"Coming to the clinic with symptoms & turned away"

I came out in suspected herpes on Thursday evening. I called the clinic on Friday for advice and was called back by a nurse who advised that the next walk in is on Monday but she wanted to see me sooner so to attend the under 18 walk in on the Saturday, which was open for 3 hrs early afternoon, closing at 3.30pm. My car had broken down on Friday so I was fixing that on Saturday and got a lift to the clinic and arrived at 2:30pm.

When I arrived the door was locked so I pressed the buzzer and staff member in an nhs fleece came out to me and asked what I wanted. They were rude and unwelcoming in demeanour and behaviour and looked at me like what am I doing there.

It is already embarrassing having to attend to be treated like a convict trying to get in. They proceeded to ask how old I was and I explained that I knew it was under 18s but I was told by a nurse to come in. The staff member then asked me what I was there for and what symptoms I had which made me feel awkward and unable to answer at the door and that my private medical information and rights were being disregarded.

Not only is this completely against GDPR and distasteful in a sexual health setting but it should be a normal human understanding that to disclose that at the door to non medical staff would be distressful for anyone. The staff member then went back in to check if they could allow me in which led me to believe that I could have been seen but this person was debating it.

They returned to say they won’t be able to see me and that all the samples had left for the day anyway. They also told me that the walk in finished at 2:30. At this point I was so upset as the symptoms I had were causing me a lot of discomfort and I hadn’t experienced them before. But I felt that I was being told inaccurate information too in order to make me leave. I have autism and this whole ordeal has really upset me and made me think I cannot get help. I am concerned for other people who may not speak out about being treated like this and I feel the member of staff in question needs further training on basic GPDR in the medical field.

I called back today to find out when the next walk ins would be as I couldn’t attend today due to work training. I explained what had happened and the person taking the call explained that there was a note on my file about coming on the Saturday and that they were very surprised that I was turned away as that has never happened when they have been on duty.

I feel that if I couldn’t be seen I should’ve been made aware by phone before physically coming in as it is humiliating to come to the clinic let alone be treated the way I was and then refused. I have struggled with my symptoms all weekend and worry that my condition has been worsened by not being seen.