I’m doing a little unofficial research into your radiotherapy treatments since I can find no none who feels as humiliated and uncared for as I did.
So two questions, based on my own experience:
Did you have a changing space/area/room/screen where you could get undressed and then loosely cover up before going to the slab for the measuring session, whether or not it was in the same suite?
Once your daily radiotherapry routine had started, did you have somewhere to change clothes everyday? If you’d travelled a long way did you have to do it in your “tunic” or other hospital garb or did you travel in “civvies” and then have a reasonable place in which to get changed and dressed? Again talking about a space/area/room/screen.
Would all persons answering these questions please tell me which hospital was involved, doing it by PM if you prefer.
If like me, any of you had to use the general “all patient, all staff” tiny toilets then please flag it.
Thanks, maybe we can get BCC to get involved if numbers are high.
I had my rads at Christies, Manchester. They gave you a front fastening ‘top’ at the planning session and you came in your own clothes every day, but brought the top with you. When you got there, depending on how busy they were, you either went into a cubicle just off the waiting area or waited until you were called and then changed in a cubicle in the treatment room.
I had my rads at Colchester Essex county hospital.I also had a front fastening top allocated to me at the planning session, this was kept at the hospital in a cupboard and once my name was called i was to go and collect it at get changed in one of the cubicles and then wait in the corridor until i was called in for my treatment.
I had my rads at the Western General in Edinburgh. Went in in civvies, and within the same room as the radiotherapy equipment, there was a curtained off area where you had to undress. Once undressed, there was a pile of ‘paper towels’ which in size covered the area from neck to waist. I just had to hold one of these against me while making my way to table, then the radiotherapists folded it back to do markings/positioning, then recovered me when they went out of room. Then back behind curtain to get dressed.
I am getting rads at the Beatson in Glasgow. I travel in civvies.
Planning session I was given a spacious changing room and gown … the room had 2 doors, 1 into the waiting area and one into the simulator room… the one into the waiting area had a lock which meant that when you went through the other into the room you knew your possessions were safely locked in the room.
My daily rads the room does not have a door but does have a fairly long curved corridor. I strip in the actual radiotherapy room… no screened off area or anything just a chair against the wall to put your things on. I don’t get a gown … just strip to the waist and get a bit of paper to cover myself. This is moved abuot a bit while the line me up.
The staff are so kind I’ve never actually felt humiliated or un cared for. They ask me every day how I am and take an interest in what I’m doing … they were very sympathetic when I said my son had crashed his car and they have asked a few times since how he is, and they remembered from the Friday to the Monday that I was at a friends wedding so they obviously take the time to remember details of patients.
My ‘team’ consists of a sort of mother and 4 younger ladies … they are wonderful caring ladies.
Hi I am having my rads at royal marsdon sutton.They have changing rooms and as soon as you arrive you go into a cubicle put on a gown then sit in the waiting area,when you are called you go into the radiotherapy room when you are lying down you take your arms out of the gown the radiotherapist position you and marks you then they replace the gown over the breast that is not being treated.I feel very cared for and never humiliated.
hi,
im having my rads at Weston Park sheffield, i travel in my own clothes, there are 4 changing rooms for the machine i go on ( there are 9 altogether ) to use and front fastening dressing gowns to wear which are put in a bin after use,and you take your clothes with you in a shopping basket, all staff are brilliant and very kind and caring …
I had my rads at Charing Cross Hospital in London. They gave me a gown to take home and I only travelled in it one day as it kept coming loose beneath my coat on the bus!
But they had changing cubicles at the rads suites so I took the gown with me and changed just before my session, then back again after in the privacy of the cubicle.
I had rads at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth. No problems whatsoever. I was given my own cotton gown at the planning session, both shoulders fastened with velcro, so the radiographer only had to zip the right one off to expose my right breast. We had private changing cubicles, then went into a small waiting area to wait to be called in the rads room. After much washing, the velco fastening didn’t work too well, so I replaced it with my own. I never felt vulnerable or exposed, even though I sometimes had to sit with some males going through rads. It was never a problem.
Liz.
I had my rads in Singleton,Swansea.They gave me a top which opened down the front to keep until my treatment finished, I think most people came in with it on or changed in the toilet(which was quite adequate)But to be honest after the first day I didnt bother with it.I wore my own vest top(have loads of them at home) which I’d pull down below my breasts for the treatment.Then it was just a matter of getting off the ‘table’,pulling it up,grabbing my jacket and off! I found the radiographers friendly and informative - infact really nice - Pity I can’t say the same about my breastcare nurse!! I found Singleton a lovely friendly place.
Exactly the same experience as LilacBlushes… and at the same hospital. I had my 29 rads (finished late January) at the Beatson in Glasgow and the staff were all lovely. I was a bit thrown when it came to the final four booster sessions, when one of the radiologists was male… but very pleasant all the same… and I reckoned he’d seen it all before! Umpteen times every day!
I chose to wear one of those vest tops, with the extra support layer… comfortable when the skin started to get tender and I could just whip it down to my waist as I got on to the treatment bed, then simultaneously cover myself with the bit of paper. They moved it around as they lined you up, but always placed it back across your chest, just before leaving the room whilst you were zapped. It’s amazing how quickly you get used to baring all to all and sundry
well i am at Coventry University hospital, and although the staff are excellent i get undressed in the room, no screens no gown no bits of paper, not too bothered though just keep thinking they must have seen worse than me!!!
I was treated at The Derbyshire Royal Infirmary in Derby. I was given a gown which had numerous poppers which undid to expose various parts of the body. The gown was issued during the planning period and was kept until the end of treatment. I travelled in civvies and got undressed in the treatment room. There were private,curtained, cubicles but I hate faffing about with bags and holding onto discaded clothes while waiting. I chose to strip in the room,put my top and bag on a chair and don the gown all in one swift and seamless movement. I chose cothes that could accommodate this.No buttons etc.
The staff were kind and breezily efficient.Didnt have anyone the same for the whole 6 weeks so didnt build up any relationships .
The only problems were the frequent breakdowns of the equipment (and conseqeuent waits and rescheduling) but this was 3 years ago and I think there has been a new machine brought online so that should have altered things by now.
I was at Barts. Waiting area on arrival with drinks and biscuits. When called downstairs where there are two private changing cubicles and a supply of front fastening gowns then into a small waiting area to wait to be called into the rads room. In the room the staff always took care to drape the gown over the remaining boob. Back to changing cubicles afterwards and gown into bin for washing.
Very pleasant staff and so accomdating, changed appointments when clash with physio, very caring constantly asking about skin and loading me up with diprobase and aqueous cream.
Magsi
I am getting rads at Beatson, Glasgow same as lilacblushes & AliS. The place is very busy yet the staff still have time to chat and be nice to you and I am just getting use to baring all to all and sundry.
To lilacblushes…are you there am or pm?
I am at the Churchill in Oxford. I was given a gown which i change into when I get there. There are no changing rooms so I use the disabled toilet. The gown is very big and it fit where it touches, but its the thought that counts! The radiotherapists are absolutely lovely. I have no complaints about them at all and the gown has given me such a laugh I will never forget it!!
I did rads at The Royal Sussex Brighton. Staff were lovely. I just took my clothes off on a chair in the room where we had treatment i don’t think i was ever offered a gown. I was always rather conscious that there were other people waiting so just pulled everything on and off as quickly as possible. Looking back i can see that those ladies who have had a masectomy might feel rather ‘exposed’ a cubical off area and a gown would be a good idea.
I had Rads at RCH Treliske Cornwall, had no gowns, no changeing rooms, or bits of paper, just a chair to put clothes on in treatment room, didnt like it at first but got used to it even though there was sometimes male radioligists there too, guess theyve seen it all before , definately would have prefered a gown and changeing room though.
Lindiloo
I had rads at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.Travelled in own clothes:1)waited in general area of Radiotherapy suite till name called
2}each machine had a small waiting room and two changing rooms
3]freshly laundered gowns in each changing room but advised to bring own light dressing gown if we liked
4]waited in small waiting room till called
5]in treatment room gown was taken as climbed onto table,offered large paper modesty sheet to be removed before treatment
6]procedure in reverse after treatment
No complaints at all facilities were appropriate and staff considerate and professional.I didnt mind male staff,I’m 64 had breast cancer,dont care who sees what as long as they are involved in my treatment.
horace[Val]xxx
