violet peably was the worlds first circus dwarf...

hello all...

hope your first weeks foray into 2006 has been pleasant so far...a little hospital tale for you..I had to have my CT scan the other day and as the scanner was not available at the private hospital that my Bupa pays for I was sent to the general hospital in Bedford. The following example shows just why the NHS has a lot to learn...I arrived at the reception, closed and no one in sight...a tatty sign says 'if noone around please sit down and someone will come soon' (as written)...I take a tatty seat and look at the dirt marks on the floor and the dust covered machinery lying redundant in the adjacent corridor. someone comes soon, just as the sign promised, she is very nice and explains the CT procedure to me...she then asks me to go over to a cubicle, strip off to undies, put on a smallish gown and come back and sit in the corridor. 'in the corridor' i laughed 'with the other people' i laughed again, noticing only then that she was serious. I then refused to sit in the corridor and asked if they could come and get me from the cubicle when they were ready. They did this but I had to walk through about 20 people whilst trying to maintain my dignity holding a gown together at the back. Do they really believe that people cannot get traumatised by things like this...how fucking humiliating. I walked into the scan room and the nurse looked at me and said 'how heavy are you, you might break my table' (really as spoken)...she then weighed me in front of everyone and told them i was under the max weight so they should give me a go!...The scan proceeded and half way through the table got stuck ...she had glee shouting ' i told you he was too big'...a nice lady came over and moved the table a little and all order was restored and the scan finished. I was then told that the cubicles were all full and I had to change there and then before i left the scan room. I left in a hurry not wishing to cause them any more bother.
Thats it really but it saddens me that this is how every average joe is treated by NHS staff in the UK. Would this have happened at The Manor Hospital had they had a scanner, no it bloody wouldn't and I certainly wouldn't mind paying a few more quid to at least get the treatment and dignity that every person deserves. Dear loud mouthed bitch at the CT Scanner room Bedford South Wing Hospital...Fuck You!