"Staff need to be friendlier and more engaging"

Was asked to attend the Jubilee surgical department at 07:00.  There were another 40-50 people also told to do this. We all sat and got called out like sheep from a clipboard to follow on to our next destination in groups.  We were assigned a pod. I waited in the pod for 1hour 35mins without even a hello.

The first person I saw was an anaesthetist, who asked if the surgeon had consented me, to which I replied that they were the first person who has said hello - just a blank look and no expression was returned when I said this. 

Another 2 hours passed and then a nurse asked if I needed a fit note .  No introduction who they were. I said I didn't know.

Another hour passed and I was told I required an enema before going for my procedure. I was then seen by the SPR who consented me and went through what was going to happen. 

Another couple of hours passed and I had my procedure and woke up.  Post procedure was not great as I couldn't breath properly and had a reaction to a medication.  The staff were very comforting as I remember. I was seen later by the consultant who explained what had been done and he was very pleasant and engaging. I was discharged later.

The reaction I had when I woke didn't just end after the medication ended. I was awake for almost four days with very little sleep which caused me incredible stress. My GP couldn't see me until the Monday and there was nothing about this in the post procedure sheet.  I expected pain but not mental exhaustion. I finally got more sleep at the weekend that helped me focus better. But fast forward 2 weeks and I'm sleeping 6 hours max each day.  Fast forward another week and I am still in constant pain like a nerve pain at my back passage and worse when I go to the bathroom.

I am concerned about how my procedure was done and I certainly don't trust them to try again or look at the issue.  I was told that this was a very quick 15 min procedure to band haemorrhoids and to expect pain for about a week to 10 days. There was a small fistula I was told, which was dealt with also.

I can totally get why so many people are asked to attend first thing even though they won't get their procedure till later however please say hello, tell people who you are and inform people. When people don't engage with you it's very telling that its not a caring but very clinical environment. Some staff I am sure would be annoyed that this comment has been made as they are working very hard, while others may think, do you know what, we can do better. I believe they can certainly start their day by not only getting the first people prepped for surgery but also letting one nurse/ health care worker go round and introduce themselves quickly and say we are working to organise a large group of people for surgery and you may have a long wait. None of the staff I met were unpleasant in any way however by being cattled in and ignored for a long period of time does not instill confidence. Everyone likes to think they are good at their job and are good communicators. I feel that some people like to excuse away their lack of communication with 'I am extremely busy' and give you a 'you don't understand my position look' and they look at you like 'do you realise i'm much smarter than you'.....This simply isn't true. Start by being courteous, introduce yourself and be honest. That's all people want.