An NHS doctor has taken to social media to reveal the reason why you’re often left waiting for a while in the surgery – even after the patient before you has left
Ever wondered why you’re twiddling your thumbs in the GP’s waiting room, even though the patient before you has long since left?
An NHS doctor has opened up about the real reason behind those seemingly endless waits. Dr. Shireen, who goes by @doctorshireen on TikTok, and regularly shares health tips, has let slip the insider information that patients are desperate to know.
In a revealing video she explains that, if you’re puzzled about not being called in despite the previous patient having departed, there’s actually a straightforward explanation.
Turns out, GPs aren’t just kicking back between appointments. They’ve got a list of tasks to tick off, including jotting down notes from the last consultation before they can see the next person.
Dr. Shireen said: “We might take emergency calls from community services, such as ambulances, paramedics – wanting to know about our patients. We might be helping another GP with an issue that they’re having.
“Reception might be calling us with a query, we might be reading the notes – your notes – the next patient’s notes. We might be going to the toilet because, believe it or not, in our three hour clinic there is no toilet time allocated.
“The previous patient may have upset us. We may be composing ourselves, having a little cry, getting our mind ready for the next patient.”
She also mentioned that sometimes they may need to change the sheets, or clean up after seeing a previous patient. There’s a whole host of tasks that need to be completed before you can be seen by your GP.
If you’ve ever noticed the person before you leaving, and wondered what your doctor is doing, she assures that they’re not just sitting there with their feet up between appointments. They’re actually busy with various essential tasks before they can call you in.
Since the video was uploaded, it has racked up more than 1,000 views, sparking a flurry of comments from viewers. Many seized the opportunity to express their irritation with the system.
One individual vented: “What annoys me is I book an appointment for a time never to be seen close to that time. Normally about 20 to 30 minutes after the time.”
Another shared their frustration, replying: “Last time, the receptionist forgot to tell the doctor I’d arrived. She spotted me an hour later when she was about to go on break.”
A third also replied: “In my clinic last week, I had a man who has progressive loss of legs over 10 days. He took a long time to organise. Turns out he has progressive, aggressive cancer. My other patients were understanding.”
