"Exceptional Levels of Care and Understanding"

I recently had to attend the Gatehouse Clinic at Ayrshire Central hospital for a complex issue which wasn't clearing up.

I was seen by Dr Skaaning twice over a few weeks where she quickly helped me feel at ease despite the awkwardness of my situation. She was able to talk me through the possible causes and treatments in a comprehensible manner though without condescension and offered me support when I was anxious about the possible progression of the issue.

Dr Skaaning was extremely thorough in investigating my issue, even seeking out a rare condition and checking if I could possibly have had contact with it.

And what I found by far the most impactful was that Dr Skaaning spoke to me as an equal, including me in the decision making and explaining her thought processes, inviting me to share any thoughts I might have in case they gave her useful info.

I have had some extremely negative experiences with the health service in my life, to the point that I am often reticent to seek care when I need it. She never made me feel like my presence was a burden, or like it was my fault. She helped me to understand what was going on with myself and made me feel better about needing help.

Overall it was actually very affirming. It's truly amazing that a situation in which I'm needing to attend the Gatehouse Clinic I actually walk out feeling quite positive, and that was entirely down to the excellent work of Dr Skaaning.