GP receptionist

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

Dav010

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.

Juran

My GP had a Dragon receptionist for years who I used to dread when she answered, she was young, probably 30 yrs when she started. The rudest and most unfriendly person I ever met. She was there for 10+ years. She left the practice around 2 years ago, thankfully. I was at a GP appointment there last year. I said to the GP, 'you have a new receptionist' ... she said 'yeah, the other lady left us last year'. I replied 'probably too many receptionist of the year awards' ... the GP looked at me with a naughty smile, and said I wasnt the first to make such a comment. Sounds like no one said anything when Dragon was there (out of fear!), as soon as she left, patients telling the GP's she was a right wagon.

We all bitch about these Dragons at home, but I suspect if we were to make a compliant to the GP practice, they'd male your life hell regarding appointments.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785809#Comment_119785809

How would the Receptionist/GP know if the patient is unnecessarily delayed if you won’t tell them why the appointment is necessary?

It isn’t the Receptionist making that call, it is the practice policy on emergency appointments.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785857#Comment_119785857

Not sure that you're getting thats there's a staffing crisis with GPs (all staff doctors and nurses) like the housing crisis, and a massive capacity issue. That is why they refer people onwards. It's not a best practise, its desperation last resort measure.

Unless you ring up looking for an urgent last minute out of hours appointment without telling them why (as the OP did) your scenero's are irrelevant.

witchgirl26

This is why my GP brought in an online booking for same day Urgent appointments. It runs from 10am-4pm every day & you book online. 1 issue only allowed & 10 min app. That said, it rotates the doctor in the practice so no guarantee of who you're going to see out of the 5 GPs in the practice.

I get the whole argument about receptionists not making medical decisions but I know prior to this system in my GP, if you rang looking for an urgent appointment out of the blue (unfortunately I used to have to get urgent appointments every couple of weeks due to a condition so they knew about that & would schedule without asking), they would ask the reason & consult with the GP requested before scheduling it. It wasn't the receptionist making the decision but the GP. The receptionist was just the one gathering & giving the info to the GP & the patient.

OP I get your frustration & your daughter seems to have been through a huge amount but generally if people ring for an urgent appointment, they're not fussy about what time it is as they need to get in & see the GP. That could have been why they had their heckles raised. When I've rung before for an urgent, I'll always ask for my preferred time but honestly, I'm happy to accept any time if I really need to get in to that GP.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785915#Comment_119785915

Usually because when you argue with them they can suddenly find an earlier appointment and then act like they're doing you a favour by letting you have it.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785960#Comment_119785960

Basically they have to drag the information out of you.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785950#Comment_119785950

Some have a online prescription renewals now also.

Flinty997

One of the biggest issues GP's have is no shows for appointments. There also hold open a few slots for genuine emergencies.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119785960#Comment_119785960

Can you see the conflict in what you are saying?

You want an emergency appointment, but you don’t want to explain why you should be given priority over others, you blame a GP/Receptionist for unnecessary delay, but you don’t want to give them the information necessary to decide if you need an emergency appointment.

If I were you, I’d let someone else book your appointments.

Flinty997

The receptionist if in doubt can refer the decision of urgency to the doc. But if every other call requires that then it's constantly dragging the doc or nurse away from their job.