It's a tough call to be back here again, but due to experiences recently, the obvious choice for a blog post was around medical care. But this time, we want to look at it a bit differently. Bear with!
So, you're in pain (well C is in this instance). Dislocated shoulder anyone? But me being me, and NOT wanting to be a bother, burden, drain on resources...and equally not wanting to be touched or examined, opted for self help. Twice in a week I popped it back in (popped is such a gentle word for the actual experience which was much more gritty!) But eventually, even I accepted help was necessary.
Now, we've talked before about how difficult just booking an appointment is for someone who feels "triggered" or "activated" by everything that happens. But recently, my experience has been doctors and nurses who have been kind, caring and compassionate. However, both this time and my last visit, the reception staff were cold and quite honestly brutal. Both times I would have left if I were alone.
And, I tell you, as the ‘supporting person’ (G) I feel like my role is both “voice” for C – but also “appeaser” – middleman – to ‘broker’ between patient and receptionist; but it’s pretty hard being an advocate when you feel like YOU are also being treated like you are the biggest PROBLEM going!
I admit, even I was “out” in this instance; but I knew (damn straight!) that we were NOT leaving until C had been seen.
When had the injury occurred? Why hadn’t you come sooner? That’s not a minor injury! Put that all in the context of the injured person being in pain and having done her best to NOT be stood in front of you. I was FLABBERGHASTED by the lack of (my favourite word) compassion!
They were not busy; it wasn’t like C was queue jumping – what was the problem?!
Now, I totally get the stress and pressure in surgeries. Public facing roles are hard. But we need to be thinking of trauma informed for all staff. There's no point having brilliant doctors if the patient is too distressed to get beyond the waiting room.
And the biggest JOKE (excuse me!!!) is that the doctors and nurses seem to know that there is an issue (only with some receptionists) – but some is not none, which is what it needs to be for EVERYONE to get a fair “chance” at care, No?!
The (what was he?!) young man in training (work experience?!) GOT IT; he read the room – could see the pain, could feel (hear) the frustrations and he was the person who helped C, rather than treating her like a problem who should have gone to A&E and not be darkening the GP’s door!
My only guess for Mrs Receptionist was that C wasn’t following the protocol that she had been taught once upon a time and stuck to like a limpet!
But…maybe it was the kindness that was being shown by her colleague, or the realisation that kindness SHOULD be in her remit too…she actually came as close (as I reckon possible for her) to apologising to us and reassuring us about the fact that Yes, we would be seen (no thanks to you luv…was what I felt like saying!)
In schools we train all staff in responding to trauma, providing everyone with the opportunity to have access to good quality care and support; but SURELY access to healthcare, that setting, is the bottom line, given, where staff need to make that gateway not only accessible, but your available right.
As we have said we are supporting some medical students and they understand the need, – we’re helping train the next generation of medics, and they see the need so much so that they are writing training to be a mandatory part of the future courses for medics coming through. However…the reception staff, if we do not reach them, what does it matter? THEY’RE the ones we also need to be targeting; SOME not NONE…!!!
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