What is a 'clinician'? Am I being unreasonable??

Perhaps you weren't told the clinician's title because they don't yet know who is going to see you. There are probably several differently-qualified people who are capable of advising and/or treating you - by the time you're given a date for your appointment, they'll almost certainly know who's been allocated to your case (it may even be on the letter you should receive notifying you of the appointment). Even then, you may not know definitely - at my heart clinics, my letter would say the appointment was with "Dr So-and-so or a member of his team. Sometimes I'd see him, sometimes a team member, but none of them was unqualified for the job!

Another one in agreement with wanting to find out exactly what type of health person you'll be seeing and I would want to know in your position.

If there's something niggling at you about an appointment then there could be a reason and you've "picked up" on it. Your intuition has told you something...

I wish I'd been a sight more questioning before I went to see a podiatrist in first half of last year. If I'd read every bit of her website in advance carefully I'd have seen a couple of clues of "something" with her. Just little things but they would have put enough of a question mark in my mind that I would have been asking for precise details, ie 1. Why does she refer to "we" and "us" when she works on her own? 2. Why does she feel free to not provide use of loo or waiting area? 3. Why does she put the word "Mrs" in front of her name - when she's a professional? 4. Why does she think it's okay to cancel appointments on the day itself so she can go and do her hobby instead (whoops - I didnt read that far down and wish to goodness I had - as I'd have realised with a bang that she's unprofessional) 5. Why did she just put my chair back (when foot people never do). 6. Why did she just tell me a strange man (not medical) would come into the room during it (ie her husband) - even though I'm a woman on my own?

Yep....even one of those questions would have warned me off her and I wouldnt have landed up with bodged toenail/pain/several subsequent (paid) appointments with other people to put right her handiwork as best possible.

So - yep...if you've got a "Why?" then ask it - rather than putting yourself at risk of months of problems and/or extra expenses. Your intuition may be telling you something..

Not unreasonable at all. Maybe they don't know who you will see on the day and it's a catch-all term. When you go just say you are a bit confused. You could say Are you a physio? Then they might say no I'm a whatever. Not unreasonable.

Casdon - agree

NotSpaghetti - doubt very much the appointments team will know which 'clinician' will be allocated to a particular clinic.
It's possible they could ask the rota co-ordinator but all that takes time and as the appointments team are usually under pressure to book as many patients as possible in a given time frame they simply don't have the time to do this.

If you read back, SuperTinny you will see that Jess has been given the name of the Clinician so its obviously planned

Copied and pasted from Google. hope this helps.

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AI Overview

A clinician is a health professional who works directly with patients to diagnose, treat, and care for them. Clinicians can work in a variety of settings, including clinics, hospitals, and mental health facilities.
Examples of clinicians:
Doctors, Nurses, Counselors, Psychiatrists, Occupational therapists, Speech-language pathologists, Physiotherapists, Dentists, Optometrists, and Physician assistants.
Responsibilities
Documenting a patient's medical history
Using and maintaining medical equipment
Giving diagnostic tests
Observing vitals
Providing a prognosis from treatment progress
Creating customized treatment plans for mental health patients
Skills and traits
Clinicians need to have good listening and communication skills, empathy, compassion, and critical thinking. They also need to be able to manage their time, respond quickly, and have self-control.
Education
Clinicians typically need a minimum bachelor's degree in a pre-medical subject. Some positions require an M.D. degree

I used to work in a Musculo-skeletal clinic. All the clinicians were senior physiothrapists. It worked as a triage service so patients could be given advice and exercises and discharged or referred on for tests, to physiotherapy, to Orthopaedics or Rheumatology.
Once patients were given an appointment we knew which physio would see them as the system was set up so that all appointments were assigned to one specific clinician.
Appointments for a doctor, such as an Orthopaedic surgeon, would be for one specific consultant or another doctor in his team. In my area I am sure technology has not changed much and it is still booked in the same way.
Jess20 - maybe you could contact PALS and ask them to find out for you who you will be seeing? I hope your pain is sorted out soon.

I was recently referred to a Muscular Skeletal person for my knee as doctors appointment wasn’t available. I saw the young lady couple of weeks ago and she said the first thing to do was to get an uptodate x-ray done as one on record was at least a year old and even I knew things had deteriorated. Was sent appointment to go back and see young lady o
Last Friday and she explained that x-ray showed severe arthritis of the knee and the questionnaire form I completed concerning what I could physically do or not do scored high so the Musculoskeletal young lady has referred me to orthopaedic dept at local hospital regarding a knee replacement.. The title Musculoskeletal is what it says on the tin, the person is qualified to deal with the skeleton and bones and joints therein. Thank yourself lucky you have been referred to see a professional. When I was offered the appointment I just asked receptionist if the person could do a hospital referral and she said yes, that’s all I wanted to know.

I think it’s entirely reasonable to be told the profession of the clinician you’re seeing. It’s most likely to be a physiotherapist who specialises in whatever the issue that’s presenting. A physiotherapist may well be the best person to see. They can give a programme of exercises to help with the problem. However, unfortunately, atm referral to a ‘muscular-skeletal service’ (usually a physio) is currently used as a way of managing the overwhelming volume of patients needing orthopaedic referrals- a bit of a delaying tactic. My own experience (and I’m an NHS clinician) was that I was referred to a muscular-skeletal service for assessment AfTER I’d had an MRI that clearly showed I needed a new hip! I already had a programme of physio exercises so I politely declined the referral and insisted on seeing an orthopaedic surgeon. And eventually (delayed by the pandemic) had a hip replacement and am now ticketty-boo. Good luck!

Take a look at the site "interview guy.com", an article "Clinician Job Description [Updated for 2025]"

You are right to ask what a clinician is. My sister attended an appointment and was told she would see a clinician. Asked what a clinician was, she was told a trainee doctor with 2 years of training. They are supposed to be monitored when seeing a patient but very rarely are. I honestly think that it is a dangerous way of trying to cut waiting lists.

Thank you Mwdebbie, and as many of us suspected
atm referral to a ‘muscular-skeletal service’ (usually a physio) is currently used as a way of managing the overwhelming volume of patients needing orthopaedic referrals- a bit of a delaying tactic.

All fine as long as you are told who it is you are seeing and you are not led to believe you are seeing a doctor when the person is not, is rather dishonest.
Telling a patient they have an appointment with a Consultant or one of his/her team would lead most people to believe they are seeing a qualified doctor.

That looks quite straightforward Elusivebutterfly
Thank you.

Charleygirl5

A clinician in my experience is usually a doctor.

No. Could be a nurse, physio or physician associate.
I think a physio might be the best person for you OP.
I would go along and ask the person. They should clearly tell you their role and should have a badge.

... posted to soon,
Sorry.
..it tallies with Mwdebbie's comments

RedRidingHood

Charleygirl5

A clinician in my experience is usually a doctor.

No. Could be a nurse, physio or physician associate.
I think a physio might be the best person for you OP.
I would go along and ask the person. They should clearly tell you their role and should have a badge.

I think Charleygirl5 knows what she is talking about.

The definition of clinician was a doctor who dealt with patients but seems to have morphed now to cover many medical professionals. Perhaps it is an attempt to assure patients that their case is being dealt with more speedily than it is.

Given I happily go to frequent physio, pain lessens, I'm content.

If my physio is a clinician, my TKR pain was over quickly.

I needed a medication review last week, and was told that I was booked to talk to a clinician over the phone.
I too was wondering what a clinician was so looked it up and fortunately in my case it was a pharmacist, and he did introduce himself as such.
However it can be anyone with medical training, but they should introduce themselves to you.
Good luck Jess20 and I hope you can get the treatment you need.

In the NHS a clinician is usually a doctor.

wibblywobblywobblebottom

In the NHS a clinician is usually a doctor.

You'd think so, but not any longer, apparently.

wibblywobblywobblebottom

In the NHS a clinician is usually a doctor.

Unfortunately no longer so - there is an increased use of Physician Associates, whose only “qualification” is a two year course. These people are tasked with diagnosing patients, even serious illnesses such as cancer. Qualified nursing staff have more knowledge & experience, it's appalling.

Clinician is the generic name for health professionals within the NHS, it never was just for doctors. I think it was a term widely used internally, which maybe the public didn’t recognise.

WTF. You’re entitled to know who you’re seeing. Certainly not unreasonable.

NotSpaghetti

welbeck
It would be wasting their time with pointless queries.

I don't think it's pointless.
I must be "one of those patients" - one of those who want to know what's going on.

Not everyone is comfortable in a hospital environment you know. If you are someone who needs to know, then you need to ask.
I'm saying what I'd do.

The person on the phone might not know. Appointments for my local hospital are dealt with in another town so the person on the phone might know you are down to see Miss Smith but she doesn't know Miss Smith from Adam and has no idea of her qualifications. Asking Miss Smith on the day will be the best way to find out.

jude2006

I needed a medication review last week, and was told that I was booked to talk to a clinician over the phone.
I too was wondering what a clinician was so looked it up and fortunately in my case it was a pharmacist, and he did introduce himself as such.
However it can be anyone with medical training, but they should introduce themselves to you.
Good luck Jess20 and I hope you can get the treatment you need.

At my surgery it would be a paramedic. Really nice guy who'd had enough of shifts and emergencies so uses his skills in another way.