Sorry they were so insensitive! I found the “culture” in radiation was uncomfortable for me. I would be sitting in the waiting area trying to reduce my anxiety and all I could hear was the rad tech talking loudly and laughing. It sounded like a party across the hall where I would be going when they called me.
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I understand… my dad came with me a couple of times & all the patients would assume it was him & talk to him in the waiting room. Heart breaking from all sides. X
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a strange thought just now popped into my head - about Traitors. I felt like I was a Faithful and that all around there were Traitors and we had to play the game and then get nothing for charity.
Which must mean I am missing Traitors!
A lot more entertaining to watch than be in perhaps, but maybeour experience would be better if we were raising money for charity by having radiotherapy and dressed in long cloaks
Seagulls
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I just wanted to post about my positive experience of radiotherapy so far. I was worried when I had read about all the negative experiences. Feel really lucky that my radiotherapy team are so sensitive. I was given a gown to keep for the whole week and new gowns will be given on Mondays. The radiographers are all female. They cover my chest area with tissue paper until it’s time to have the brass mesh on my chest. I’ve been given flamigel cream to use from day one with a nurse appointment on day 3 to discuss skin care and numbers given to call if I want to see them again.
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that is terrible treatment .. shocking & no empathy or dignity 
is there anywhere else to go or make a strong complaint !!! xxxx
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Sorry that you have found like many of us this treatment so awful. It was easily the worst medical experience I have ever had.
Feedback to your hospital. There will be a patient complaint procedure. I did and got a good response. As a result they have changed the invite letter and some of the procedures. I was not at all prepared for what was about to happen and it was nothing like any of my other experiences.
I also made use of some counselling to help me process what had happened to me.
I had ECHO last week & had no warning of this intimate procedure. Male did the job but rested the length of his forearm along my lower half with his elbow on my private parts. I was totally intimidated & afraid to say anything. Later I found I could ask for a chaperone. I the went for MUGA scan where they cancelled because the ECHO was the same. I’m afraid to mention this to my ‘team’ in case it reflects on how I’m treated now.
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I am starting radiotherapy soon. Had planning CT scan. Radiography (male) was really good. Said to wear a vest top that you can just pull down. Also been invited to an open evening before hand with coffee, cake, talk about what is going to happen and a tour of the room. This is for family too so they know what is going to happen. My treatment is taking place in Wales and it has been the best medical experience I’ve had. Just wanted to say that not all experiences are bad. Everyone and everywhere is different. I have so much love for NHS Wa,es and all the staff I have come into contact with 
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If it was me I would mention it. If you felt uncomfortable with their positioning so close to your groin then it needs mentioning. It does seem an odd angle, I have normally had their arms across my waist. I don’t think you will be treated any different for commenting. It is a training need.
I had an Australian lady do my last echo ( cardiology) and she did it with her left hand and used her right hand to use the machine. She sat in front of me. This was opposite to what I am used to, having them lean over me with their right hand. She explained that the U.K. trains using the right hand and it can be a bit intimidating for the patient. I have had people put nearly their full weight on me as they were so small and could hardly reach. I’m dress size 10/12 so not big myself. I did comment to them they felt heavy and they moved.
Take care
Hello
I do think that this is something that him positioning his arm like that should have been explained to you at the start / before the procedure and you should have been offered a chaperone as a matter of course . This is something that you should definitely report for yourself and your bad experience but also the hospital needs to be careful as that male member of staff was leaving both himself and by extension the Dept. and Trust as a whole vulnerable . A patient could claim they had been assaulted even if they had not and the Hospital would not have a leg to stand on having allowed male member of staff to be alone with a female in a compromising position. It could be that he has not thought about his behaviour maybe there was a staffing problem that would have meant delaying your scan waiting for a chaperone to be available . Either way my feeling is that there’s something not quite as it should be about your experience . If you contact PALS they should I sure that someone senior investigates who doesn’t work directly in that Dept. and can therefore look at it more objectively.
You should bring it up and they should thank you for doing it - if you feel you can’t face it right now then write down everything you remember and what upset you in case you want to to complain in the future .
Just for information I am an NHS Nurse and last year I helped my friend to put in a complaint against my own Hospital . My friend was worried that this would affect my career / work life and I was concerned too but actually the Matron who dealt with it was glad that we had brought the complaint and said that there had been positive learning from it . My friend received an apology both verbal and written - I also received the letter of apology and that assured me that my friends’ future care would not be adversely affected. I had to do this for her regardless of any possible consequences for my work life but there haven’t been any.
Sending love xx
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