"Contraceptive clinic"

About: Sexual Health / Contraception Service Sexual Health Contraception Service Portadown BT63 5QQ The Lakes Family Practice The Lakes Family Practice Craigavon BT65 5BE https://lakesfp.co.uk/index.aspx

Posted by Danez45 (as the patient), 15 months ago

Went to a different town as my own GP practice no longer offered the service I needed.
Front reception was closed, it said any enquiries use the phone provided. When I rang for 5 minutes no one answered. I then spent ten minutes wandering the halls trying to find anyone/a light on to ask was I even in the right building. Finally found a delivery driver who said the building was closed today but try round there as there was a light on and maybe someone to ask
A staff member (who was a GP) opened the door and rudely stated that they were closed! and closed the door in my face without letting me speak. I knocked again and asked can you at least tell me am I in the correct building? To which they replied, sarcastically that they guessed not as they were closed.
Eventually they read my letter and told me I was supposed to be in a different place and pointed to where I had just walked around for ten minutes. I was 15 minutes early to my appointment. At this stage I was now 1 minute late.
They were very impatient as they let a big sulk out that they had to walk a couple of paces to point to the particular corridor.
When I got to the waiting room a staff member asked where is my urine sample? I said I wasn’t told to bring one and it says on the letter only bring it if stated to do so. They smirked and asked me was I not there for my implant.
Again when I asked where the bathroom was I got a quick point in a general direction. I asked where exactly and they told me back down where I’d just walked from. At this stage I’ve walked everywhere so can’t even remember where I’ve just came from. If anyone was to watch the cameras back of me completely lost looking in rooms for a bathroom.
I think they forget people haven’t maybe been there before, or maybe that they’re also nervous getting a mini procedure done!
However, the nurse who done the procedure was lovely, patient and bubbly.
Cried all the way home at how horrible the other staff members and how lost I felt.

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Responses

Kate Gribben

Lead Nurse Contraception and Sexual Health (CASH), Integrated Maternity and Women's Health,

Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Lead Nurse Contraception & Sexual Health, SHSCT.

Submitted on 10/08/2023 at 17:01

Published on Care Opinion on 11/08/2023 at 09:37

Good afternoon
Thank you for taking the time to share your very personal experience of attending our Contraceptive service. As Lead Nurse I was very disappointed to read this feedback and wish to apologise that you were made to feel this way – this is not what we would expect or want for our service.
As a result of this feedback I have met with staff this morning to address the issues raised and hopefully we have come up with some measures to try to improve experiences in the future – this includes that;
- staff always greet client with ‘Hello My Name is… ‘ and then ask how they can help them.
- staff discreetly ask if they have brought a urine sample & walk them to toilet area close to reception
- staff give client urine sample bottle & pot
This morning I put up tall wheeled wipe board at Reception with our service name & directions to waiting area. I have also spoken to facility manager & receptionist regarding guiding clients to correct treatment room waiting area. I am also going to produce posters for Clinic to direct clients to waiting area today & these will be displayed going forward.
The difficulty as you have stated is that the Reception Area is closed from midday. Therefore no one is at Reception desk or GP reception area- this will not change going forward unfortunately - but to try to address this we will when texting our patients;
- Give Brownlow Health Centre number Tel: 028 3756 3938 for client to ring to let staff know they have arrived.
- Ask staff to state that the Health Centre is called Brownlow Health Centre – Legahory with postcode included (BT65 5BE)
I have also shared with the member of staff of carried out your procedure your lovely comments – she was very grateful to receive this.
Thank you again for this feedback we really value feedback to improve service and I hope that these measures will improve the service moving forward.
Kind regards
Kate Gribben
Lead Nurse

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Update posted by Danez45 (the patient) 15 months ago

Hello Kate,
Thankyou so much for taking the time to acknowledge my negative experience. I really appreciate your response and I am thankful you had a meeting to help resolve the issues.
The new signs in place will definitely help patients who have maybe never been there or just nervous!
Thankyou again Kate,
kind regards

Kate Gribben

Lead Nurse Contraception and Sexual Health (CASH), Integrated Maternity and Women's Health,

Southern Health and Social Care Trust

Lead Nurse Contraception & Sexual Health, SHSCT.

Submitted on 26/10/2023 at 10:34

Published on Care Opinion at 11:11

In Photo: L-R- Kate Gribben Interim Lead Contraception Service SHSCT & Senior Nurse Oonagh Curran.

Dear Danz45,
Above are the posters and new pop up banner for Contraception Service in SHSCT. We made these changes as a result of your feedback. So I want to thank you sincerely for taking the time to share your experience with us. Included on pop up banner is a new QR code for clients to self refer into Contraception Service..
As our SHSCT strapline states we are all about:
Quality Care - for you, with you.
Moving forward we believe these small changes will help our clients.
Kind regards,
Kate Gribben.
Interim Team Lead Contraception Service- SHSCT.

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