"Cold and insensitive"

Very bad experience with rheumatology department. I had to wait over 4 months to see someone and a week before the appointment was told it would be by telephone. Despite this causing me great distrss they wouldn't allow me to see someone in person despite me not being in an at risk group. The person who spoke to me over the phone in regards to my collapsed vertebrae was incredibly cold and insensitive despite the clear distress I was in. They bluntly informed me I had osteoporosis and arthritis in the spine without any compassion. This life shattering news was told in passing as if it was nothing despite several times earlier on in the conversation having told of my suicidal feelings as a result of the pain ive suffered constantly the past 8 months. You'd think this news would have been handled delicately considering the state of mind I was in yet it wasn't and left me sobbing uncontrollably. The person clearly knew what they was talking about in regards to rheumatology though their interpersonal skills were atrocious. They came across uncaring and uninterested in my suffering the past 8 months as despite several times bringing up the distress being in pain has caused they never attempted to console me. While I know these are experts in rheumatology, not mental health, I'd still expect them to be able to show care and understanding though they just appeared heartless. Admitedly, I was hostile during the conversation because of being made to wait 4 months for a 20 minute phone call though this was exacerbated as a result of the person's attitude. After being bluntly informed of my disgnosis and left blubbering uncontrollably on the phone, I just hung up as I was getting no compassion from the person and couldn't talk anymore because of the emotional state I was in due to the way I'd been dealt with. The referral I received to see a spinal surgeon afterwards also made little reference to the mental distress my injury put me in. It also referred to me hanging up the phone but gave no context that I hung up while I was in emotional distress crying my eyes out in no small part because of the callus way I'd been dealt with.

All I request from the rheumatology department is first that you realise the importance of face to face appoinments with patients, eapecially those who are not in an at risk group. A face to face appointment means seeing in person the suffering a patient is in, not something that can happen over the phone. It also possibly means being able to see any deterioration that has happened between scans and an appointment. I also plead with you that when dealing with a patient with mental health issues that you make sure that you assign someone who has good personal skills to break any bad news as this can be the difference between them persevering or being pushed over the edge. Showing care and consideration is vital and so please could you assess which staff deal with patients as having a great knowledge of a subject just isn't enough.