Doctors Reception

[carless]

Is the new trend, which is being introduced into Doctors surgeries when asking for a appointment, acceptable or even legal? Patients are asked "what is the purpose of your visit"? by the receptionist, who will then decide if you need to see a doctor or a nurse. I would appreciate any comments or views on this matter.

[sunny-dave]

Some form of triage is almost essential these days, in anything but the smallest practice - to ensure the most efficient use of medical staff time.

My surgery uses a GP callback triage system (which I love) - others will use a nurse, some will use an experienced receptionist.

In all cases it should be absolutely the patient's right to say "I prefer not to say and want to see a GP face-to-face".

It may be that this will result in other patients being seen before you (if they have given enough information to establish an urgent need and you have declined to do so) but you should not otherwise be penalised in any way.

[sunny-dave]

I see that bednobs and I are singing from the same hymn sheet :+)

[boxtops]

Bednobs, my thoughts entirely - those ABers who say they do may well know the occasions when they need a nurse rather than a doctor, but huge tranches of the population don't - we waste hours of medical time because people ask to see a doctor for simple stuff like bloods. This is why the receptionists are being trained to signpost the patient to the most appropriate healthcare professional. There is now a raft of nurse practitioners and non-medical prescribers in many GP practices (some of whom of my acquaintance, dare I say it, may be more clued up that some of the doctors) - they are just as good to see a patient as the traditional GP.

[sherrardk]

Bednobs, if I am going to see a doctor, I am really, ill wouldn't be going otherwise. I currently have a bad ear which I know needs to be seen by a nurse so when I get around to it, I will get an appointment to see a nurse. Don't you work for the NHS (so therefore have some medical insight), not everyone has your experience so they don't know who would be best to see.

[DaisyNonna]

And so waste the nurse's time.

[boxtops]

daisy, it wouldn't waste the nurse's time at all - an appropriately trained nurse can deal with infections and prescribe appropriately.

[welshlibranr]

agree with Sher here, I have some knowledge, and am clear about when I need to see a Doctor or a Nurse!.........if I go to the Medical Centre, it's cos I need to see a Doctor, and do not want to have the third degree before I get an appiontment, have already waited in the phone queue for at least five minutes!..........

[sunny-dave]

You want the right person doing the right job - as boxy, bednobs and I have been saying.

For instance, if you've ever seen a GP trying to do bloods you will never want one near you with a phlebotomy needle again - let an expert nurse do it in half the time, with a tenth of the pain and let the GP do some doctoring.

[boxtops]

You're lucky in your knowledge then, welsh - many people feel short-changed if they don't see a doctor, but the nurse or HCA is far more appropriate for a lot of interventions and examinations.

[naomi24]

Too many fingers in too many pies.

[Jeza]

Bednobs, Saying "the vast majority of the public are stupid" is IMO very offensive to the vast majority of the public. What qualifies you to say such a thing.

[boxtops]

Those of us who work in primary care in the NHS, jeza, know all the initiatives currently being implemented to try to manage our resources so that the most appropriate healthcare professional sees and treats the patients. The people responding to this thread may have a better idea of theri healthcare needs - a vast number of people don't. How many on here could actually identify in their surgery who's the nurse and who's the healthcare assistant, and the considerable difference in their roles.

[boxtops]

^naomi, I don't get your drift, whose fingers?

[zebo]

Telephone triage is a pain in the proverbial. I was stung by a horse-fly last summer, slapped on some anti-sting cream and left it. A few days later it was swollen very red and painful, so as I was collecting a prescription for OH, I asked to see someone. But no, I had to go home and be phoned, when I then had to get back into the car and go down again.

[sunny-dave]

Rather selective quoting Jeza ...

... the relevant words are "clueless when it comes to knowing who to see for what" - which in my (extensive) NHS experience is entirely true.

[sunny-dave]

That's daft of your surgery zebo - my GP surgery would have the gumption to skip the triage in an obvious case like yours.

[DaisyNonna]

If I need a blood test then I ask for an appointment with a nurse. Or a blood pressure test. I draw the line at taking my own blood pressure on a machine in full sight of anyone and in front of a full length window, overlooking the car park and entrance. Guaranteed to send my blood pressure soaring.
How come my local pharmacy has a notice saying that prescriptions can only be handed over by a registered pharmacist? (i.e. not btween 12 and 1, their lunch break)

[Jeza]

Dave, being clueless on whom they need to see does not make them stupid.

[daffy654]

The receptionists at our surgery never ask why you require an appointment, we are always seen within 15 minutes of our appointment time and can get emergency appointments with the nurse practitioner after a triage phone call with her.

The only downside to our surgery can be the very long wait for an appointment from time of booking (can be up to 3 weeks on occasion), other than that I suppose we are lucky compared to some ABers who i've seen comment on their own surgeries.

[welshlibranr]

Boxtops, true, but if I need to see my GP, then I do, it's very rare, but I do know who I need to see, if I need to see the nurse, then I ask for an appointment with her! I don't want a receptionist prying, I hate it!....they have no medical qualifications whatsoever, so how can they judge?