"Unprofessional staff opinions"

This morning I had an appointment at Dromore Doctors Surgery for bloods and blood pressure following discharge home after a repair to an intracranial aneurysm and subarachnoid haemorrhage.

As the BP cuff was being put on, the staff member decided to tell me that they thought my aneurysm and subarachnoid haemorrhage were caused by my Covid vaccine in late September. 

As a healthcare practitioner myself who has been involved in the care of people with Covid, people who have lost family members to Covid and has administered Covid vaccines, I found this particularly disturbing. As a result my blood pressure was raised due to the stress caused by the offloading of these conspiracy theories.

Their behaviour was completely inappropriate. They failed to demonstrate the ability to prioritise people, especially a vulnerable person who has suffered brain damage. To preserve safety, as they did not take into account that I have been commenced on blood pressure medication following the aneurysmal rupture. And to promote professionalism and trust - as they brought current Public Health Agency messaging into question as well as alluding to conspiracy theories. 

I found this encounter deeply disturbing, particularly in view of my fantastic care experiences within the Southern Health and Social Care Trust and Belfast Health and Social Care Trust over the past 3 weeks.