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"What happened to patient dignity?"

About: Chorley & South Ribble Hospital

(as a relative),

I had to take my husband to Chorley hospital for a second x-ray, as he had been laid up with pneumonia for four weeks. When we arrived at the X-ray department, we didn’t have to wait long to be called through. He was taken to the X-ray room nearest to the A&E, where he was asked, did he have a vest on under his jumper. He said yes, so he was told to take his top off in the corridor (ok he had a vest on, but what happened to patient dignity?). We sat waiting for someone to come to him. Then someone came from the other X Ray rooms and asked him to follow them. Still stripped to the waist with only his vest on no gown; he had to walk back through the waiting room to the other part of the X Ray department (bearing in mind he was still troubled with pneumonia and soon got out of breath). I was told to sit in the main waiting room with my husband’s coat, jumper and walking stick. My husband came out of the X-ray and was told to sit in the main waiting room to wait for his results. So I stood up and help him put his coat on. They then came out and said everything was alright and to go and see his doctor in 10 days, so we had to stop at the mens toilet so my husband could put is jumper back on. Not once did anybody smile or asked was he alright. What happened to caring hospital staff? We got the impression that it was just a job...
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Responses

Response from Julie-Ann Bowden, Clinical Quality and Assurance Manager, NHS Central Lancashire 15 years ago
Julie-Ann Bowden
Clinical Quality and Assurance Manager,
NHS Central Lancashire
Submitted on 07/11/2008 at 20:50
Published on Care Opinion on 10/11/2008 at 00:00


Dear ANNOYED The NHS treats privacy and dignity as a priority but unfortunately on this occasion the experience you describe falls a long way short of what would be considered an acceptable level. Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust scored 9/10 for dignity and respect in the Healthcare Commission Annual Health Check 2007. Although this is an indication of the good work that the Trust has achieved in this area, your comments indicate that your husband experienced less than satisfactory consideration where privacy and dignity is concerned when he attended the X-ray Department. As the primary care organisation that provides funding for Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, I will ensure that your comments are passed through to the appropriate person to make them aware of your experience.
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