" Modern professional lacking empathy for..."

I recently visited the Quadrum for a colonoscopy, I have severe medical phobia I contacted reception to say I could not go through with the procedure due to my phobia, reception were very nice and passed me onto another very nice empathetic lady who suggested I came in for a chat, I even started to think there might be a slight chance I could manage it. I came in as I had done all the preparation anyway. Unfortunately it then just went down hill, the admission nurse had no knowledge of my problem and started to go through the admission process. She was professional and courteous etc but didn't seem to recognise I was very distressed, and even when I said I couldn't proceed she didn't seem to understand the state I was in. She eventually, after I told her I wanted to leave went off to get the endoscopist, who was also very professional but again didn't seem to understand my problems and seemed to have little empathy for me and to me couldn't grasp the distress I was in over the procedure. After a little more discussion I just needed to leave and left very quickly with great relief.

I think that clearly these type of procedures quite possibly cause significant anxiety in many patients and perhaps it might be useful to consider if there might be a way to help anxious patients endure the procedure better such that less aborted appointments occur.

I am dreading having to go back and quite probably again won't be able to go through with the procedure.