Staff training at our Doctors’ surgery.

During lockdown we were told our reception staff did a two week course and were now to be accepted as the equivalent to doctors. That came from the new finance manager who has wrecked what was a reasonably good surgery. The message did disappear after protests (and sniggering).

volver3

Yes of course.

Can't have them having fun, can we?

By all means, in their own time, not when they should be working and simply doing their job!

Kamiso

During lockdown we were told our reception staff did a two week course and were now to be accepted as the equivalent to doctors. That came from the new finance manager who has wrecked what was a reasonably good surgery. The message did disappear after protests (and sniggering).

In what ways would they be the equivalent of doctors?

Cold

Hobbs1

My GP surgery has a Practice Manager, an IT “ expert” and 6 admin/ reception staff. I don’t know how many GPs as I have never been lucky enough to get an appointment, only a telephone consultation during lockdown. the one and only time my telephone call has been answered by a receptionist and the GP called back, they no longer do repeat prescriptions over the counter, the patients have to request on line, all patient records are on the computer so very little filing or paperwork as it’s all instantly available so how do they spend their working hours I wonder………

How do you think that your medical records get to be "online"?

Where I live doctors usually dictate records for speed and then admin staff types them into the online system so it's a pretty substantial workload but means that all clinical staff can access your full records - so the hospital can see the GP records and vice versa.

Presumably some kind of magic fairy miraculously produces online records.

Coco51

Cold

Hobbs1

My GP surgery has a Practice Manager, an IT “ expert” and 6 admin/ reception staff. I don’t know how many GPs as I have never been lucky enough to get an appointment, only a telephone consultation during lockdown. the one and only time my telephone call has been answered by a receptionist and the GP called back, they no longer do repeat prescriptions over the counter, the patients have to request on line, all patient records are on the computer so very little filing or paperwork as it’s all instantly available so how do they spend their working hours I wonder………

How do you think that your medical records get to be "online"?

Where I live doctors usually dictate records for speed and then admin staff types them into the online system so it's a pretty substantial workload but means that all clinical staff can access your full records - so the hospital can see the GP records and vice versa.

Documents can be scanned in these days.

And who does the scanning? That magic fairy who obviously hovers around all GP surgeries?

Riggie

Surgeries in my area started closing ine afternoon a week several decades ago. Ots supposed to be time for GPs to do training, go to meetings or the popular rumour is play golf. Some now open on that afternoon, mine doesn't and often has staff training on other days too. You just have to call 111 if you need help.

What percentage of appointments are so urgent that patients need to be seen immediately? Quite honestly, if the need really is that urgent, dialling 111 (or even 999) is probably the best option anyway.

The latest at our surgery is that Receptionists are now to be known as Care Navigators it gets more absurd everyday.

DH has a rare face to face appointment today. I do dope they don’t ask him what pronoun he uses or if he is pregnant, his answer could get him banned 😳

The ‘care navigator’ thing is a new government initiative that allows receptionists to triage patients to a range of ‘care providers’. It won’t make up for the shortage of GPS, but it will massage the figures.

Most receptionists are on minimum wage and get a lot af abuse. I would like to think that this extra role would mean that they were paid more, but I’ll be surprised if that happens.

If anyone is interested there is a thread on Mumsnet on which a practice manager is answering questions about how things work. It’s very interesting.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/AMA/4801047-im-a-gp-practice-manager-ama?page=7&reply=126062518

Also, I was in my surgery yesterday waiting to be seen, and a man came to the reception desk. I wasn’t listening to what he was saying but he was attended to politely and made to leave, at which point he caught my eye and smiled, so I was tuned in. Then he asked about another appointment and was told to use the online form. At this he got shirty and said he didn’t bother with the Internet (he was maybe 65). The receptionist calmly told him that if he phoned in someone would make the appointment for him, but he wasn’t happy with that either. She explained again that his follow up appointment was too far ahead for the system, but if he rang in nearer the time one would be made for him. She asked if that was alright and he snarled that it would have to be, wouldn’t it, and again caught my eye to look for support. I felt sorry for the receptionist, who was only doing her job.

I wouldn’t like that job Doodledog I’m sure many patients get so frustrated that they snap back at the staff.

Just as an add on, this idea that pharmacists will pick up work usually done by doctors may not work. The pharmacists in both the chemists in our small town are rushed off their feet. I wonder if they will be paid more.