Male hospital staff

[ToadRage]

I don't really know how i feel about this or if I'm just being a bit precious. I had an appointment for a transvaginal ultrasound a couple of weeks ago. I was a bit shocked to find the sonographer was a man. A female nurse was present and she did all the talking, he barely said a word to me. I have had ultrasounds before but they have always been done by women. He was professional and nothing out of the ordinary happened but I felt a bit awkward as I haven't had a man down there except my husband in 20+ years, not even a male doctor. Am I wrong in thinking I should have been told it was going to be done by a man, maybe given the option to request a woman or AIBU?

I had a gynaecology issue and was sent to hospital to see the consultant. I also had six trainee doctors there, as it was a teaching hospital, and they were all men. The exam was very painful and I was in tears which the consultant didn’t even acknowledge, whilst they all slowly looked and poked around. I know trainees have to learn, but I wasn’t prepared for that and it was just awful, with no compassion or dignity whatsoever. I’m so sorry you also had a poor experience.

It is something that personally doesn’t bother me.

For any future appointments you may have, ask before hand for a female.

I had a transvaginal ultrasound two weeks ago and it warned me on the letter that it may be performed by male or a female. It was a female. I had requested a woman for my hysteroscopy, but I didn't end up having one. I had hysterectomy on Sunday which was vaginally assisted, and there were men in the operating theatre. You just have to not think about it.

*Hope you're okay OP. Some people are okay with things that you may not be, and vice versa. Hope you get answers and a resolution for your problems.

I would not want a man doing a transvaginal scan.

My first scan was done by a man. I honestly couldn't have cared less I was too happy to see my baby. He's a professional doing his job.

That said I can see how some women would be uncomfortable so I agree there should be an option.

1. equality means accepting just that
2. ability to pick and choose a specific sex would increase cost and we already pay too much for the nhs - it’s inefficient as it is

Let the guy do his job in the same way a female in a predominantly male dominated role should be allowed to do their job

@ToadRage

My smear tests were always done by males, my 2 colposcopies and the biopsy and the laparoscopic total hysterectomy were all done by males. A male did my episiotomy when I had my first.
I don’t know what the problem is? They are trained to do the job and since they must spend a hell of a lot of time dealing with a conveyor belt of problematic female bits, it won’t be of any interest to them on any other level.
It was even a male gave me a physical breast check at the hospital 30 odd years ago and asked if I’d mind if the students had a feel ..half of whom were young men. ..because they usually had to examine unhealthy breast and mine were apparently ok , despite the pains I had. So it was to let them know the difference ..which made me wonder if none had girlfriends but I didn’t say anything , just thought students needed to learn. The most recent exams were all women, though .

As a home carer, I had to deal with both sexes , washing, changing pads , dressing , undressing , taking to the toilet. You really don’t think about it the way people assume . It’s a job. Sometimes a mucky job. But it’s important to remember to give the people their dignity. It might be us, some day.

I don’t care who fixes me, if they’re qualified.

I had to go for a breast exam and I was put in a gown and a small room. Obviously nervous. In walks a man my dad’s age and starts examining my breasts, completely naked from the waist up I was. A nurse was in there acting as a chaperone. I felt sick. Wasn’t told a man would be doing it for one and I was embarrassed, scared and vulnerable. I told the nurse that he was nice but I wasn’t told it would be a male doing the exam and I felt really uncomfortable. She said I should have been informed but if I was to wait for a female doctor, I’d have been waiting months for an appointment as they don’t currently have one on service. Made me feel worse to be honest.

I had a transvag scan last year, thankfully I had two women. I've only ever had females doing my smear tests too, by chance not request. I'd feel uncomfortable with males performing either, but I wouldn't refuse one due to the waiting times, we can ill afford to be picky these days!

Recently, I had a colonoscopy. I was well aware this would be performed by a male Dr as I'd been sent all the details via letter. However, when I walked into the room in my paper gown and backless pantaloons, I wasn't prepared for there to be another male assistant present. It immediately put me on edge. Having 10 yards of hosepipe shoved up your jacksy while being gawped at by 3 people, two of which were blokes, was pretty horrific in all honesty.

That has given me a flashback. I had a breast examination done by a man too. It was seriously humiliating.

I had a procedure last year part of which involved a large ibuprofen suppository up my rear end. The nurse even asked if I wanted the males to step out while she did so. I said no thanks but it's good to be asked.

Here's one for breast screening;

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32331927/

Over 30% said they wouldn't attend - which is a hugely significant statistical value.

Another with actual non-attenders in the age group affected by breast screening;

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-025-23691-3

28% were worried a male would be present and therefore did not attend.

And for Gynaecology

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31583460/

When asked to choose, the most recent responses indicated 69% would prefer female gynaecologists.

Cervical Screening is another where the presence of a male is a significant factor in non attendance.

And the NHS really wouldn't have the right to request a professional of a particular sex enshrined in policy/charter/guidelines/whatever you wish to call it if it truly made no difference to the vast majority.

That's your choice - let others have theirs.

That's your choice - let others have theirs.

I was very uncomfortable to find 2 male Drs at my appointment, the second who was the consultant was patronising and didn’t listen to me at all. Unsurprisingly misdiagnosed only found out the problem after paying to have private test. I’m definitely against men doing this job.

This is not reality, it’s MN.

I had a breast examination after being allocated a surgeon. He was a man. I had been diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine scan, and at that point I really didn’t care whether the doctor was male or female, just as long as they knew what they were doing. Upthread somewhere it was mentioned that 30% of women say they would not attend a mammogram if the sonographer was male. Having been diagnosed with a large invasive tumour I had no idea was even there before a routine mammogram, I really don’t understand this attitude.

This.

That's not the point of the thread.

No, it was sarcasm, in answer to another poster.

I don’t know what the problem is?

You really can't even imagine what the issue might be, for some women? Religious reasons, past trauma...?

I had 10 years of IVF (privately) and my children were both privately too - had both male and female professionals look after me so this would not have bothered me.

Nothing you have described stops a woman getting the care she needs.

It might be a barrier to the care she wants, but that's something quite different, for which I do not believe taxpayers should be on the hook. NHS commisioning is always, and only, based on needs and affordability. Not wants.

It absolutely does stop women going for examinations and treatment.

Bollocks. you need it, it's there for you.

If it's not what you want, tough.