"I expect to be shown some respect"

I was in hospital as I didn't feel well so I called the emergency services (I've had a problem with TIAs). The paramedics were brilliant, said lets take you into A&E, the young doctor took a look and I was taken to admissions where there were 4 beds and 3 patients.

The problem came when one auxiliary nurse came in. I asked to be called by my name, not by 'love' or 'dear' or darling' - I didn't think it would be an issue, but they just gave me this look. And then they came in to take my blood, and when I asked for the curtains to be draw they didn't see why and said they were only drawing blood. I said that should be irrelevant, my privacy is mine, even for a blood draw. That didn't go down well.

Later, a senior nurse came in and said they'd heard I had been asking a lot from the staff. Being called by my own name and having the privacy I am entitled to is not asking for a lot, its just basic respect.

They asked if I wanted dinner, said no and I want to see a doctor. Told the Dr would be busy for an unspecified amount of time. I asked if they had a paper as I hadn't brought anything to read, told no. I asked if I could pop across to WHSmiths and get one, told no. They said they would see about sending someone over. This was at 4 in the afternoon.

Shortly after a young doctor came in who was extremely lovely, said the CT scan was clear. I asked if that meant I could go home, the Dr said they would like to speak to a senior doctor first to confirm it. I asked how long that would be, told they couldn't say exactly. I said thats fair, but I'm actually feeling fine now so if 6pm comes and the doctor hasn't been, I'm seeing myself off as I don't want to sit around waiting 'til potentially the early hours of the morning, I have to think about how I'm getting home as well.

The nurse came back and asked what I wanted to eat, I respectfully declined. Offered me a drink, I said no. Offered me milk, no I don't drink milk. Juice? No, just water thanks. What do they not understand about the word no? 

It's the same thing with the blood test. What they should do, is ask if I know whats meant to happen, I can say yes I've done this before and we can move on. Instead they explain the whole thing again. They treat me as if I am feeble minded, which I am not. I am clear headed and you can tell by the way I speak, I give them respect and I want to receive the same back.

Come 6pm, I've not seen the doctor, so I asked to leave. They rounded up a young doctor who was extremely nice and asked what was wrong. I explained the situation, they suggested I waited for the consultant, but when I asked how long that would be, I got no kind of real answer. I really do appreciate that they are all very busy people, but surely there can be some kind of approximation.

When the auxiliary nurse came back, I apologised and said I had worked for 40 years in accountancy and I have always been called by my own name. And I know what it's like to be at the end of a 12 hour shift and be tired and fed up, I really admire the profession and the effort nurses put into it - but that has nothing to do with treating people with respect. To be perfectly honest, I admire these people. I have a lot of respect for all the doctors and nurses in the NHS, they really do do a good job, my grandparents worked hard to make sure that everybody has access to health, and 95% of NHS staff really are 

Even back in A&E, the nurse asked how I preferred to be called, I said by my name and they laughed and said its an important point that the staff are doing, and it worked. The treatment in admissions, I feel it's a lack of respect, I see it especially against older people. It's completely wrong, you are here to help people, that shouldn't be affected by someone's age, or background, or the colour of their skin. You should just respect them.

I've been in and out of this hospital over the past 2 years and I really do admire and respect these people. The people I admire the most are the ones I say in the ICU, they were so considerate and respectful. Except for one instance, I was suffering from several conditions at once and I was freezing cold, on the first night I asked for a blanked and was told they were all in the laundry. Once I rang my son to ask him to bring me a blanket, the staff member came back and threw a blanket at me. 

Then when the physio came in, they spent the whole time talking about their teenage daughter. You are supposed to be here to help me! Then later, someone comes in, clearly in a rush, and says they have to fit me in quick - they were supposed to be showing me how to use an inhaler, but they went through it so fast I didn't get any of it. I had to ring NHS 24 to get instructions.

Then last time I was due to be in for 10 days with serious illness, on the second day the young doctor stood in the doorway and said I could be home tonight, I was so ill at the time I just agreed, but I could barely walk. My son had to practically carry me down to the car park, where he had to pull the car round to a no loading zone. He said don't worry, I'll deal with any complaints, I'd rather break a rule than let you catch a cold.