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I felt demeaned during my consultation

Posted By Annoyed from Sleaford

"I felt demeaned during my consultation"

About: Grantham & District Hospital / Pain Management

(as the patient),

Very annoyed at the total lack of patient care offered to me following my consultation. Despite one very brief examination nearly twelve months ago, and despite being promised an appointment within three months of my appointment in December 2016, I was only finally able to get an appointment on Friday 2nd June 2017, this after the appointment had been cancelled three times by the Outpatients department, 7 months after the December 2016 appointment.

I was called by their nurse and sat outside their room for five minutes. When beckoned in, they did not bother to even get out of their chair to greet me. They gave me a rather annoyed glance and whilst still reading my notes was offered a rather wet handshake and a sideways glance. Still reading my notes, they asked me about my pain, looked through my notes and informed me that as my pain was still present, they would prescribe Morphine, because I had rejected steroid injections.

As I have done previously with other doctors I explained my reasons, which was not well received. They literally ran through the complications associated with Morphine and in a rather offhand manner, told me that the pain would be with me for the remainder of my life. I was not examined, nor was my position taken into consideration. The appointment lasted less than 5 minutes and I felt demeaned and no compassion was exhibited whatsoever. I thought the doctor was detached, arrogant and rather rude. I have little of any faith in the so called care I have been given.

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Responses

Response from Sharon Kidd, Patient Experience Manager, Patient Experience, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 6 years ago
Sharon Kidd
Patient Experience Manager, Patient Experience,
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Submitted on 21/06/2017 at 15:31
Published on Care Opinion on 22/06/2017 at 08:59

picture of Sharon Kidd

Dear Annoyed from Sleaford,

Thank you for taking the time to post your comments on the Care Opinion website, which I have read with some concern. Please accept my apologies as you clearly were not happy with the way your consultation was conducted.

I am sorry that you thought they consultant behaved rudely and without compassion. I know this will not have been their intention.

Consultants should always ensure they introduce themselves to all their patients, giving their name and title. During a consultation, it is appropriate to consult the patient notes because in speaking with you they need to check whether new information, not already in the notes, is being given to them. Clearly, whilst doing this, eye contact can sometimes be unavoidably lost.

If, as you suggest in your comments, you previously had been examined and during the course of this current consultation no new symptoms were identified, then a further examination would not be warranted.

Having rejected a previous suggestion of treatment, as you are perfectly entitled to do, then you would be offered an alternative, if one was available, based on the notes in your file.

Consultants should always discuss any complications associated with a particular course of treatment they are recommending; they need to ensure the patient is aware of all benefits and risks involved with therapies we offer, so they can make an informed decision about their choice of treatment.

They will also tell their patients that pain may get better, may remain at the same levels or even get worse because it cannot be predicted. Part of their role is to tell the patient the reality of pain management. We think that most patients appreciate that honesty.

Again, we sorry that your consultation did not meet your expectations As a healthcare professionals our motivation is always to help patients.

With best regards,

Sharon Kidd, Patient Experience Manager

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