"Diabetes Clinic at Chorley - its the little things that can make such a difference"

Whislt waiting to be seen in the dermatology clinic at Chorley Hospital I observed the following interaction which whilst a small observation I think was really unsettling.

A gentleman came into the department to book in for an appointment, there was obviously some confusion, he was asked to sit down as he had no appointment and someone would sort it out.

A lady came out from the Diabetes clinic, stood over the seated gentleman and asked quite brusquely if he had received a letter, thrusting such a letter under his nose, 'I don't know he said, I get a lot of letters'! "If you haven't got a letter you haven't got an appointment" she told him.

He said "I only want a 'clicker' (which is a little thing to help diabetics take blood samples).”We don't give those out" was the reply. She went away returning with a scrap of paper with a phone number of someone who would provide a clicker.

I was really concerned as the gentleman seemed a little confused and did not seem to understand about the telephone number. He also looked unwell, and seemed unsteady. I did not feel he was treated with dignity nor with any sensitivity, someone taking the 2 minutes to phone through to the relevant department on his behalf would have turned this oobservation into a very postive story, what a shame.