one should be asked to explain their symptoms to a receptionist who can neither treat nor diagnose.

In the OP the request was to book an appointment with the GP the OP's daughter was a patient of. Yet, the receptionist wanted to know the reason for the visit. It's none of the receptionist's business and patients need to let their GP's know this.

In future if I'm asked I'm going to say I found a lump in my breast and I'll explain to the doctor that I am not going to discuss my private medical information with a receptionist and am happy to pay another GP €60 for a few minutes of their time if that will be a requirement going forward.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784793#Comment_119784793

They’re not medical professionals, but they’re not mind-readers either, and they have to be able to prioritise and direct people to the right resources, which may mean they don’t always get an immediate appointment with the GP they want.

This is where I disagree. Receptionists should not be deciding which patients have priority, and especially not on medical need. They are not qualified to do so.

I know someone who ended up in hospital with pneumonia after a receptionist decided they weren't priority for a GP appointment for over a week.

Strumms

No person is registered with a practice, they are registered with and assigned a specific GP….

if I ring tomorrow and ask for an appointment on Thursday with Dr. Kevin my GP… questions and answers which I think are reasonable..

morning or afternoon ? ———— “afternoon please”

What type of appointment ? ———— “my yearly checkup / I need xyz issue checked out”

no further comments or questions are necessary.

here is a sample medical card, showing the section for what GP the holder is assigned to, everyone is assigned a GP.

If any gobshîte started asking me medical questions or debating if I should go to a&e, the local church, the local morgue or a holiday to Turkey… id offer them one more opportunity to make the appointment and should they not be forthcoming with a date and time I’d just report them to the IMC.

called, appointment was refused to be made, spoke with xyx and provided the following….

Ave Sodalis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784793#Comment_119784793

The practice I attend has 4 GPs and two nurses. I go more regularly than I'd like due to ongoing issues, medication changes, etc. I ring the reception, say "hi, it's Ave Sodalis here, can I make an evening appointment?" They say "sure, do you have a preference of doctor?". I say "yes, if I could get Dr. Blah Blah please, that would be great". They say "Yup, we can do X at Y time, or we could go later on in the evening on Z". I say "Great I'll take Z, thank you".

That's it, the end. Nobody else knows what I'm there for, the only time a receptionist gets a glimpse of my medical history is when I ring for a repeat prescription to be sent to the chemist, or I bring in a sample. Occasionally, you might have to go as far as saying you need to book bloods or some specific test. Otherwise, I don't get asked why I'm there, and I don't even mind sharing. You get offered the next appointment available, or the next one that suits. If you say it's urgent, they squeeze you in. There is no interrogation and no need for one.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785012#Comment_119785012

Not only are they not qualified, they are not registered and face no consequences if they get it wrong.

If GPs want their patients vetted, they should be hiring nurses eg ones who aren't physically able for full time hands on work but are still registered, for that. At least they could face a consequence if they mess up.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785033#Comment_119785033

What about with no medical card?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785051#Comment_119785051

Exactly. If you go to A&E, you get triaged by a nurse, not a receptionist.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785055#Comment_119785055

From what my thinking was and from what I’ve read now on the citizens information site, you are registered with a GP… NOT a practice.

if I was taken to A&E tonight with XYZ problem, the onus is on the consultant to send a copy of the reports to my GP… not the surgery.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784874#Comment_119784874

I was more thinking along the lines of the person’s preference in the case of the OP for example to be seen by a woman GP, and I know women are referred to other GPs for services their own GP doesn’t provide.

I wasn’t suggesting anyone is asked to diagnose themselves, or be diagnosed by the receptionist, or subject to an interrogation by the receptionist, I was suggesting that the receptionist might be more empathetic and compassionate in accordance with the OP’s expectations if they understood the circumstances a bit better. Otherwise, their professionalism in accordance with the theory could come off a bit cold to people who aren’t familiar with the idea that’s how things should be handled.

Baybay

For some receptionists, it feels to me, that they enjoy the power.

Once, on requesting a meeting with the practice manager after the receptionist enquired as to what was wrong with “us”, ie me, that morning followed by repeated requests for exact details of my ailment, like the op it was something personal & not the business of those in the waiting area who could hear the shrill voice of the receptionist, the pm told me all the staff, including the doctors, were a little intimidated by that particular receptionist & so to oil the wheels, complaining patients were advised to play the game.

So for me the game is replying that, like the receptionist, my medical degree is incomplete but if she’d like to pay half the consultation fee & come see the doctor with me, we could both learn something. I’m sure both she & I are thrilled that the last time I was in the surgery was 2018.

Ave Sodalis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785069#Comment_119785069

The doctor registered on my medical card isn't the doctor I see most often. The doctor I see most often isn't an option for a medical card GP. If I don't specify which doctor I get, or say I don't mind, then I could see anyone of the doctors in the practice and they all have access to the same system of records. Even consultants (I see several a year) ask which GP to address their report to.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784011#Comment_119784011

How would you differentiate between those who need urgent appointments, and those who don’t? GP clinics have thousands of patients, without some indication of the medical issue, patients would be seen in the order they contact their clinic. Would that work for you?

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785012#Comment_119785012

I’m not suggesting that receptionists should be determining which people get prioritised over others based upon medical need, I mean that GPs have other people to see too and the receptionists have to organise their GPs appointments. GP surgeries have finite resources and can’t immediately see every person who wants to be seen urgently by the GP who they want to see, or give people an appointment which fits with their schedule every time.

They might be more amenable if they understand the actual situation. I can understand the urgency of the situation outlined in the context of the opening post, but without it I wouldn’t see the situation as being any more urgent than any of the other people who call the surgery and want an urgent appointment with the GP they want.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785033#Comment_119785033

The op was not refused an appointment, he/she was refused an appointment at a time which suited her daughter.

What answer would you expect from the IMC? If you phone your GP and ask for an appointment, they will give you the first one available, which could be weeks away. If you want one urgently, then you have to say why you should be given one sooner than other patients. You think the IMC would have a problem with that?

I've never been asked by a receptionist what was wrong with me when ringing to make a GP appointment up until a couple of weeks ago. I was shocked to be honest but I politely and firmly told her that it was not her place to ask that of me and I'd like an appointment at earliest convenience please.

Honestly, from her reaction it was something she wasn't entirely comfortable asking either. I've been going to this practice / GP since her father used to see me as a child which wasn't yesterday.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785153#Comment_119785153

In my surgery I see my GP 90% of the time. I never specify… “ hi,my name is ****** ********, I would like an appointment with my GP, Dr ******* ***** for Friday afternoon please “… It makes sense unless the GP is booked up or on holidays or down with the flu or whatever…. But the odd time, twice where I’ve arrived to see other GPs I’ve never been told on booking that my GP isn’t available.. no biggie there as both docs are superb but as a professional courtesy if my GP is known to be not available I’d expect to be informed by the receptionist.

touts

Sounds like your adult daughter handled the situation much better than you did. I suggest you should let her handle her own medical needs from now on.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785115#Comment_119785115

suggesting that the receptionist might be more empathetic and compassionate in accordance with the OP’s expectations if they understood the circumstances a bit better. 

It's none of the receptionist's business, they just need to schedule the appointment, they are only required to be courteous with everyone and not just be empathetic towards whomever they deem worthy.

None of their bloody business!

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785180#Comment_119785180

Rational people know when they need an emergency appointment. The GP can talk to anyone who abuses it.

A receptionist is not qualified to decide what does and doesn't constitute an emergency, if they were someone else would be answering the phone and your consultation would be with them.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785320#Comment_119785320

I get that it’s none of the receptionists business why anyone would be looking to make an appointment with their GP, and that’s generally what happens in my experience anyway, but I’m saying in circumstances where someone is looking for an urgent appointment with a GP of their preference, then it’s not unreasonable for the receptionist to want more information as to why the person needs an urgent appointment. Nobody gets an urgent appointment just because they expect they’re entitled to one, and it’s the job of the receptionists to organise their GP’s appointments.

I’m not saying it’s a case of being empathetic towards whoever they deem worthy either, like I said earlier - the receptionists in my own GPs surgery are battleaxes, but lovely, and that’s the way they are with everyone. I’d be paranoid if I thought I was the only person who, when I called to make an appointment, I got the feeling they were inches away from saying “Oh, it’s you 😒”. They’re like that with everyone.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785365#Comment_119785365

A receptionist isn't qualified to decide what constitutes a medical emergency and shouldn't be tasked with prioritising appointments based on their opinion of medical need. Sure I could do that, I'm as qualified in medicine as a receptionist is.

If they were qualified to make these calls they wouldn't be answering the phone.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785377#Comment_119785377

Exactly.

a splitting headache could be multiples of medical conditions from a migraine to a brain aneurysm.

Larbre34

but after he attempted to take his life and due to the stress of it she got genital herpes a gift from him.

I'm confused.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785377#Comment_119785377

It’s not prioritising appointments based upon medical need, it’s deciding whether or not an appointment can be made on the basis of GPs availability.

If, as the OP described, they were having to call 40 times before they got through to one of four receptionists in a surgery of six GPs, then the receptionist should be able to ask for the reason the person needs an urgent appointment in order to be able to determine whether it’s possible, or just say to the person, as the receptionist in this case appears to have done - they can’t guarantee they will see the GP they want, and they aren’t going to make an urgent appointment either.

Surely if the receptionist is taking details they’re confirming these with the doctor? That’s what mine does anyway. They ask what the complaint is & will either give you an appointment for it or if they’re not sure how serious/urgent it is consult with the doctor and call you back.

If they didn’t use some method of triage there simply wouldn’t be a hope of seeing your doctor.

Not that you should have to, but I’d just make something up tbh to avoid the grilling. Ear infection or something rather bland but that needs urgent attention.

spurious

You could also suggest that the practice set up an email address solely for appointment requests.

That's what mine does. It's very handy as I could be waiting ages to even get through if ringing.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785414#Comment_119785414

"then the receptionist should be able to ask for the reason the person needs an urgent appointment in order to be able to determine whether it’s possible"

I get what you're saying, but it still comes down to a medically untrained person making a judgement call on whether a request for an urgent appointment is warranted or not. That type of judgement call should not be left in the hands of (medically untrained) administrators, and they should never make a patient feel embarrassed or anxious by pressing them to disclose more details then the patient is willing to offer, in order to secure an appointment.

A receptionist who is good at their job, should be able to find a balance.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785485#Comment_119785485

They’re not making any medical decisions though, they’re making scheduling decisions. Confidentiality agreements are part of any standard employment contract and I wouldn’t assume medical receptionist’s contract of employment are any different.

If a person is looking for an urgent appointment for someone else, then it’s not unreasonable in those circumstances for a medical receptionist to ask for a reason. ‘Women troubles’ might cut it with an employer if they need a few days off, but for an appointment in a busy surgery where the GPs will have many patients to see already, and someone wants to make an urgent appointment? Gonna need a little more information, else the person can decide not to provide the information and take the next available appointment, and still have no guarantee of a GP of their preference.

It’s not asked with the intent of meaning to make anyone anxious or embarrassed, it’s asked with the intent of being able to explain to the GP that a person needs an urgent appointment and would it be possible, and what they need the appointment for.

I’m aware that some people are a bit ‘off’ about the idea of having to explain themselves in certain circumstances or the idea of feeling that medical receptionists passing judgement on them, but sometimes it’s necessary, because medical receptionists have to be able to do their job, part of which is managing their GP’s appointments.

Flinty997

Having deja Vu then I realized you've opened two threads on the same issue.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058227077/doctors-surgeries-receptionists#latest

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785325#Comment_119785325

The number of people who attend A&E for non emergency treatment suggests otherwise, those who are not priority end up having long waits in A&E waiting rooms after being triaged. Patients often think their issues require emergency appointments even though they do not. Given the number of patients registered in each Clinic and the volumes of calls per day, having some protocol for assessing who needs to be given priority is essential.

GPs decide on emergency appointment protocols, Receptionists follow their instruction.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785485#Comment_119785485

You're not going to get a nurse to work as an receptionist not on the low wages they get paid.

If something is urgent you should be going to A&E not a GP that operates office hours.

The issue with the OP was not urgent, wanted to skip the queue to avoid having to go to A&E because that takes too long. The reason people are sent to A&E and DDoc is for out of hours "urgent" cover. Also where they are at capacity. By insisting on going to a GP and getting a not immediate appointment, it implies it's not urgent.

Also if you ring back later you might get a cancellation that wasn't there earlier.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785325#Comment_119785325

GP isn't an emergency service.

All sorts of people rock up to GPs saying non urgent calls are urgent trying to skip the queue.

There a capacity crisis's like housing going on for years with GPs. They can't cope with demand. They can't retain staff. They can't take on new patients and their queues are massive.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785594#Comment_119785594

People should note. A lot of people are referred to A&E because the GP has no capacity. They complain about people doing this but the system is broken and over loaded.

maninasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785616#Comment_119785616

But in many countries you can make an appointment to see them that day . Some even do walk ins.

So your definition here is pretty poor.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785665#Comment_119785665

What's has any of that got to do with emergencies or Irish GPs.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785510#Comment_119785510

Okay, I'm not going to keep arguing the same points with you.

Its not just a "scheduling issue". If they unnecessarily delay giving someone an appointment, it could have very serious consequences for the patient. I've seen that first hand - and reading the google reviews for my GiPs surgery, I'm not the only person who has had a very ill family member end up in hospital because the GP's receptionist decided they didn't need to see the doctor for another week. That should not be their call to make.

You keep emphasising "looking for an appointment for someone else" - so what if the appointment is for someone else? I made medical appointments on behalf of my mother all the time. Doesn't lessen the urgency.

Graces7

In the England of most of my life we called them " dragon receptionists.." As if trained to deter visits to the GP.

Getting an appointment was an ordeal and the only way was often to turn up.

And yes, there were consequent emergencies that should and could have been avoided. On more than one occasion when I finally got though to the dr they were horrified that I had not been prioritised. And " call an ambulance" was ordered more than once.

it it has been easier here but that is because I have lived mostly deep rural. You tend to get easier contact with the GP directly and I am on a medical priority now .

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785606#Comment_119785606

Retired nurses might like that kind of work. The receptionists in my GP surgery are all well over 50.

Or - if there is a question over the urgency of an appointment, pass the call to the practice nurse to make a judgement call - something the OP in this case actually asked for. Most surgeries will have one. Mine has two.

Something can be urgent without being life threatening. I personally have a respiratory condition - I know if I get a chest infection I need treatment quickly, antibiotics "in a week or two" are not of any use to me. Likewise someone with a young child with an ear infection, or an elderly parent they are caring for.

The public are repeatedly asked NOT to go to A&E without trying to see their GP first, so what is someone to do if they feel very ill themselves, or have an ill child / parent / spouse who needs an appointment and are told by a receptionist they can't see their doctor for a week or two? Not good enough.