My GP receptionist's ask 'why' patients want to see their Dr as practise policy.

We have a large surgery, more like a medical centre, the reason for asking is so an appt can be made with the most appropriate person.

Babs03

Have realised that GPS surgeries vary widely in different parts of the country. Where we live GPS surgeries are pretty dire, we used to think of changing practice but they all have terrible reviews. We often don’t get to see a GP but a nurse practitioner instead, there isn’t a choice, it’s what is available, that’s if we get to see anyone. We have to ring dead on 8 and are then told our place in the queue, the last time I rang was number 25 in the queue, I hung up.
The one time I really needed to see a GP I couldn’t get an appointment so was told by the receptionist to go to A&E.
That is how bad it is here.
Am shocked when I read of how good it is in other parts of the country. Can only say ‘lucky, lucky people.’

Ours is like that quite often, but for non urgent appts I use online services and if urgent hang on the phone

I can't complain about the surgery in my area. Over the last few years I have had two phone appointments with a doctor who rang me back within a few hours. When I rang to see a doctor I had an appointment the following day.
I usually have to tell the receptionist about my symptoms but as she was a nurse I don't feel uncomfortable with that. I always ring. I wouldn't want to explain in the surgery as other people are around.

Doctors receptionist, crowded waiting room! Good grief OP, are you posting from the past. These are things I can only dream of these days. If (and that's a big if) you do get an appointment at our surgery, you see a nurse practitioner not a doctor and quite frankly you could be dead in the time it takes to arrange even that. The whole system is broken.

Ohh- I think that is totally unacceptable. I’d be inclined to tell them it is confidential between the Gp and yourself. I would definitely lodge a complaint.They are not allowed to ask questions like that where I live, they would be dismissed from their job.

We have to fill in a Klinic form, which is submitted to a panel(?) and the severity estimated and an appointment awarded. A friend had a painful toe, which he could not see or reach easily; all he wanted was for a quick glance and medication, or thorn removed, which a practice nurse could have done. No, her services dispensed with; appt. arrived after 16 days by which time a paramedic friend had dealt with it, infection near a cut.

I just say "It's a follow up appointment." They have never quibbled it, even though it might be complete nonsense!

In some ways it is better if the GP hits the ground running by knowing where to start. I had an appointment yesterday which was a total waste of time as the (new, young) GP spent about 80% of the time trawling my notes on screen and then said the appointment had timed out so she would get back in touch. This after waiting several weeks to get through the door in the first place!

And it was an appointment the surgery had asked me to make!

Sago

I went into my surgery to request blood tests, it took them 26 days to get back to me.
It’s quite astonishing.

At least here at our community hospital we have a phlobotomist (two now!) and if a hospital consultant requests blood tests we don't have to make an appointment with the surgery. We can phone her directly and she is excellent.

The surgery used to be very difficult about blood tests requested by the hospital and refused point blank to do them for a long time even though a nurse confessed they had the funding for it.

Luckygirl3

In some ways it is better if the GP hits the ground running by knowing where to start. I had an appointment yesterday which was a total waste of time as the (new, young) GP spent about 80% of the time trawling my notes on screen and then said the appointment had timed out so she would get back in touch. This after waiting several weeks to get through the door in the first place!

Oh 🤬 goodness me, that is truly shocking Luckygirl!
Unbelievable.

O

You are not being over-sensitive, struthruth, but if you have to make your appointments at the surgery and it's a private matter, maybe write down the crux of the problem before you go and hand the note to the recpetionist, or you could ask for a piece of paper to write it down there and then. A very few words usually suffices.

Luckygirl3

In some ways it is better if the GP hits the ground running by knowing where to start. I had an appointment yesterday which was a total waste of time as the (new, young) GP spent about 80% of the time trawling my notes on screen and then said the appointment had timed out so she would get back in touch. This after waiting several weeks to get through the door in the first place!

Bloody hell, lucky! That's appalling!

Babs03

Have realised that GPS surgeries vary widely in different parts of the country. Where we live GPS surgeries are pretty dire, we used to think of changing practice but they all have terrible reviews. We often don’t get to see a GP but a nurse practitioner instead, there isn’t a choice, it’s what is available, that’s if we get to see anyone. We have to ring dead on 8 and are then told our place in the queue, the last time I rang was number 25 in the queue, I hung up.
The one time I really needed to see a GP I couldn’t get an appointment so was told by the receptionist to go to A&E.
That is how bad it is here.
Am shocked when I read of how good it is in other parts of the country. Can only say ‘lucky, lucky people.’

How do you find the nurse practitioners? I've seen one of them (I think there are two or three at our surgery) when I was at my wit's end. I'd seen the doctor several times as I felt so awful and all he would say was "You are depressed." Well yes by the end I was but it was because I was struggling physically. The NP listened to me, said she thought she knew what it was and arranged a blood test. Next day I got a phone call to say the doctor needed to see me and could I go straight round. He said "you must be feeling awful." Wow I thought wish I'd mentioned that before. Turned out my thyroid levels were through the floor and they started to titrate me onto the right dose. Changed my life after 2 terrible years. I really rate the nurse practitioners.

Luckygirl3

In some ways it is better if the GP hits the ground running by knowing where to start. I had an appointment yesterday which was a total waste of time as the (new, young) GP spent about 80% of the time trawling my notes on screen and then said the appointment had timed out so she would get back in touch. This after waiting several weeks to get through the door in the first place!

That's awful. I hope it wasn't something urgent. Have they made you another appointment? Good luck.

Sorry, fat fingers, tiny phone!
Our surgery will not let us make on-line appointments as they say it is not fair on those who don't have access to the internet.
So everyone has to phone at 8am and hope for the best.
And we cannot make a routine appointment for a few days/weeks hence; it's still ring up on the day and go through a 'care navigator'.

Last week I did one of those Klinic forms. I thought I might get a telephone appointment. No I got a text to say my prescription was at the pharmacy. I couldn't decide if I should be admiring their efficiency or horrified at how impersonal it all is.

This wasn't a condition I'd ever had before so I didn't think it was that straightforward.

theworriedwell

Babs03

Have realised that GPS surgeries vary widely in different parts of the country. Where we live GPS surgeries are pretty dire, we used to think of changing practice but they all have terrible reviews. We often don’t get to see a GP but a nurse practitioner instead, there isn’t a choice, it’s what is available, that’s if we get to see anyone. We have to ring dead on 8 and are then told our place in the queue, the last time I rang was number 25 in the queue, I hung up.
The one time I really needed to see a GP I couldn’t get an appointment so was told by the receptionist to go to A&E.
That is how bad it is here.
Am shocked when I read of how good it is in other parts of the country. Can only say ‘lucky, lucky people.’

How do you find the nurse practitioners? I've seen one of them (I think there are two or three at our surgery) when I was at my wit's end. I'd seen the doctor several times as I felt so awful and all he would say was "You are depressed." Well yes by the end I was but it was because I was struggling physically. The NP listened to me, said she thought she knew what it was and arranged a blood test. Next day I got a phone call to say the doctor needed to see me and could I go straight round. He said "you must be feeling awful." Wow I thought wish I'd mentioned that before. Turned out my thyroid levels were through the floor and they started to titrate me onto the right dose. Changed my life after 2 terrible years. I really rate the nurse practitioners.

Variable, theworriedwell.

DH saw one at the surgery with a problem who told him it was nothing to worry about; luckily I insisted he saw the GP and 10 days later he was having a small procedure done which was urgent and vital.
Since then he's been followed up by a nurse practitioner at the hospital who 🤞 seems thorough and excellent.

Cossy

We have a large surgery, more like a medical centre, the reason for asking is so an appt can be made with the most appropriate person.

That's a good point, I remember making an appointment as I wanted some skin lesions looked at. I was sent to the doctor who had lots of experience with skin conditions and skin cancers in particular. He explained this when he was reassuring me they weren't serious.

I think it's normal these days to have to give the receptionist, some idea of what the problem is. Over the phone though, not in a crowded waiting room. Under those circumstances, I think any surgery should preempt the fact that most patients would want to be discrete in talking about highly personal issues and should not be expected to do so in front of all and sundry. Surely in such circumstances, some sort of form could be made available for the patient to outline the problem which could be handed to the doctor.

My GP Practice is fantastic, ring in the morning and see a GP that day if it’s urgent. They only have F2F appointments and I’ve never had an issue getting one. Sometimes though they do complete medication reviews by telephone. Perhaps we’re lucky.

Allira

theworriedwell

Babs03

Have realised that GPS surgeries vary widely in different parts of the country. Where we live GPS surgeries are pretty dire, we used to think of changing practice but they all have terrible reviews. We often don’t get to see a GP but a nurse practitioner instead, there isn’t a choice, it’s what is available, that’s if we get to see anyone. We have to ring dead on 8 and are then told our place in the queue, the last time I rang was number 25 in the queue, I hung up.
The one time I really needed to see a GP I couldn’t get an appointment so was told by the receptionist to go to A&E.
That is how bad it is here.
Am shocked when I read of how good it is in other parts of the country. Can only say ‘lucky, lucky people.’

How do you find the nurse practitioners? I've seen one of them (I think there are two or three at our surgery) when I was at my wit's end. I'd seen the doctor several times as I felt so awful and all he would say was "You are depressed." Well yes by the end I was but it was because I was struggling physically. The NP listened to me, said she thought she knew what it was and arranged a blood test. Next day I got a phone call to say the doctor needed to see me and could I go straight round. He said "you must be feeling awful." Wow I thought wish I'd mentioned that before. Turned out my thyroid levels were through the floor and they started to titrate me onto the right dose. Changed my life after 2 terrible years. I really rate the nurse practitioners.

Variable, theworriedwell.

DH saw one at the surgery with a problem who told him it was nothing to worry about; luckily I insisted he saw the GP and 10 days later he was having a small procedure done which was urgent and vital.
Since then he's been followed up by a nurse practitioner at the hospital who 🤞 seems thorough and excellent.

I suppose it is inevitable that there will be good and not so good. When I went to A&E with a broken metatarsal I was treated by a nurse, I think she said her title was Nurse Consultant but I might have got that wrong, I was in agony at the time. She was excellent and when I was leaving she asked how I was getting home and I said my husband had gone to get the car and would be waiting at the entrance and she insisted on accompanying me and making sure I was safely in the car. I really felt I'd got excellent care from her.

I had excellent care from a nurse practitioner at a local walk in clinic. She
prescribed appropriate medication and it worked.
However my son was seen by a physician associate at the gp practice and told there was nothing wrong. So he returned next day, saw a gp and spent the rest of the day in A&E. He is now having good care from the local hospital. I don’t think it’s fair to add additional stress to people who are very ill who have to fight for treatment.

The late, great comedian Dave Allen did a great sketch about receptionists.

“I’d like to see the Doctor please”.
“why?”
“I thought he could give me a hand changing the tyres on my car.”

And a whole lot more. 🤣