"Getting my second dose of the covid vaccine"

I went to get my second dose of the vaccine on Sunday 16th May at the Fiona Elcock Vaccination Centre in Elgin. I had phoned the Grampian NHS line beforehand, as I am autistic, have ADHD, and a physical disability. That call itself was very long, as the call handler hadn't dealt with anything like my inquiry before. I was told to go to the front of the queue (due to ADHD and physical pain meaning I can't stand and wait), and that there would be the quiet space I requested, as I was driving.

The person managing the queue tried to send me to the back of it twice. I had to insist I had been told to go to the front. My sunflower lanyard was visible the whole time. It was only when I pulled on it to emphasise it that they relented. It was humiliating having to pretty much argue with them in front of an extremely long queue.

Inside, a nurse did seem to supervise me, but there was nowhere for me to sit. I was left standing for a few minutes while they worked out what to do with me. Again, skipping the queue made me feel embarrassed. There was no quiet space. I was taken round to a cubicle and the nurse was told that I was 'anxious' which was just so incorrect. No one had bothered to ask me anything.

There was no quiet space. I had the option of waiting in the main hall (which I wish I'd done now), or going to what they said was a quiet place. It was a waiting area a door along, and it was not quiet, it was noisy with conversations that were clear and echoed. I was in pain, but also so embarrassed, ashamed, humiliated, uneasy, on edge and frightened. I was still feeling like this after 10 minutes, I wasn't in the least bit comfortable, I didn't feel looked after or supported, there was no one keeping an eye on me or even saying anything nice or reassuring, and the experience was just so unbearably distressing and upsetting I'm really glad it was my second dose. For my first, there was hardly anyone there and my dad drove for me. I wish I'd stayed in the main hall because at least the nurse there seemed really nice and the sounds were all merged together into one distressing mess rather than being a few very sharp, painfully loud conversation.

The vaccination centre was way too busy and loud, and there was clearly absolutely no provision in place for autistic people, the staff didn't seem to know what to do with me, and physically I was uncomfortable too with all the standing (it wasn't for long by anyone else's standards, but I have nerve pain in my foot, and sacroiliitis.

As a result of how shaken I was, I couldn't drive myself home afterwards. My mother had to drive me home.

The whole experience was upsetting and humiliating.