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?

I’m surprised you were so embarrassed by this.

I wouldn’t want the receptionist saying aloud my problems or saying pregnancy test or STI test.

But the smear test is a routine appointment and is no different from saying you’re over due your flu jab.

I’m not sure why you felt so embarrassed but I’m wondering if there is some guilt because you don’t have them and you feel pressured to do so.

Every woman of a certain age should have the option of a smear test. It's down to them to decide whether to have the test or not.

You can get cervical cancer if you haven’t had sex, the chances are low but it is still a possibility.

@nahhh88 is it possible that your own awkwardness is making the receptionist seem louder than they were.

Your cervical screening is really important , why are you reluctant to take the test?

If it is due to vagina embarrassment not catching the cancer early is going to put you in much worse more embarrassing situations

Guilt? What an odd thing to say. Why should OP feel guilty?

But erectile dysfunction isn’t a routine appointment and someone overhearing may think you have a problem.

I believe prostate exams are routine like smear tests are and someone being told they’re overdue a prostate exam shouldn’t feel embarrassed or that their private information is given out, the same as a routine smear test or flu jab.

I’m sure she didn’t actually shout it but it sounds like you are easily embarrassed, it’s not as though she was actually sharing your medical details . All you needed to say was ‘ I’m opting out ‘ , it’s not anything to be embarrassed about and you don’t have to explain why you don’t want one .

Why do so many posters lack imagination. Just because you don’t get embarrassed, you expect all others to feel
the same? And of course, saying, ‘it’s nothing to be embarrassed about’ will get rid of someone’s self-conscious feelings in a flash.

Saying her smear test is due, is a medical detail.

@Miguelitaa not really in the same league as ‘you’ve got HIV / hepatitis ‘ etc though is it . Half the population have smear tests , would a man be embarrassed if they said your PSA test is due ? I doubt it unless they were particularly sensitive .

’Smear test’ over here is HPV screening and HPV is an STD so I don’t understand why it’s ‘still important’ for a virgin to attend their screening?

I thought the only reason they might say virgins should still attend was in case people have different ideas and definitions of ‘virgin’. But if you have essentially never had sexual contact/activity with somebody then the risk of the std HPV is zero and there’s no point attending the smear?

It's not that I have shame over smear tests specifically, just that I regard them as more of a sensitive/personal test than say a flu jab or blood test. I had to have a colonoscopy recently and felt the same way about that - it's just something I don't want loudly talked about in the GP waiting area where I tend to run into people I know.

It wasn't my imagine that it was loud - it generally was. I could hear the people in front of me's entire conversation with the receptionist too including their DOB, full name, address and the medication they are on despite standing way back from their desk to try and give them as much privacy as possible. There was a man trying to hand in a stool sample discretely, but the receptionist's indiscretion made that impossible for him.

There is absolutely no privacy, as the chairs for the waiting area are around a metre away from the receptionist's desk. The receptionists also have a perspex screen which makes them raise their voices even more.

I wouldn’t want the receptionist saying aloud my problems or saying pregnancy test or STI test.

A smear basically is testing for an STI though

That’s really not the point. Confidentiality should apply to all medical info. It’s not up to us to pick and choose what we consider embarrassing or not.

All these people telling you what you should and shouldn't be embarrassed about OP. That's you told!

I think the way doctors receptions are set out is nearly always too public! I don't want to discuss anything relating to my health with a room full of strangers and it amazes me that more receptions are not more private. Probably a hangover for when you asked for an appointment and it was given, not triaged or delved into by non-medical professionals.

Was asked loudly 'what's the problem?' When I went into my new doctors surgery this week - again this is private to me and not something I want to share! And they do tend to shout as there's usually some kind of screen. I don't blame you for being put out OP.

YANBU, you are not being sensitive about this at all.
Considering how many posters have virtually tutted you for being over due, could you imagine if someone in the waiting room had actually said something that you overheard?

And to the people saying smears are an everyday thing and you should not be embarrassed. They are literally only an everyday thing to the nurses doing them. Once every 3 years is not every day, and it is understandable that many women struggle with them. But on MN, you are selfish/idiotic if you don't have a smear.

Not sure half the population have them... But in any case, a person's being up to date (or not) with routine, or any other type of tests is confidential information. Whether the tests are embarrassing or not.

I used to get invitations for smear tests with "confidential" and "for the attention of addressee only" on the envelope.
So, your family/DP aren't allowed to open your letter and know about it, but randoms in a waiting rooms (who may or may not be strangers) you can have no privacy from, it seems.🤷‍♀️

How exactly is HPV spread that isn’t in a sexual context? (And not something that might apply in a bizarre million-to-one odds type situation)

If someone doesn’t need an HPV screening than not attending is surely best in terms of saving the NHS time and money?

Perhaps guilt is the wrong word.

I know my sister doesn’t have smear tests and gets very defensive when it’s brought up.
Even if it’s me saying I’ve got one and not even mentioning her.

I think many women who choose not to have them feel like this.

In my area of the UK the sample taken is tested for HPV first, and only if it's positive are the cells checked. So if someone doesn't have HPV, and has a cervical cancer not caused by HPV, it will not be found.

If someone has never been sexually active and this has pretty much zero chance of having HPV, how is cervical screening going to detect non HPV cancer? The sample will be HPV negative and won't be checked any further.

Nobody should be able to hear the interaction between you and the receptionist. I would lose my shit if a gp receptionist spoke about my private medical issues, routine or not, within earshot of the bored waiting room listeners avid for some distraction!

I would not tolerate it at all. No exceptions. I don't live in UK and it wouldn't happen in my practice. The reception is in a separate cubicle/office. Lucky me.

Yes, a virgin (in the sense of never having any kind of sexual contact with anybody else) having a smear is just a waste of NHS time, money and resources 🤷‍♀️

I'm not embarrassed about my address (it's a nice house 😁) but it's still confidential information and shouldn't be blabbered all over a waiting room without my consent. Same applies to test status.

Embarrassment is not the issue.

Do you also think we should be screened regularly for the numerous other cancers that are statistically far more common in women? I'm guessing the answer is yes.

Christ, all these people saying "get booked in" ....🤦🏽‍♀️ and to a virgin who had the HPV vaccine.