Appropriate attitudes ?
Following my blog the other day about how to address people, I have recieved many people's thoughts on this subject and am grateful for their responses. Thanks everyone - it shows that it is NOT "just me" !
Many people have talked of the condescending attitude of those in authority and it seems as though these attitudes are most prevalent in the health services - a department where one would think that it is extremely important to be aware and sympathetic of "customers" feelings and responses, after all we are dealing with sick people and their relatives and friends here.
My two daughters feel the same and their concern is often with the attitude of the doctors too .A couple of months ago, one of my daughters was diagnosed with some pre- cancerous cells (I forget the medical term) Anyway, at the second visit to the hospital they said that the cells were verging on the cancerous and need removing immediately - which they did. Now, her sisters son was diagnosed with T Cell Lymphoma at age 3, so obviously we are all a little nervy at anything of anything of this nature, especially where the children are concerned. Anyway , the offending cells were removed and we hope that is sorted.
A few weeks following this, same daughter began getting a stange rash type thing across her chest - we couldn't find out from the net what it might be so she went to consult the doctor. We didn't think for one minute that it was anything to do with the earlier condition, but she was worried and wanted to know what it was (isn't this what doctors are for?) The doctor read through her notes, looked at the rash, and said " It's nothing to be worried about, possibly a virus or maybe insect bites. Would you like me to book you into The Rotherham Hospice ? " She was shocked and offended. I was shocked and disgusted at the response (presumably an attempt at a joke) and felt that the hospice and it's patients were also being denegrated. I was going to write to complain to the doctor - but didn't as yet.
Are we being too sensitive? I think not.
Many people have talked of the condescending attitude of those in authority and it seems as though these attitudes are most prevalent in the health services - a department where one would think that it is extremely important to be aware and sympathetic of "customers" feelings and responses, after all we are dealing with sick people and their relatives and friends here.
My two daughters feel the same and their concern is often with the attitude of the doctors too .A couple of months ago, one of my daughters was diagnosed with some pre- cancerous cells (I forget the medical term) Anyway, at the second visit to the hospital they said that the cells were verging on the cancerous and need removing immediately - which they did. Now, her sisters son was diagnosed with T Cell Lymphoma at age 3, so obviously we are all a little nervy at anything of anything of this nature, especially where the children are concerned. Anyway , the offending cells were removed and we hope that is sorted.
A few weeks following this, same daughter began getting a stange rash type thing across her chest - we couldn't find out from the net what it might be so she went to consult the doctor. We didn't think for one minute that it was anything to do with the earlier condition, but she was worried and wanted to know what it was (isn't this what doctors are for?) The doctor read through her notes, looked at the rash, and said " It's nothing to be worried about, possibly a virus or maybe insect bites. Would you like me to book you into The Rotherham Hospice ? " She was shocked and offended. I was shocked and disgusted at the response (presumably an attempt at a joke) and felt that the hospice and it's patients were also being denegrated. I was going to write to complain to the doctor - but didn't as yet.
Are we being too sensitive? I think not.
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