Made to feel embarrassed
I received a phone call, but missed the call, got a text to say I have an appointment - because of my medical history, I thought it was the COVID vaccine, didn’t question it (my fault), then on the day of the appointment, got another call and was asked to go through COVID related questions, which I answered - which in my head convinced me that it was the COVID jab. Got to the hospital, receptionist was nice, let me into the waiting room, was called in bang on the appointment time which was great, nurse who took me into the other waiting room was lovely and that’s when it went downhill. Dr came in to the waiting room, very cold approach to me, not friendly towards me at all, took me into his office and asked me about the lump on my back, I said to him, I thought it was for the COVID jab, in an aggressive manor, isnt your name xxxx, I said yes, he then said in the same voice, then it’s about the lump on your back, it then dawned on my that I’d gone to my GP over a year ago as I have a lipoma on my back that was painful and he did say you would get a call to see if they can remove it - but as it was over a year, I totally forget, but he made me feel so embarrassed, I apologised for the confusion and showed him when the lump was. Was asked to wait in the waiting room again. There was nowhere to put my coat so had to take it into the theatre with me. There were two other nurses (so a total of 3 nurses and 1 doctor) took my top off and laid on my front whilst the Dr gave me a local anaesthetic, then I heard some sniggering and laughing from the other two nurses and i instantly knew they were laughing at me. Then the nurses and doctor decided to talk about a colleague amongst themselves and were laughing and joking, which I found was very unprofessional and very uncomfortable. The operation took no more then 5 minutes and I didn’t feel a thing, which was great. After I got up I was told to go into the waiting room and to get dressed in there which was across the hall. Am sure if I was a woman and a white woman at that, I wouldn’t have been treated like this. Felt like the doctor just wanted me out of the way. I love the NHS and what they do, this was the first time in my lifetime that I felt I was inconveniencing them, it also felt like the Dr doesn’t like being questioned. I felt embarrassed and felt they didn’t treat me with dignity. Such a shame as I appreciated the time and effort, but didn’t appreciate made to feel like this.