"Upset with care at haematuria clinic"

I was disgusted with the treatment I received whilst visiting the haematuria clinic last month at UHNS. After having an ultrasound and urine tests I was then told I would need to return the following week for a cystoscopy. I had already done a lot of research and was not at all prepared to consent to a cystoscopy. I told the specialist nurse at the time I would not consent to this procedure, the only way I would be willing to consider it was if I could be sedated. I was told sedation was not offered at UHNS for this procedure. After repeatedly telling the nurse I would not have the cystoscopy I agreed to return the following week purely to meet the urologist and get my test results.

When I returned the following week I was initially seen by a nurse who said she'd talk me through the procedure before I got changed! I again had to explain I was not there for the cystoscopy, just to get my results. My partner and I were eventually taken through to see the urologist, only it wasn't just him, in the room was also a senior consultant and 2 nurses. I was visibly upset and felt totally humiliated crying in front of all these people, especially as I don't think there was any need for the 2 nurses to be there.

The urologist introduced himself and launched straight into telling me what the cystoscopy involved...I tried to interrupt and tell him I was not having the procedure and I just wanted to know what my results were but he told me he'd get to that and first he was going to tell me about the cystoscopy. I was already fully aware what the procedure involved having researched it myself, been told about it the previous week by the nurse and been given 2 lots of literature from UHNS about it. I did not need to go through it again!

When the urologist eventually got to my results I was so upset and angry that I just wanted to leave. He told me my results were all clear...other than that he did not elaborate at all and seemed very dismissive of me. I came away without any answers to the questions I had wanted to ask.

To be treated in such a way where I did not feel I was being listened to, did not feel there was any attempt to compromise with regards to the cystoscopy, there was no mention of what may or may not be wrong with me, I feel totally let down.

There is no way I would let someone who I felt didn't listen to me perform such an invasive and intimate procedure and I fail to see why I should be expected to. To me it is important to feel listened to and to feel I can trust an individual, especially when the procedure is one involving an intimate area of the body. Instead I came away feeling even more fearful.