"Unprofessional and humiliating"

As a result of fibroids, I was referred to the Gynaecological Department of Thornbury BMI in Sheffield by my GP as an NHS patient. Following two initial consultations and a scan (which were fine) I attended Thornbury hospital on to have the Mirena coil fitted. The experience was absolutely awful.

One of the consultants had clearly not read my notes and had forgotten why I was there. They then went to find a coil and some nurses to help while I got undressed and lay on the bed with the a tiny towel provided to cover me. The two nurses arrived but didn't bother to introduce themselves to me. They were too busy chatting with the doctor who was keen to tell them how tired he was and how he just wanted to get home. One nurse went out to find the doctor the right size gloves but when they came back the doctor had put some on that were too big and was already inserting the speculum (this was done without any explanation to me). One of the nurses told the other nurse that they didn't want to wait for the correct gloves as they wanted to get home. The doctor then went to look for a particular instrument to dilate the cervix. The nurses had never heard of the thing they wanted and offered something else which they said was no good as it was for a different purpose. They rummaged through the drawers to no avail and so one nurse went out to call theatre to ask if they had one.

Meanwhile I was left with a speculum inserted and no explanation as to what was going on. The nurse finally came back and said she'd been told to go to theatre to have a look but the doctor said they didn't want to wait so he'd make do with the instrument he'd previously said was not appropriate. The nurses again made jokes about them wanting to get home and they continued to talk about what a long day they'd had, what time they'd started working at the other place and how tired they were.

All of this was obviously not at all reassuring. I felt completely ignored and like a slab of meat on a block. It was not until the doctor noticed I was crying from the horrible pain the procedure was inflicting that a nurse approached me and provided some attempt at comforting me. The doctor then gave me a local anaesthetic and the pain lessened.

After the procedure I was asked to sit up (covered only by the towel provided). The doctor started doing paperwork and the nurses cleared up. Again I felt I was ignored as I had to ask them to bring me my clothes and draw the curtain so I could dress. The doctor put my address stickers on various pieces of paper then said "I've put them on the wrong papers, I'm so tired I don't know what I'm doing" Not what you want to hear from someone who has been 'operating' on you. The doctors parting remarks as I left the room were, "well let's hope it works after all that pain". Then as an after thought he decided to give me some advice about possible bleeding whilst in the waiting room where anyone could hear.

I have never felt so humiliated in my life. I cried all evening and couldn't sleep that night. I have been though 5 IUI and IVF procedures in the past so am well used to gynaecological procedures but I have never in all that time been made to feel so awful.

I would never recommend this hospital to anyone. The only good thing I can say about it is that it was easy to get an appointment. The doctor was appalling, totally unprofessional, unprepared had clearly not heard of bedside manners.