"A simple explanation would have put me at ease"

I had my routine mammogram (my 3rd, all normal previously) earlier this month, and just 9 days after, got a letter to say an abnormality was seen, and I was being offered a recall appointment at the WoS Breast Screening Centre in Glasgow, just over a week later. I don’t mind admitting, it was the scariest time of my life - I was terrified, I couldn’t think straight, as a nurse myself I completely catastrophised. But to be seen so quickly was incredible. What a fantastic service, I knew nothing about it prior to this. I had an anxious wait, but I can’t praise this service enough for the “one-stop” approach to get things sorted out. 

I did have a slight issue at the time with a CSW not explaining what was going on when she took me through to the changing room and asked me to remove my bra, so I asked why. She then said she'd get the nurse to speak to me and left me - she was nice, but all I needed to know was what was happening and that I was getting another mammogram. Maybe she didn’t realise I had no idea about the process, and thought I knew what was going on, but I was so anxious and a simple explanation would have put me at ease.

A chat with the lovely Nurse cleared things up, and she agreed that the CSW probably assumed that I knew what was going to happen, but she said she would gently remind her, and all staff, not to take it for granted that everyone knows what happens at the clinics. I did reiterate she had been nice and I didn’t want to get her in trouble, because honestly, the staff were all great, especially the Clinical Nurse Specialist, the Radiologist, Dr Clare, just all of them really and as I said, I am so grateful for this fantastic, quick follow up, and the fact that I am one of the lucky ones. Well done to this amazing screening service, thank you so much.