Same as my GP, it's a way of stopping time wasters and no shows, only problem is I have no desire to tell some nosey receptionist what is wrong with me, I tell them to mind there own business, it's confidential or that I think I have the Black Plague, that usually shuts them up.
Maybe they should stop calling it A&E and call it Accident and Emergency because these cretins that are turning up with earwax must think it means Anybody and Everybody.