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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

People walking in during gynae appointment

195 replies

Over40Overdating · 27/10/2023 12:34

I know I’m not BU but my GP surgery beg to differ!

I had a routine gynae exam earlier this week and over the span of 10 minutes, 2 people walked into the room without knocking - one male, one female, both patients.
I was behind the curtain so they didn’t see anything but I was naked from the waist down & in stirrups!

Even after the second interruption the nurse refused to lock the door as it’s ‘not policy’ and when I complained to the front desk they shrugged and said it was an error, out of their control and nothing happened so what’s the problem.

Surely door locks exist for this reason & it’s not unreasonable to expect to have a gynae exam without worrying about who else might walk into the room unannounced?!

OP posts:
PrudeyTwoShoes · 27/10/2023 13:33

I had my smear test a month or two ago. The nurse informed me that she WOULD lock the door. At the very least there should be a sign to say the room is in use. And I'm unsure why the patients were wandering around anyway? Surely, like any practice, you wait in the waiting area and are collected by a nurse/doctor from there and taken directly to the consultation room. Very odd.

FairlySane · 27/10/2023 13:33

At our surgery when the light is on above the GP’s door it means that they are busy with a patient - don’t come in.
Unknown to me, and a guy who lives a couple of roads down from me, a light on above the nurses door means come in - I’m free.

So there I am stripped from the waist, legs in the stirrups waiting for the nurse to do her thing when a guy a that I vaguely recognise as a neighbour comes into the room.

Big shock for us both as he quickly backs out of the room. I’m pretty upset by this but the bloody nurse is busy outside consoling the guy because “ it must have been very embarrassing for him”. 😡

For years I would see him in the local shop, at the bus stop, in the pub. Totally humiliating.

Housechat · 27/10/2023 13:33

@bronkie - that’s your take away from this?

therealcookiemonster · 27/10/2023 13:37

formal complaint territory.

MrsApplepants · 27/10/2023 13:40

This happened to me when having a smear in 2008. A random man entered the room mid smear. There were no curtains and I was totally exposed. No one actually gave a shit. I moved GP practices but I have not had another smear since and won’t ever again.

skyeisthelimit · 27/10/2023 13:41

I would definitely complain to the practice manager about this. Our nurses always lock the door if you are having a smear. They locked it this week when I had an ECG as I was lying there in my bra.

It is a huge invasion of privacy , and the curtain is irrelevant, what if they decide to pull that back as well.

There should also be signs saying "knock and wait until asked to come in", to make it crystal clear that nobody just opens a door and walks in

BlueMongoose · 27/10/2023 13:41

DinoDaddy · 27/10/2023 12:36

So you were behind a curtain the whole time?

Newsflash: Curtains are not soundproof.

Namechange666 · 27/10/2023 13:42

At my gps, the door was locked even during a flu jab!

Never ever heard of that. I would challenge this so called policy with data protection and or any body above the gps. That isn't on!

NeunundneunzigHorseBallonz · 27/10/2023 13:43

You need to write or email the practice manager and let them know how upsetting/humiliating and off-putting that was and when you complained to the staff you were dismissed. This is really poor behaviour!

Seaweed42 · 27/10/2023 13:46

I'd formally complain.

hashbrownsandwich · 27/10/2023 13:49

I'm a HCP and I get REALLY cross if people come in to the room while I'm consulting. It boils my piss when they knock AS they are coming in, rendering knocking entirely pointless anyway!

I would make a formal complaint.

I lock the door if any form of clothing removal.

Only thing I can think they might retort with is staff safety.

dutysuite · 27/10/2023 13:49

I've had smears when people have walked in - one man looking for his wife! The bed was facing the door, but thankfully this time I was given a blue paper towel so I was covered with just my legs exposed. I've had another where the room had a window at pavement level and I could see people talking past and another time where staff have just come in needing things. My new surgery has a waiting room and then locked double doors leading to all the rooms - can only be accessed when a doctor or nurse comes out and calls the patients name.

Pollyannamex · 27/10/2023 13:50

I would be furious about this too

Jethia · 27/10/2023 13:50

Very poor practice.
Definitely write to Practice manager so this can be investigated and steps put in place to make sure doesn't happen again.
Patients shouldn't ever be walking into a clinic room anyway whatever the circumstances. They surely sit in the waiting area until called?
Our surgery has a main waiting area for GPs and then another small area down a short corridor for the 2 nurses rooms but there are signs saying to take a seat until you're called.

SirenSays · 27/10/2023 13:56

Definitely complain! I was at a hospital appointment standing naked from the waist down when a nurse walked in as she knocked, showing my body to the entire waiting room. She apologised profusely but I'm still angry about it.

EvelynKatie · 27/10/2023 13:59

I've had smears done in 3 different GP practises and at each one the nurse has always locked the door! I would definitely complain.

MapleSyrupWaffles · 27/10/2023 13:59

That's awful. I think they need much clearer communication/signs on the door.

As a patient, I hate not having signs to let me know what to do. At my surgery, you wait in a large general waiting room, and then a buzzer sounds with your name on the screen directing you to a room elsewhere in the building. I never know when I get there if I'm expected to go straight in or knock or what. Or if I get sent off to do a sample or whatever, then when I come back, whether to knock again. It makes me a bit nervous and stressed, and that's just normal appointments - much worse if it's something intimate like a smear or a sensitive discussion about something.

WeightoftheWorld · 27/10/2023 14:06

Honestly shocked to read this, completely unacceptable and I'm so sorry that happened to you. My GP practice always lock the door before doing any examination that is remotely intimate/involves any sort of undressing.

Definitely put in a complaint. I would have been so so anxious if that had happened to me.

SkaneTos · 27/10/2023 14:09

bronkie · 27/10/2023 13:32

Stirrups in a GP's surgery? That sounds very OTT.

Why?
I have been in stirrups in a GP's surgery.

Allthecatseverywhereallatonce · 27/10/2023 14:11

Aldicrispsareshit · 27/10/2023 12:45

Complain and take it to the CQC If they continue to dismiss your concerns.

Exactly this and tell them you are reporting it. Whenever I have smear tests the door is always locked.
Dreadful for you. Also why were patients able to access clinical areas?
I never understand how clinicians don't consider how they would feel in this situation. I am a clinician and I do consider this.

Pruntysisters · 27/10/2023 14:11

I very much doubt they have a policy saying the door can’t be locked but if it is so it needs to be changed.

Do complain to the Practice Manager.

Star0Fire · 27/10/2023 14:11

When I had my smear test she locked he door and told me she was locking it so no one accidentally walks in

DiaNaranja · 27/10/2023 14:14

Do most people not knock before entering a room at the doctors? I always knock even when called to whichever room they want me to go to, I still knock just incase they've told me to go to the wrong room. I don't understand why patients were wandering around anyway, surely everyone just sits in the waiting room until they're called in for their appointment? No, you're not being unreasonable to expect privacy during what is already a bit of a daunting and vulnerable situation to be in. I don't understand why they don't put a sign up to say "do not enter, examination in progress" if this is a regular occurrence at your practice, which, considering it happened twice during one appointment, seems to be the case!

SkaneTos · 27/10/2023 14:14

ManateeFair · 27/10/2023 13:07

I would have agreed with this at one time, but my brother had a couple of grim experiences with people failing to ensure privacy/dignity when he had a couple of surgeries on a particularly personal area, and my mum was upset at the lack of privacy for my dad during a catheter procedure in hospital a couple of years ago.

Show quote history

That's terrible for your brother, and for your father. Everyone has the right to privacy and dignity during a medical treatment.

Arniesleftleg · 27/10/2023 14:14

@DinoDaddy what difference does it make if she's behind a curtain or not? Her privacy should be respected.