"The opportunity as a medical..."

What I liked

The opportunity as a medical professional to be on the receiving end of care in the NHS and being able to evaluate this as part of the general public.

What could be improved

1. Complete lack of privacy in a communal waiting area with patients being asked directly about their past medical history, for urine samples in the middle of an overcrowded waiting area and weighing patients in a room without closing consulting room doors.

2. No regard for patient confidentiality or the Data Protection Act in terms of patient details being clearly identifiable at the main reception desk.

3. Overfamiliarity and unprofessionalism of nursing staff in both their manner and appearance.

4. Arrogance of medical practitioners in terms of their style of communication and interaction with me unitl they realised my own profession when they changed completelyand became sickeningly more curteous - do all people not deserve to be treated with dignity, regardless of their CV?

5. Assumed my consent , without question, when medical students were to be part of my consultation process instead of making this an informed decision.

Anything else?

My experience of care within the NHS makes me realise how vulnerable patients actually are - especially those too physically or mentally unable or too intimidated / too humiliated to express how they might feel for fear of recrimination in the subsequent assessment, diagnosis and management of their future health care needs. I make these comments not because I'm a complainer or in order to offend staff at the hospital but to encourage their self reflection on how peope feel following an hour in their hands.