Six in 10 surgeries are quizzing patients to see if they are the right level of ill to see a doctor

Six in 10 surgeries are quizzing patients to see if they are the right level of ill to see a doctor More than half of GP surgeries are quizzing patients about their illnesses to decide if they are sick enough to see a doctor, a poll reveals today.

Overstretched practices are increasingly using 'triage' systems, which typically involve receptionists asking patients about the nature of their health complaint.

Patients who ring up to try to see a GP are being advised that their condition would be more appropriately dealt with by a pharmacist, nurse, paramedic or physiotherapist.

To ascertain how many surgeries were using these systems, the Daily Mail commissioned a survey of 974 GPs and practice managers.