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Care Opinion

Confidentiality

Posted By AW19

"Confidentiality"

About: Woodland View / Adult Mental Health

(as a relative),

I attended Woodland View hospital with my relative as she was enduring a deterioration in her mental health.

I was astounded and appalled when a nurse came into the waiting area and shouted to everyone “ anyone waiting for a depo injection?!”

Everyone was looking about to see who would admit to getting a “depo injection” in front of a busy crowd .

Total lack of respect and confidentiality for a very vulnerable group of patients . That nurse should have known better.

I said to the receptionist that it was a disgrace and no one should be addressed in that manner. The receptionist gave no reply .

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Responses

Response from William Lauder, Senior Manager, Mental Health - Inpatients, North 4 years ago
William Lauder
Senior Manager, Mental Health - Inpatients,
North

Submitted on 27/08/2019 at 17:18
Published on Care Opinion on 28/08/2019 at 13:20

picture of William Lauder

Dear AW19

Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. I am sorry to hear of your relative's deteriorating health and hopefully they received the assistance they were looking for.

I agree it is less than ideal that staff would be shouting in this manner across a clinic area. I would expect that they should have a clinic list of who is due to attend their outpatient clinic that the Receptionist should be able to update, to say who has arrived. People could therefore be called by name rather than announcing the type of treatment they may be due to receive.

I have passed your concerns to the manager of the nursing staff who facilitate these clinics to share with them for their awareness and action.

However, whilst I agree that potentially breaching confidentiality by declaring to a room of people a person is being called for a specific type of treatment, as you describe, is not acceptable practice, I would suggest that there should be no greater concern or sensitivity as to this being for a depot injection than any other type of treatment. There should be no greater 'stigma' in being treated for mental illness.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by AW19 (a relative)

It is not stigma I am highlighting. It is being professional. I would not expect to sit at a sexual health clinic and be shouted at - ‘ whose attending for clamydia treatment ‘ - patients should not have what treatment they are having shouted to any audience being the treatment sensitive or not.

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