"Humiliating"

I’m 20. I’m legally allowed to be given the morning after pill for free. I was told this when I went to a local pharmacy it was either £25 or free at my doctors.

I had work 8-4 that day and this had happened the night before, so not much time really. The surgery opens at 8 so no time in the morning, and closes like 2 hours after 4. I was under the impression that the quicker you take the pill the more likely it’ll work so I was rushing to get it sorted.

I called an hour and a half before the surgery closed which I understand is a pain but I had no time at work. I explained to the lady on the phone what I was calling for and that I’d been referred to them through my local pharmacy. She told me that she wasn’t sure about this and she’d give me a call back.

About half an hour later I’m still waiting for a phone call and I’m passing the surgery anyway and needed a repeat prescription for, the irony, but contraceptive pills that I hadn’t picked up as I hadn’t had the time before hand which is why Id gotten myself in this situation in the first place.

So I go in and say I’m hoping to get the morning after pill and a repeat prescription to the lady at the front desk. I tell them I called earlier and someone was supposed to give me a call back but hadn’t. At this point I realise they’ve simply decided it’s too late in the day and they can’t be bothered to book more appointments on cause they want to shut quickly. I get it, I worked in retail and I hated it when people came in just before it shut, but I’m a girl who’s trying to prevent a pregnancy... surely this is worth doing and they still had plenty of time before it shut- about 40 mins at this point- and there was absolutely no one else in the reception anyway.

I then get asked all the private questions at the front desk, ie when did you have *sex*? With an awkward face as she said it, extremely unprofessional. I am fully aware these are questions you should pull someone into a room to ask and that, again, they couldn’t be bothered because of the time.

I was then told by the lady at the front desk, again just in the reception not privately, that I was lucky to get an appointment at this time and that I can’t make a habit out of doing this. I felt quite humiliated as they made it seem like I come to the doctors all the time to get a morning after pill which is clearly not the case, as they had just give me the repeat prescription of contraception as it was which is a clear indicator that I usually am careful.

I can happily say that when I reached the doctor it was an entirely different story. I was grateful for them spending time at the end of their busy day to see me, and they were polite and professional. They even spent extra time updating general information about my weight and blood pressure.

I think this is the first review I’ve ever made on anything, I just felt it needed to be said. I don’t ever complain but the service they provided at the reception was shocking and that’s not a first.