Patient Involvement Group
Church Street Practice, The Health Centre,
Mably Way, Grove, OX12 9BN

Are Receptionists just being Nosey?

If you have recently phoned the surgery for an appointment you may have noticed the receptionist will ask “May I ask the nature of the problem?” before making an appointment with the doctor. This may seem a strange request from us, however, it will help us guide you to the most appropriate member of the team. Many patients will automatically ask to see a doctor when another member of the team may be better able to deal with the matter, for example:

• A minor illness may be dealt with by Lesley our specialist practitioner;
• A medication request may often be dealt with by the prescriptions desk;
• Any questions about vaccinations for overseas travel will be passed to a practice nurse who will contact you by telephone; and
• Most queries regarding hospital referrals will be handled by the secretaries.

GP’s are also able to deal with a lot of queries over the telephone, which saves you a journey.

You do not need to give a lot of detailed information just an indication of the problem. The receptionists all understand there may be times when you may not wish to discuss this with anyone other than your GP and if this is the case they will respect your wishes and not enquire further.

Receptionists aim to be helpful and not obstructive to patients but they also need to help the Practice run effectively making best use of all our team.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Jane King