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"Unprofessional behaviour"

About: Belfast City Hospital / Endoscopy Unit

(as the patient),

I went in for a flexible sigmoidoscopy today. The nurse called me in to go over the questions before procedure. Her personal phone went and she said she has to answer it, which is fair enough could be an emergency etc. She was out of the room for at least 5 mins. Then as soon as she came back in someone else called her and she answered it again. Not a quick, I'm working I'll call you back, but continued to talk to for a couple of minutes. She rolled her eyes and said family! Like that it was ok to answer the call whilst dealing with a patient??

After going through the questions, she said that I would be having gas and air. I said that I told the nurse during my pre-assessment via the phone that I would like sedation and she said yes but it is only small part of colon, you don't really need it. I said well during my last full colonoscopy I found it very painful and struggled with sedation and gas and air, my bowels are inflamed - not that this is really of her business nor should I have to explain myself. She made me feel bad about wanting the sedation. I asked the consultant about this and he said sedation is absolutely fine to have during any of these procedures, everyone is different.

I did not feel I received a professional service by this nurse, answering her phone twice for personal calls during an assessment is totally inappropriate, then making me feel like a wuss for wanting the sedation despite it not affecting her at all to be honest. I am shocked at this unprofessional behaviour from her and it made my experience at the City hospital even more unpleasant.

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Responses

Response from Ciaran McErlean, Lead Nurse, Endoscopy Service, Belfast City Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital, BHSCT yesterday
Ciaran McErlean
Lead Nurse, Endoscopy Service, Belfast City Hospital and Royal Victoria Hospital,
BHSCT
Submitted on 02/07/2025 at 13:43
Published on Care Opinion at 14:33


Hello cruxsm57,

I would like to first apologise for your experience while admitted to the Endoscopy Unit in the Belfast City Hospital. This is not how I expect patients to be treated while under our care and I can assure you this feedback is being treated with the upmost seriousness.

I will engage with the manager of the Belfast City Hospital Endoscopy Unit directly today and ensure all staff are briefed on your feedback and reminded of inappropriate phone use as well as the collaborative and sensitive approach in which admissions should proceed and sedation be discussed. I will also be asking for this feedback to be added as a standing item at morning safety brief for a period of time across all of our Endoscopy Units to ensure we are delivering professional and person centred care to all patients.

Care opinion is an anonymous platform, please rest assured that the above actions will be taken forward should you wish to remain so. However, I am concerned at the points you have raised and would like to investigate this further with the individuals involved. If you are happy to do so could you to contact me on 07917520660 at your earliest convenience to discuss this further.

Alternatively, the complaints department can be contacted:

By letter: Complaints Department, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust7th Floor, McKinney House, Musgrave Park Hospital, Stockman’s Lane, Belfast, BT9 7JB

By email: complaints@belfasttrust.hscni.net

By Online form: https://belfasttrust.hscni.net/contact-us/compliments-and-complaints/feedback-form/

By telephone on 028 9504 8000 (10am to 12pm & 2pm to 4pm) Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays.

Kind regards,

Ciaran McErlean

Lead Nurse for Endoscopy (BCH&RVH)

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