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"Consultant lacking in bedside manner"

About: St Albans City Hospital

I've gone for 2 colposcopies and 2 additional appt so far. The nurses have all been lovely - in fact, my first colposcopy was done by a nurse who made me feel very comfortable and walked me through every step. The consultant I've seen on 3 occasions, however, has no bedside manner, was quite rough in examination, and is not forthcoming with information. I was then meant to have a Loop Excision procedure. Prior to going to this appt, I read online that if there was any chance I was pregnant, I should alert the consultant. When I went in for this procedure, I was surprised that the consultant did not ask me proactively if it was a possibility I might be pregnant - they were ready to proceed without confirming if I could potentially be pregnant. So thankful I had researched online as I raised this point, they then asked me to take a pregnancy test which came back borderline (and I was indeed pregnant as it turned out), in which case they cannot do the procedure (it would result in a miscarriage). The consultant seemed annoyed more than anything and we agreed that if I was pregnant, we would have a follow up colposcopy when I was around 5 months pregnant (the loop excision would be put off till after birth). I went in for my follow up colposcopy today. Again saw the same consultant who again lacked any sort of bedside manner. It was also the most painful and abrupt examination I have had. Given the intimacy of these kinds of exams, and the knowledge that some women will likely feel anxious in these examinations, I would have expected the consultant to help put me at ease and, if the patient is giving signs of distress, I'd expect them to be more gentle and try and help me relax. None of this was the case - again, the nurse was lovely. Given the consultant would have been happy to do a loop excision on me without first checking if I could be pregnant and then was very rough in his examination today, I would not recommend them nor will I be going back for my loop excision procedure.

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