Medical centre receptionists and their responsibilities.

[jacktar]

New Practice Nurse has at last been appointed at the med.centre.Booked in for the full COPD mot,informed by the nurse that she hadn't been allocated enough time to fully carry out the test's(15 minutes)and could i re-book for around the middle of November.Went to the desk and explained to the lady there what i wanted to do and she said"oh,sorry,i didn't book her enough time for you"Is this standard practice where the receptionists now decide the length of your visit,meeting the deadlines set by those higher up.

[Hidden]

HI

i had similar , the nurse told me make sure that i indicated, the reason for the appointment , annual copd check, dispite being ask, by letter to book by the practice manager. left hand right hand?

[Lynne1955]

I'm afraid that many receptionists start to think they are medically qualified.

Lynne

[poeticlady]

i could write my own volume of books on this subject ha ha,had so many telling me what i need,not what the doctors order.

[Hidden]

The ones at my old surgery were like that - bossy, patronising, real jobsworths.

I wasn't happy with my care (the drs were pretty rubbish too) so I changed and the new surgery is absolutely fantastic. All the staff - including receptionists - are skilled, caring, friendly, and a huge credit to the NHS. Reading the problems some of you have makes me very glad I have this support, it makes such a difference when you're trying to manage a serious health problem.

What I want to know is, if this surgery can offer such a first-class service to pts, why can't all of them. Only problem is, I'd like to move house but daren't go out of their practice area!

FF x

[jacktar in reply to Hidden]

pity you can't take the practice with you,you could bring it up to Nottingham,we could do with one like that.

[tanyamarie in reply to Hidden]

Just to let you know, it doesn't matter where you live, you have the right to choose which surgery you register with. The only difference is, the surgery can refuse home visits if you live outside their locality. So if you want to move....go ahead......you can stay with the surgery xx

[Hidden in reply to tanyamarie]

Thanks tanya, I didn't know that! x

[Gordon57]

Ours is a biggish practise, so there are several receptionists, who take it in turns on the phones, front desk, office and so on. I'm told they are all trained to understand the different times required for various appointments, so a simple thing like a test result may be only allocated 5 minutes but a spiro test would be given 15 minutes.

There used to be something in the booking system that gave them a reminder about certain types of appointment, although I think it's been changed since.

Yes, they can seem to be like the Home Guard at times, but they are there to do their job and if the GP wants to see someone longer they'll give the patient a note to give to the receptionist to book 20 minutes or whatever. Otherwise you only get the default.

Smaller practises may have fewer staff and they do get a bit territorial in protecting 'their' surgery and making sure the doctors don't get out of line either. Most of ours are nice, but there are a couple...

[jacktar in reply to Gordon57]

yep Gordon,i agree that they are there to do a job and most of the time do it well,i was just wondering if ,because of this "shake up"of the NHS their responsibilities have been moved around a bit in order to meet "targets"etc.Just a thought.

[Bronch1noGO]

I've only ever been registered with 2 surgeries in my lifetime my first from birth until I got married then on my old GP's recommendation I registered with my present one. Yes there have been some changes over the 40yrs I've been with them but I think we have to realise that GP's do have a lot more to abide by now due to restrictions imposed on them by the powers that be and their staff have a lot to deal with. Nowadays staff are hidden away behind their safety screens they do take quite a lot of stick from rude and irate patients but they very rarely ban anyone, I myself am an ex A&E receptionist and I do sympathise with them having been on the receiving end of someone's fist and verbal onslaught, it's enough to test the patience of saints and remember they are only human. Yes they can be off but if you explain they are willing if possible to accommodate, if it's an emergency they speak to the doctor or practise nurse and fit you in, on several occasions when I've been really poorly and needed to see the doctor I only had to walk through the door and they say ok Karen take a seat and you'll be seen - any immediate emergency is given priority and yes it's usually the patients who have been waiting moan and complain about queue jumpers, I know that if any of the receptionists took it upon themselves to dictate who sees who, when and what medication you can or cannot have without discussing it with the doctor there would be trouble. Also if you book an appointment with the nurses the receptionists will always ask what for and say oh you'll need to see nurse so and so for that and book the necessary time, this can overrun if the nurse feels it's required.

Karen

[jacktar in reply to Bronch1noGO]

That's me told then.

[Hidden]

Hi I was told by my receptionists that all nurses appointments are automatically booked at 15 minute intervals. When I have to book a COPD check the nurse tells me to book a half hour one. I have had no problem with that where I am. x

[Hidden]

I mean 2 15 minute ones back to back.

[timber]

Hi jacktar,not sure where in Nottingham you are,but the practice in Netherfield is very good indeed 'excellent staff all round,no doubt some standards will drop in the future ,it's impossible to make the sort of cuts that have happened recently plus those to come ,also of course the huge changes to the way our NHS is run.

[jacktar in reply to timber]

Hi Timber,i live in Bakersfield,not far from Netherfield,Tks for the info.

[jacktar in reply to timber]

Hi again Timber,forgot to add,i don't have a problem with my Med.centre,i left the comment 'cos i wanted to see what other people thought about what happened,it's always good to get other peoples opinions,broadens ya mind.Anywayup,once again Tks.

[jacktar in reply to timber]

Hi again Timber,forgot to add that i don't have a problem with my Med.centre,just thought i would like to see what other people have experienced along the same lines,it's good to listen,broadens ya mind.Once again,Tks for your reply.