"All of the staff were very kind, professional and supportive"

About: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary / Gynaecology Services

(as the patient),

I attended the post-menopausal bleeding clinic over a week ago. I found my procedure exceptionally painful ( I believe most women find it mildly uncomfortable) 

I wanted to thank the doctor who stopped the procedure to offer me alternative methods of treatment and for administering the local anesthetic which was very helpful. All of the staff were very kind  professional and supportive, including the medical student.

I had initially phoned to cancel the appointment as according to the information I was sent, the procedure could not be performed if I had my period. The person on the other end of the phone was very polite and did not enquire why I needed to cancel until I offered up the information that my period was due on the appointment date. Only then was I informed that the procedure could still take place regardless. I highlighted the written info I had been given with the appointment date. The call handler told me that the information had not been updated but that it was not a problem. This may have caused a unnecessary delay in treatment and diagnosis for me and the possibility of an empty appointment space for the service. Please ensure all information provided to your biopsy patients are updated. 

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Responses

Response from Alice Ritchie, Interim Lead Nurse, Women's Services, NHS Grampian nearly 2 years ago
Alice Ritchie
Interim Lead Nurse, Women's Services,
NHS Grampian
Submitted on 04/11/2022 at 12:31
Published on Care Opinion at 12:31


Good morning Bizzylizzy

Firstly, I would like to apologise for the length of time it has taken to respond to your feedback.

I'm sorry to hear that you found the procedure to be exceptionally painful at our post-menopausal bleeding clinic. Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict how each individual patient will respond to treatments. However, I am glad that you found the team to be accommodating and responded to your discomfort by stopping the procedure and administering a local anesthetic to reduce any pain you experienced.

It was a delight to hear that you found the team to be kind, professional and supportive throughout your appointment. The team always strive to make our patients experience as comfortable as possible and put them at ease.

Thank you for highlighting the error on our information sheets that were sent out to you prior to your appointment. You are correct in saying that this could have resulted in delayed treatment and diagnosis, and I must apologise for this. As a result, I have spoken directly to our clinic coordinator to have this rectified as a matter of urgency.

Feedback is vital for us to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our patients and I appreciate the time it has taken you to share your experience, with your kind words shared with the team.

I wish you all the best in your recovery

Kind regards

Alice Ritchie

Clinical Nurse Manager

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