To not what the GP receptionist to loudly proclaim that I'm overdue for a smear test in the waiting room?

[nahhh88]

I went into the GP surgery for a completely unrelated manner, and when the GP receptionist pulled up my profile she said I'm overdue for my smear test, and did I want to book in for the smear test. I just said I'll book it another time and tried to get her to stop talking. I've never had a smear test as I'm a virgin and had the HPV vaccines as a teenager, and I have no intention of having one done any time soon.

I felt really embarrassed knowing everyone in the waiting room will have heard (the chairs are all very close to the reception desk, there's no privacy so you end up knowing everyone's private medical details said aloud for everyone to hear. As I walked out this old man made eye contact with me and I just felt really embarrassed by it.

AIBU to think GP receptions need to have more privacy and things handled more quietly and sensitively?

Put in a complaint. It is irrelevant wether it’s a smear test or anything else. A doctors receptionist should know to keep their voice low and show some discretion when asking people about anything personal.

Although she shouldn't be shouting ANY medical information across the room. Stop being so prudish, its a smear and no woman should be embarrassed over them

I don’t get why people are actually like no-one should have the audacity to think that there is something more private about a smear test than a flu jab. That there’s no big deal what’s the issue everyone knows you have a vagina.

Well, yes, some people do feel more private about it. If there wasn’t something different about your genitals than say your arm, why on earth would we teach children the pants song?? What’s in your pants… IS kind of private and why can’t someone want some sort of discretion from a healthcare provider???

You might want to look into the statistics. They're really interesting. My mum remembers when women were campaigning to get smear tests. It's interesting how medical investigations and rationale change over time.

and why am I a conspiracy theorist? If a man refuses regular prostate screening, is he a conspiracy theorist too?

This! I long for the days that private matters were private!

I'd like to presume your embarrassment was at being overdue for an extremely useful medical test and your lack of getting your health sorted, but I know that it was because it's cervix/gynae related. It could have been literally any overdue test, smear or blood pressure or medication review, and the receptionist would've said it in the same way. Or do you not want to be made aware of a screening test that could save your life? How is the receptionist to know whether it's a conscientious refusal or lack of awareness that it exists? She has a responsibility to make sure you are informed.

@nahhh88

OP, I don't suppose the old man even knew what a smear test was. That's if his hearing was good enough to catch the conversation in the first place. Most old men I know are too absorbed with their own million and one health issues to give a monkey's about a random stranger's.

Of course they can't.

I get private HPV tests which is the same thing and you can do them from the comfort of your own home. As long as it comes back negative there's no need for anyone to go near my cervix.

So would you feel some kind of pruience or embarrassment it you overheard a receptionist telling a man he was due a PSA (prostatic Specific Antigen)?

I know what you mean. A previous doctor I went to had a surgery that opened directly onto the waiting room. Every single appointment as I opened the door to leave, she would say loudly "do we need to discuss contraception?" No, Doctor. Given that my sex life is as dry as the Kalahari, we don't.... And you couldn't ask me that when I was sat at your desk?
My fat, spotty, teenage self used to be very embarrassed.

Having said that, I'm largely in your favour.
She should not have spoken so openly about ANY medical matters.

I mean there’s worse things that could be mentioned on a reception. Hopefully they wouldn’t be.
Presumably you are visibly female in which case it’s 99% obvious you are due smears at some point. Ok the overdue bit is confidential but if she had said you were due your flu jab/ asthma review can we book you in? would you have the same reaction?

It’s not like she told you that your flaps smelt and you didn’t wash. She just said a potentially life saving totally normal medical test was overdue. Unless the rest of the world don’t know you have a cervix what is the issue?

Yanbu, a polite complaint and request for training is appropriate.

Your medical information is private.

That's AWFUL, kitten!

YABU.

Being eligible for a national screening campaign isn’t really personal medical information. Are you embarrassed to have a cervix?

Flu jab (as some have compared it to) would actually be giving out more information because listeners could deduce you have a long term condition or are pregnant if you’re being offered one.

I think it must be an unspoken rule that no matter how nice the rest of them are, there always has to be THAT receptionist! When I was seventeen, in the late 70s, I requested to go on the pill. The doctor was fine about it, but when I shyly approached the receptionist in the crowded room after my appointment, she gave me an absolutely filthy look and said in a loud ringing tone, "Sign here for THE PILL!".

I'm now in my early sixties and the memory still makes me cringe!

Eh?

It would be the man's potential embarrassment or annoyance that is the issue here: it is his condition that's being announced and his confidentiality that is being breached. Not that of any other patients who happen to overhear.

So many people on here saying "no need to be embarrassed, so don't be".

Like it's that easy?

If the OP finds the state of her cervix being discussed in front of a queue of strangers embarrassing then she's perfectly entitled to feel that way.

She can't help it, and being told she's being over sensitive and/or ridiculous is hardly going to help.

OP, if I were you and was upset by the receptionist's handling of the situation, I'd write a polite, factual letter to the practice manager and inform them of exactly what was said and in what circumstances. Nothing will change if you don't let them know you're unhappy.

Surgeries should be better designed. At my dentist, the reception area is just as you walk in and the waiting room further on.

Many medical centres are planned from scratch, rather being adapted residential buildings, so it wouldn't take much to design them with privacy in mind.

No-one wants the world and his wife to know about their medical issues.

OP is too embarrassed to even come back to the thread it seems.

Oh that's awful.
I hate having to give details over the phone too.
Even the beautician
They repeat everything - your name, your phone number and what your appointment is for.
"So that's Ms sadforthem at xxxxxxx and you're having a brazilian at 3pm on Friday. Is that correct ?"
Grrrrrrrrrrr

This.

I can't imagine a bloke would have been spoken to in the same way if his prostate blood test was overdue either.

The only thing embarrassing about other people hearing that your smear test is overdue, is that they know you're crap about making timely medical appointments. Everyone knows (although I doubt anyone would care) that you have a cervix. That's literally all there is to it.

Nowadays as PP's said, the initial tests are just for HPV in the sample. If there's no HPV in the sample, they're not even sending it on for tests for abnormal cells etc. Not at my place, anyway.