YP Comment: Doctor's orders

CONTRARY to popular perception, not all GP receptionists are heavy-handed individuals who go out of their way to be as awkward as possible. The overwhelming majority are professionals who do their utmost to assist patients at a time when there is a chronic shortage of family doctors and, therefore, appointment slots at surgeries. As such, their good humour is to be admired.

However, in the aftermath of World Mental Health Day when so many people spoke so candidly about their own experiences in order to raise awareness about the plight of those who do still suffer in silence, it is important that receptionists – and all other medical staff – are sensitive to the concerns of patients seeking assistance. For some, just summoning up the strength to arrange an appointment is an ordeal because they don’t want to be a burden or feel embarrassed about their predicament. Understandably, they don’t want to face a barrage of questions about their health – and then be told that they have to wait three weeks, or more, for a slot because a receptionist has deemed their symptoms to be non-urgent.

The situation is made worse by those individuals who choose to exaggerate the seriousness of their condition so they can be seen straight away – such selfishness does nothing to assist seriously ill people who do play by the rules.

Two lessons need to be learned from the latest report. First, more GPs need to be recruited as a matter of urgency. Second, patients must never be put off from seeking medical guidance or victimised for doing so. After all, prevention is better than cure – and early intervention will assist the NHS in the longer term.

Is your GP’s receptionist putting you off seeing the doctor?