"Excellent care"

I received excellent care from Miss Verity and her team (Zoe, Yvonne, and Ally) at an outpatient hysteroscopy appointment. I was extremely anxious about the procedure for many reasons (very unpleasant gynaecological procedures in the past, never had children, tilted uterus, endometriosis, sexual trauma, infertility and miscarriage, along with general health anxiety). Initially I wanted the procedure done under a general anaesthetic as I was sure I could not tolerate it conscious and I even had my GP put that in the referral. However at my first consultation Miss Verity went through my options in a clear and patient way, answering all my questions and making me feel like my concerns about the procedure were heard and understood. She was very professional, clearly highly competent, and treated me with respect. She was also very straight-talking which I liked.

She told me that if I did the procedure as an outpatient I could have penthrox - an inhalable anaesthetic, and I could be on her list so it would not be a doctor I had not met before (or a man - I did not want a male consultant doing it). 

We agreed I would go away and think about how I wanted to proceed. I was given a letter with a summary of the options which was great as I was so anxious before/during the appointment I might not have remembered everything. I did not feel I had wasted a valuable NHS appointment or had to rush to decide what to do. 

I decided I would like to try the outpatient procedure with penthrox because it is less risky, quicker, and much more convenient. It was made clear that if I could not tolerate it they would stop and we would rebook it under general anaesthetic - this assurance gave me the confidence to try it. I thought I would just call and book the appointment but Miss Verity actually called me back to confirm my decision which further increased my confidence in her and her team and reduced my anxiety even more. I received a letter summarising what we had agreed. I was then worry-free until the morning of my appointment.

That morning I was extremely anxious, floods of tears etc. I made it to the hospital and the team were very nice and ensured I was clear about what would happen. Ongoing consent was sought - in writing and verbally at various points during the appointment. I was in such a state I almost fainted when I got into the procedure room. But as we had agreed, I used penthrox from the start as I had said I wanted to be as unaware of it all as possible. I felt nothing at all. I can only remember the very beginning of the procedure and then I was being told it was all done. I had a hysteroscopy, biopsy, and mirena inserted with zero pain or trauma. The team then explained about aftercare, Miss Verity answered more questions, they did not rush me, and were very supportive, warm, and there were jokes which I appreciated. I apologised for making such a fuss! I write this in so much detail to recognize the excellent practice and care I received, and to reassure anyone else who might be scared of this procedure that is doesn't have to be terrible.   

I think the ambulatory gynaecology clinic at Treliske is excellent. If only all gynaecological care was this good! The clear information, the ongoing consent, the patience and kindness, the respect for my choices about procedure/pain relief made such a difference to my experience.

I think the option to use penthrox is a game-changer - there is no way I could have done the procedure without it so it makes outpatient care a viable option for patients like me. And even if you preferred to only use it if you needed it, it's reassuring to know that women's pain is being taken seriously and that there is some effective relief available.

Thank you to everyone who looked after me so well! My only suggestion for improvement would be to explain pain relief options in the appointment letter/documentation - make it clear that pain is taken seriously (especially in light of the campaign against painful hysteroscopy which has made a lot of women scared).