"Impersonal and conveyor belt"

I attended Spamedica on 17 March for cataract surgery. The ethos was very impersonal although the nursing staff were very good and helpful. I have a serious hearing loss and have a cochlear implant on the left and a hearing aid on my right. I had to remove the cochlear processor for the surgery. When I got into the operating room, I pointed out that I could hear very little. This was met with great impatience by the surgical team in particular the surgeon. I was the subjected to all 3 of them shouting very loudly wit a question, I simply could not hear. I had to plead with them to stop shouting. The nurse who showed me into the room came to my rescue and relayed the questions without a mask for me to lipread. I was very stressed and upset by this gross misunderstanding of a serious disability. Nobody seemed to know how to cope with my hearing loss, the surgeon in particular just seemed to want to get on and get me out. No words of comfort and it was clear she was not happy with this problem and simply walked away after the op. No communication at all. This leaves me with some doubts about returning to Spamedica in Bromley should I need another cataract operation. This is a very common problem within the NHS and with an ageing population the majority of whom will have some sort of hearing loss it needs to be seriously addressed. Can I expect the same treatment if I return to Spamedica?