"Awful Experience at Breast Imaging Unit"

As if finding an abnormality isn’t bad enough, when my appointment letter came the leaflet was 4 years out of date. The date of review on it is October 2020 first revised in 2018!!!! The leaflet has obviously been badly photocopied over and over it’s a faded yellow with black specks through it making it hard to read.

How am I supposed to trust the information in it is up to date? 

The day of appointment the clinic is running 45 minutes late due to staff being held up in traffic, this happens and a nurse did keep updating the waiting room but no suggestion that patients can go stretch their legs, grab a coffee or anything. Also the nurse referred to the whole room as Ladies which for a non binary person is quite ignorant and offensive to hear repeatedly.

Medical student was present during consultation, wasn’t asked if this was okay and actually it wasn’t but felt I couldn’t say no. Consultant was obviously in a hurry due to clinic running late, nice enough but made me feel rushed .

Referred for an ultrasound and the member of staff really needs to consider their bedside manner.

After one pleasantry she was silent the whole procedure, the health care assistant outside the curtain kept poking her head in as if she thought something was wrong, looking at the screen and then moving back behind the curtain again.

While I was told I was fine, the silence was overwhelming. I have been present for numerous different types of scans for myself and others and I have never had a sonographer keep so silent. She could have said I’ll be quiet for a minute while I check things over then I’ll explain what I see or don’t see. Anything but the screaming silence. 

It felt like something must be wrong because why else wouldn’t she be saying anything, not asking about work or family or the weather nothing. Also I had my head facing away from her so couldn’t read her body language and had convinced myself it must be serious for her to be so quiet.

She quickly left afterwards saying I was fine leaving the health care to explain a letter would be sent out and then quickly showing me the exit. 

No opportunity to ask questions, no debrief of any sort just wipe off the gel and go. Not how I expected to be treated, I thought I’d feel relief at not needing further tests or treatment but instead I feel it was a bit of a blur and not pleasant at all.