"Inappropriate conversation"

I attended ward 8 with my foster child who is aged 14. On arrival we met a lovely nurse who took his obs and personal details discreetly. We were then seen by 3 junior/trainee female doctors who again asked questions discreetly and with respect. When the nurse practitioner arrived she openly and loudly asked “what’s the situation here then is it fostering/guardianship/adoption/child looked after?” All necessary information to be gathered but this was private to the foster child and should have been asked privately not shared with everyone in earshot or in the manner it was. She examined him and said she was not going to call ENT as in her opinion it wasn’t that bad. Despite being referred by the GP as the patient was having breathing difficulties due to the size of the tonsils. The nurse practitioner said this was not what she was presented with and we were made to feel like we and the GP had lied. I explained that he was struggling to breath and couldn’t lie down or eat as his throat was blocked by the size of his swollen tonsils. The nurse practitioner diagnosed that he could sleep sitting up and didn’t have to lie down. And laughed! When we said we were hoping he could have the tonsils removed she literally guffawed and said “not a chance”. This was very upsetting for the young child to be faced with such abruptness and cruel bedside manner. He was in considerable discomfort and this was the 6 th time he’s had tonsillitis since Christmas and is exhausted and desperate for help. Even if that was the case that he couldn’t have them removed the message should have been delivered with care and understanding. This was definitely not the case. We were made to feel like we were wasting her time and should wait for our appointment in Blackpool hospital next week. I have lots of experience dealing with NHS staff from years of caring for young people and my own children. Never have I witnessed such arrogance and appalling behaviour. I have tried to convince the child in question that his appointment at Blackpool will not be anything like the one he has just experienced and am trying hard to keep him positive. He is still in a considerable amount of pain, still isn’t eating or lying down which is impacting his sleep so to add an enormous worry that he will be treated so poorly at his next appointment is not helping him recover. I feel that his personal information was shared inappropriately and unnecessarily, his feelings were not taken into consideration in fact they were completely disregarded and he was made to feel insignificant and unimportant.