Being quizzed by chemist's assistant in Boots.

Last time I went to a (pre-booked) GP appointment, the receptionist asked what it was for and I said ‘It’s personal and O’d rather not tell the whole waiting room!’ I’d said when I booked I had thrush that was not clearing up, so the information was available. Yes, there were people in the waiting room, including at least one person I knew! I once found out another mother at school was pregnant like this, it could have been all round the school if I liked gossiping, so I am really wary!

I don't mind if it's some sort of controlled medication but I don't think I'd like being questioned if buying some normal OTC stuff

"The girl behind the counter" at a pharmacy is not a "shop assistant". At least she shouldn't be.
Everyone who works in a pharmacy has training from day 1.
There are basic questions that should be asked to every customer by law. These are to make sure that you are not sold something that will do you more harm than good.

I think that this new minor ailment scheme is piling too much on pharmacists. But then again when I worked in a pharmacy there were many times when it was obvious that a simple antibiotic was all that was needed and being able to bypass the GP is a godsend.

We'll never get back to how it was.....sigh!

I have consulted a pharmacist twice. First, 2 years ago for a lump of skin that appeared on my lower leg. Second, a month ago fir a toenail problem. On bith occasions I just had to give very minor details of the issue to an assistant ie growth on skin and toenail issue. Then was ushered into a consulting room. For the leg growth issue, was informed best to be photographed, which would be sent to a lab for an analysis then pharmasist would phone with result. Wanted £90 for that. Thanks, but no thanks. Saw Dr. and given hydrocortisone cream, problem vanished. 2nd problem pharmacist examined and advised best to see GP as outwith her remit for prescribing.
Both times assistants were very courteous and helpful as were the pharmacists, until the £90 suggestion. You shoujd have been at least taken aside from the main counter and asked for details. Terrible service you had.

Absolutely. I used to attend a surgery where they had thoughtfully set aside an area of the counter for privacy, although admittedly there was enough space to do this. I now attend a surgery with a tiny counter, and an equally tiny reception area, where you cannot help but hear about everyone else's medical problems. This is wrong.

I feel sorry for my Pharmasists they are doing the doctors job now, always queues of people and they work flat out. If they asked me something I thought too personal I would say so, but they haven’t. They need information to prescribe correctly.

I work in Pharmacy and have done for over 30 years. The increase in our workload is unbelievable. I work in Scotland where the system is different. You can literally walk in and be prescribed medication free of charge from a long list of authorised items to treat thrush, constipation, headache, head lice, warts, piles and much much more. In my pharmacy of course we have to ask questions discreetly about your ailment, age, medical history. These drugs are not sweeties. I have many elderly customers who now have lazy bowels because of over use of laxatives. Some urine infections (again in the elderly) cannot always be treated simply. Please do not take your frustrations of not getting seen by a GP out on pharmacy staff and by the way we are not ‘shop assistants’ we are all very well trained. And yes I will ask if you have high blood pressure when buying a cold product because you shouldn’t be taking it! Yes I will ask if you are diabetic or asthmatic. It’s my job. Stop self diagnosing. Rant over 🤬

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Having worked in the NHS it IS the job of the first person you ask to have to answer these questions ! I have no problem whatsoever with doing so !!! if you think about it, in what other scenario are you asked questions before , say, putting your car in for service, ordering online, etc etc ...........otherwise it is a WASTE of the pharmacist's time (or the doctor if asked by your Practice receptionist) you are asked to define the problem ..... and refuse to do so In which case I would say they have every reason NOT to see you ! same as when a person makes an appointment and doesn't keep it .High time there was a charge for non attendance (unless a very valid reason ...i e in hospital !) grrr

I take several medications, including controlled drugs, which may mean taking another non-prescribed medicine is unwise or even dangerous. I would have no hesitation in discussing this with the pharmacist’s assistant prior to them consulting the pharmacist if necessary. I hope the days when people were embarrassed to say they suffered from epilepsy and depression are long gone.

Chaze well said!!. People like you do a great job. You are entitled to rant!
I have multiple comorbidities and my pharmacist and staff are so supportive. The pharmacist recently queried a prescription written by trainee GP, he was correct in querying it.

ALANaV

Having worked in the NHS it IS the job of the first person you ask to have to answer these questions ! I have no problem whatsoever with doing so !!! if you think about it, in what other scenario are you asked questions before , say, putting your car in for service, ordering online, etc etc ...........otherwise it is a WASTE of the pharmacist's time (or the doctor if asked by your Practice receptionist) you are asked to define the problem ..... and refuse to do so In which case I would say they have every reason NOT to see you ! same as when a person makes an appointment and doesn't keep it .High time there was a charge for non attendance (unless a very valid reason ...i e in hospital !) grrr

But not in the hearing of people around you.

ALANaV what an angry sounding post.
It didn't used to be the receptionist job to ask us for details of our ailments. Many of us remember the good times when it was the GPs job. And not giving reception details gives the GP a reason not to see you. Really?
I agree it is a problem, people not keeping appointments. It must be possible with modern technology for automatic text reminders to be sent, which would help. Fines won't work fairly and could be difficult as those on benefits pension etc would have to be excluded.

I find that when I phone for a GP appointment, all I need to do is give a brief summary of what is wrong. E.g, a COPD or RA flare up. I am then triaged by a GP to see if I require a face to face.
No intimate details asked.

A friend, who is the senior receptionist at a surgery, told me that a patient phoned demanding an appointment because she had vomited ONCE, hours ago!
No wonder getting through to the surgery is difficult.

Thankfully my surgery has got rid of the most unpleasant of receptionists.

ALLaV, I totally agree about the time wasters. They prevent others from getting an appointment.
Why would you ask for an appointment, then not turn up, unless the circumstances were exceptional?

You could have something that is non urgent and forget. I'm very forgetful.

nadateturbe

You could have something that is non urgent and forget. I'm very forgetful.

Do you note put it in your diary/calendar?

I am extremely forgetful, so DH and I share an electronic calendar and appointments are also written on the physical one on the kitchen wall.

Belt and braces are a necessity for me? 😉

I do Marydoll. We both do, but sometimes forget and often have quite a few appointments. Or get mixed up even though its on the calendar. Maybe others are the same. I hasten to add I've only ever missed one doctors appointment.
Also there are things that happen intermittently with people and they think I must get that checked and then forget they've made an appointment.
In no way am I condoning people just not turning up. But I find it hard to believe that the majority just don't care. Are people really like that? Everyone I know would ring and cancel GP, dental, hospital appointments if they weren't going.

Nadertube thanks.
I saw a notice in our surgery, saying 75 appointments had been missed that month.
75 patients deprived of an appointment.😡

We have those numbers up in our surgery Marydoll and the numbers are shocking. Our surgery sends out reminder texts too.

Well, that is very bad, Marydolland &Maddyone*. Perhaps someone could be tasked with following up the missed appointments. Clearly there needs to be some strategy.

At my chemists they have a separate room for this ( although i can still hear conversation when in the queue. ) Maybe request somewhere more private if you need to again. I consulted the pharmacist their under pharmacy first and was asked quite a lot of questions and had to give a lot of “ personal “ info and still had to go to Gps and finally 5 weeks later got a Gp consult as i appear to have been missed so I won’t be using it again

Chaze58 totally agree - my mum, then in her late 60's, was really cross that pharmacy assistant wouldn't let her buy Lemsip when she had a cold. That assistant possibly saved her life as she had a high BP.

ALANav There was a proposal a while ago for fines of £10 for missed Dr's appointments. Rishi Sunak decided to shelve it after being told it wouldn't work by GP's and others who work in the health service. maybe the time is right for that to be raised again now?

It seems to me that the concept of doctor/patient confidentiality is going, and we are expected to tell all and sundry about personal medical conditions. Before someone states the obvious, of course I understand that there are times when it matters, but recently I have had to complete medical forms for a podiatrist, a pilates teacher and my dentist. I also understand that there are people who have no issue with discussing their ailments with anyone who will listen, but I am not one of them. I don't like talking about health issues with anyone other than a doctor, which used to be the system.

If the system is changing, there won't be anything I can do about it, but I don't have to like it, and no amount of shouty capitals and exclamation marks will change that.

Doodledog

It seems to me that the concept of doctor/patient confidentiality is going, and we are expected to tell all and sundry about personal medical conditions. Before someone states the obvious, of course I understand that there are times when it matters, but recently I have had to complete medical forms for a podiatrist, a pilates teacher and my dentist. I also understand that there are people who have no issue with discussing their ailments with anyone who will listen, but I am not one of them. I don't like talking about health issues with anyone other than a doctor, which used to be the system.

If the system is changing, there won't be anything I can do about it, but I don't have to like it, and no amount of shouty capitals and exclamation marks will change that.

Even if the system is changing - there are some bits of personal information that you should be allowed to keep private, unless it is strictly relevant to the matter in hand.

And that information should not be forced from you in front of anyone not connected with whatever the matter is.

Most of my medical 'issues' are connected with my gut and I will willingly answer necessary questions about them - but not in front of a queue of people breathing down my neck.

If others are relaxed about discussing their ailments within earshot of random people they will just have to accept that many of us are not.

It doesn't bother me is basically saying that, it doesn't bother me, so it shouldn't bother anyone else. And that's not how life works.

Doodledog

It seems to me that the concept of doctor/patient confidentiality is going, and we are expected to tell all and sundry about personal medical conditions. Before someone states the obvious, of course I understand that there are times when it matters, but recently I have had to complete medical forms for a podiatrist, a pilates teacher and my dentist. I also understand that there are people who have no issue with discussing their ailments with anyone who will listen, but I am not one of them. I don't like talking about health issues with anyone other than a doctor, which used to be the system.

If the system is changing, there won't be anything I can do about it, but I don't have to like it, and no amount of shouty capitals and exclamation marks will change that.

I've never understood why the podiatrist needs to know my medical details and any medication I'm on.

The dentist, possibly, if they are going to carry out any intrusive procedures but all the podiatrist does is very occasionally look at my feet and order new insoles.