"Treatment from staff"

I rang the Drs as I have an ongoing condition after 2 operations . I needed to know if antibiotics would help to to clear up a scar on my genitals.

They eventually answered, I gave my details and after this is where it all went wrong for me.

The member of staff I spoke to insisted I gave them all the details of what the problem is, but as it's in a sensitive area for me I declined. To which they became insistent on getting my details of the ongoing injury and claiming it was to get me the right Dr for call back.

This perplexed me as they are all General practitioner, so they are all the same, and I told them I could tell the doctor as it's all on record. They kept insisting in a way I felt was not professional. It ended with them saying I'll get a call.

In the meantime, I got a text asking me to send a photo of the scar/infection, but it also stated if it's a sensitive area, then please don't send one, but it also stated if no photo was sent the doctor would not ring back, so I couldn't send it but then as stated they wouldn't ring back.

So I'm frustrated and in some pain now and have to ring again to say the system is flawed and I feared the doctor wouldn't ring back as there was no photo.

After some time they answer, it's a different member of staff and I have to go through the same argument as they insist they need the details, I'm insistent the answer is no as the GP has them and I will discuss it with them.

I don't agree with giving my details to someone who isn't a qualified medical professional. I'm heated now and must admit I was angry but I was not rude as they insisted and threatened to hang up ,to which I said that's fine, I will report you to the relevant authorities

After a while I got a phone call to see a paramedic based at the surgery, so I attended. They said I had to see them as I didn't give the relevant details so couldn't be directed to the relevant doctor. To their surprise I politely told them as they are all general practitioners then they are all the same skillset and unless one is a qualified hands on colorectal surgeon then the help would be the same and didn't need anyone special as the details are on record as you have them in front of you now so you all share the same said details

They were fine but wouldn't give me the antibiotics , I have since been in contact with the colorectal surgery unit at NDDH and they seem perplexed why not as it would help with discharge and pain so are chasing it up this very moment

As to the giving out personal info, I was sat waiting to go in to see the paramedic and 3 people came in and as there is literally no privacy in that place as the patients have to give their details in full view and earshot of all the patients. It was upsetting to hear the poor people's ailments

They do offer a private room on a small bit of paper but as by now there is only 1 admin working then it would certainly be impractical.

I asked for a complaint form and the new admin was very polite although funny enough didn't know the names of the 2 on duty in the morning they replaced. They gave me a feedback form of about 4 inches by 6 , it was a tick box rating system, I said have you got any actual complaint forms, they said no. I asked for the name of a senior member of staff,  and they politely gave it to me and I asked for it to be written down, which they did. I then asked for their email address, to which they replied they haven't got one. So I said you have a senior member of staff with no email address? And they said yes, how odd is that?

The simple answer is I will not give my personal information to someone that I might see walking down the street and they have to learn to take no for an answer, not threaten to hang up when they don't get their own way.

There is no privacy in that clinic as the front desk is no more than 3 meters from the nearest patients chair and even though on a small poster it offers a room it would be unfeasible as the admin would have to leave the desk come around to the front and find a room to talk whilst patients are waiting then go back and enter all the details into the PC .

I found the whole ordeal degrading and distressing to myself and I demand a written apology.  It's just not right to be insisted upon to tell an untrained members of the public my personal medical details. My doctor has all they need on screen when they ring. I'm a bit lost and upset with the whole situation.