NHS Mask Shamed/Discrimination, escalating action (thread 2)

[Maskwoes]

First thread: Mask shamed (disability), complain? (Some TMI) http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/3978398-mask-shamed-disability-complain-some-tmi

It's been almost a year since I made my original post, and the after effects are deeply ingrained in my soul. I've had my piece published in Laura Dodsworth's book "A State of Fear" too.

I complained through PALS and my concerns were escalated to a senior nurse at the MIU, where my concerns were met with pure disdain, an attitude of "fuck you, wear a mask, protect everyone, I don't give two shits about the impact on your mental health". She also wrote that any questioning regarding lack of masks would be gentler and more private - things I know have not been implemented.

I've taken legal advice to determine my legal position and I'm told I have a strong case as the MIU stance contravened governmental coronavirus regulations and the impact to my mental health is shocking. Also that my mental health conditions, including PTSD and GAD from the sexual assault, and how they affect me are enshrined as a protected characteristic (Equality Act) and their actions were in contravention of this and direct disability discrimination.

I'm about to escalate up the chain to CCG, then CQC, then sue. Why sue? Why do I feel the consuming rage to take money from the cash strapped NHS? Because it's the only language they will understand - the only thing that will force accountability and responsibility on them. I can then directly pay privately for counselling.

@Glowbuggy

People are DYING. Wear a mask.

Ah - the capital letters school of argument. Often seen in the posts of the MN Covid police. I'm only disappointed that you didn't point out that we're in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC as well.

@Themeparklover

I have Asperger's and claustrophobia induced ptsd due to being held hostage along with hypoxemia of the lung and still wear a mask as best as I can to protect others and help others out, what would warrant not wearing one

Congratulations. What on earth is your point? What on earth has your situation got to do with the OP's situation?

I can't believe that you don't realise that the OP is not you and thus might react to any number of situations differently. Is that really beyond your understanding?

What @FrankensteinIsTheMonster says sums it up perfectly.

Given NHS Trusts have litigation departments dedicated to this, dealing with legal action day in day out I can safely say that your claim will be one of thousands. Not about mask wearing. More about people getting the wrong treatment or delayed treatment.

CQC will expect the NHS Trust to follow their complaints procedure which it sounds as though they are doing. That’s it.

You won’t be seen as some kind of trailblazer fighting for the rights of people with PTSD or mental illness. You do not speak for others in similar situations. As a previous poster said, maintain the rage by all means but it’s only yourself who will suffer for it.

I really think that suing them is totally OTT and won’t achieve what you say you want it to achieve.

What happened as described in your first thread is unacceptable. It is completely and utterly unacceptable and you should definitely pursue the way mask-exempt people are handled when they go to appointments.

I'm thinking that it should start when the appointment is made that the patient could say: I'm mask exempt. Note that for when i arrive.

However. Could the fact that genuinely mask exempt people are being treated in this unacceptable way may lie with the many many many people who breeze around saying "exempt don't dare ask me why".

OP I’m so sorry for what you went through I hope you get the therapy you need and the peace you deserve.

However, there are alternatives - how about a visor? It is, or was, so important to not just look after yourself but put others in front of you.

Now you're fucking VICTIM BLAMING ME? The PTSD, the GAD, the depression, the severe anxiety, everything is in my fucking notes that they had access to. They could have stopped when I told them I had PTSD, but no I had to disclose the abuse, in public, THREE FUCKING TIMES.

I don’t know who this was aimed at (I supposeI should scroll back) but I’m going to guess the first person you saw don’t have your notes in their hand when they asked you to put on a mask. I doubt the 2nd or 3rd person did either... All of this could have been avoided by making sure the hospital were aware of your situation before you arrived. You knew you were going to be asked to wear a mask.

I would suggest that you invest your time, money and energy into addressing your PTSD and trauma. It is fairly clear from seeming financial recourse has always been your motivation. The HCPs who tried to provide care for you a year ago will probably not even remember you. The past year has seen hundreds if not thousands of patients abuse HCPs and place other service users and staff at risk by refusing to adhere to the simplest of infection control measures.
Your continued level of anger a year later is really not rational and addressing that should be a priority.

Good luck OP! You were treated appallingly

‘didn’t’ not ‘don’t’

I was then offered a visor type mask which I found very claustrophobic and in all honesty unbearable
I only read the first post from the original thread and just stopped at this.

You were offer a possible solution, but your response to it wasn't that it still brought flashbacks and anxiety but that it made you feel very claustrophobic and unbearable.

I think you were poorly dealt with, in that staff should have shown more empathy and privacy, but it also come across that you were not prepared to engage at all in the process to ascertain the risks and possible options.

You are highly unlikely to get anywhere if ultimately, you managed to get through the procedure with the visor, without a panic attack or fainting as ultimately, it proved that however uncomfortable you found it, you managed.

Many many people find wearing a mask or visor a very unpleasant experience.

Having read both threads, I would say that the OP clearly has ongoing mental health issues as a result of the sexual assault. I would suggest that this is where any counselling needs to be focused.
It’s unfortunate that they were questioned about wearing a mask when attending A+E, but it was (and still is) absolutely the protocol there to ensure the safety of not only the staff but also any other person who has to attend. I have witnessed people saying they are unable to wear a mask, but not being able to give any reason. A colleague of mine lost her husband, who was admin on an A+E centre, after catching Covid at work. Last year, people were very very scared about the possibility of getting Covid hence the mask wearing rules.
I’m sorry the OP wasn’t able to comply with the rules and feels angry at having to explain themselves, but I believe the staff did the right thing - they have to be certain no one is ‘putting it on’ for everyone’s safety.

From what I can remember, it wasn't so much about mask wearing, some people are exempt, it was the way you were treated and the fact that you had to explain your PTSD history in a public area that caused you to be so upset ?
I can see both sides to this, a year ago things were quite a bit different in regards to the pandemic, and I can understand the fear surrounding the risks at that time, however there is also a history of a lack of learning from negative patient experiences and being defensive when any element of care is criticised.
What changes would you like to see implemented and how do you know that nothing is being done differently now ?

Assuming the OP is genuine I am not sure what she wants to get out of this thread. Some will be sympathetic, some not and some downright unkind. It’s been a year now, and getting help for the original trauma rather than getting wound up by others on a public forum is probably more of a priority.

So… what is it that you’re asking us about? I couldn’t see a question.

I think you should let this incident go… it happened a year ago. It does sound poorly handled that you had to explain details in front of other patients - could you have just asked to discuss in private? Once the staff understood your need for privacy, they took you to a separate room - that’s good. They heard you concern about having your mouth covered and offered you a suitable alternative - that’s good.
Of course I don’t know you, or know anything about your case, but I can’t understand why you objected so much to a visor-style face covering if your ptsd is triggered by something covering your mouth - the visor solves that, surely. Can you wear glasses/ sunglasses/ a headband?

Hospitals were chaotic this time last year. They were under a lot of pressure to see as many people, make things as fair as possible, without putting people at risk. Even if some staff made mistakes during your visit, don’t sue the hospital for goodness sake! Protocols were not exactly firmly established, and were changing frequently.

The way you’re thinking about all this is a result of the horrific attack, not because of the hospital staff trying to do their jobs.

So sorry to hear about your PTSD and experiences OP. Sueing the NHS is going to give you very divided opinions and you’re going to get some nasty comments as many NHS workers are also dealing with PTSD following covid. If you want to sue then that’s totally your prerogative but it won’t be healthy or helpful to talk about that here and you may similarly get negative opinions in real life. I wish you luck, look after yourself.

Pals isn't the formal complaint route - you need to use that if you are trying to get real change. As a general rule, people stop listening when you start talking about suing, as they assume you just want money.

Fuck me, I cannot believe the first two responses on this thread.

Exemptions are there for a good reason, OP is exempt. She doesn't have to wear a mask and does'nt have to explain to everyone why.

After I year I thought we'd be pass the utter fuckwits with their "just wear a mask" or even worse "well I'm exempt but I wear one so you should too". Appalling.

Good luck OP, your complaint should never have got this far.

Please get help OP.
This thread is not going to help you.

I'm sorry for your anxiety caused. It wasn't your fault you were attacked, but you are responsible for how you react to other people concerning it.

From the date of the original thread the hospital visit happened slap bang in the middle of covid. Hospitals were heaving with very ill covid patients. Nobody knew how it would pan out so a blanket decision was made for everyone to wear a mask or face shield if a mask couldn't be worn for any reason.

Contrary to popular belief not all patient notes have been digitized and no receptionist in the world is going to get all your records up, they also have no need to be reading your notes and it would be a breach of GDPR if they did. Which is also an offense that could lead to dismissal. The doctors seeing you won't know unless you tell them. They haven't got time to read though years of notes for every single patient.

Have you actually had a diagnosis of PTSD or been told you could have PTSD ? There is a world of difference, getting an official diagnosis is extremely hard. Unfortunately everyone and their dog now claim to have PTSD, even in the papers last week a man claimed to have PTSD after watching his wife give birth. Which does make a mockery of people who truly do have it and suffer with it sadly.

If you are going down the route of legal action I would advise not airing the details on a public forum.

What do you want from the hospital? They explained their stance re mask wearing. There isn't much else they can do.

I hope you do get a satisfactory resolution, OP. We are all different, and trauma affects us all differently. I will never judge someone not wearing a mask - my assumption at baseline will always be that they have a good reason. Good luck.

I have really struggled to reconcile the "NHS heroes" rhetoric with the reality I've experienced

The reality for me was beign treated appallingly by NHS staff whilst my mother was dieing.
PALS, nice enough people but no clout. Pointless.

I can’t believe some of the replies here. Just because you think something (and you may be completely right) doesn’t mean it’s always appropriate to post it. You can keep scathing thoughts to yourself. OP is clearly unwell.

@Themeparklover

I have Asperger's and claustrophobia induced ptsd due to being held hostage along with hypoxemia of the lung and still wear a mask as best as I can to protect others and help others out, what would warrant not wearing one

That is because you have something the OP lacks. Well done! Other people are important, strange as it may seem to some.