Have you had a good experience at your local GP's surgery, dentist or hairdresser that you would be happy to share?

My GP received the letter a few days after diagnosis, they didn't read it or anything, because if they had they would have known I didn't get a copy, and for me, after three months of waiting and another month chasing up the original psychologists, they send me a c.c. of the same letter with the date on it. GP is now saying the psychologists need to explain to them, via me, what is meant regarding three of their list of nine recommendations. Why would a GP not know what a comprehensive sensory assessment is? 

Hi DormouseAtRest_25,

All contributions and service organisations in this thread will be anonymised and they will only use examples relating to GPs, dentists and hairdressers. 

Thank you for checking,

Rosie Mod

GP surgery: before they switched to a fully online system, my GP provided me with an email address for the surgery that I could use instead of having to phone after I explained that phone calls were preventing me from booking appointments. The online triage system that is being used now works much better for me.

Hospital outpatient: I had to have an ultrasound and gel textures are some of my worst textures so I was terrified. The learning disability and autism nurses at the hospital: ensured I had a longer appointment so we could do it very slowly, met with the clinician before my appointment to explain that I'd need to go very slowly and take breaks and what might help me, the clinician did small sections at a time, wiping it off in between, allowing me to take breaks, and explained all the fun physiology things she was seeing to help keep me distracted while I also used basically all the sensory tools I owned. Outcome: I managed to have the ultrasound without an immediate meltdown. 

Two questions please:

1) Will the contributors be anonymised (in addition to the service organisations)?

2) Is the campaign interested in positive experiences of Secondary Care (e.g. Hospital Clinic Teams) ...as I am unable to recount any good experience of Primary Care (GP Practice).

Thank you.

I am very lucky, my GP surgery are brilliant.

I was blown away because I work in a GP surgery doing admin and the letters concerning new Autism diagnoses just get filed and coded, no contact with the patient and certainly not contact with a GP!

I have a telephone assessment with talking therapies in two weeks, I'm then expecting a long wait to be honest, it was a 3-4 month wait the first time I went through the NHS for talking therapies and that was in 2012!

Jalapeno said:

Crickey

I thought that too.

I didn't get any feedback from my GP whatsoever, and that was years ago.

I'd like to know how to not be traumatised by the dentist, I go into high masking mode and pretend I'm OK with it, I used to have sedatives, but valium dosen't work on me and the other stuff, I don't know what it was made me wriggly and talkative with the memory of a goldfish.

The only things I've found that help are having female staff and telling them one of the reasons I freak out is because I was raped and one of the only hangovers left from that is having someone lean over me, whilst inflicting pain when I have to lie still and not fight back. I have freaked out and hit someone before, fortunately it was only my ex husband, but then it was his own silly fault for trying to remove my coat when I was in full on fight or flight mode.

Hairdressers I love, I love the whole salon experience, but then I was a hairdresser.

Doctors for the most part I have no problems with, if I get a bad one I change surgeries.

Crickey - my GP has done nothing in 5 months, so not holding my breath.  I've been waiting a few months to have a chat to Talking Therapies - but I self-referred.  Let us know how you get on with Talking Therapies, once you get a slot, I've been waiting months

Interesting. 

I can't stand any background noise but I may have been traumatised by a mother who needed constant noise.

Thank you. 

I wonder if it is to help people to concentrate on something other than the treatment. I remember going to one dentist that had quiet music playing in the background which I found helpful.

I was diagnosed with Autism at the beginning of April and once my report had been sent the GP I got a call from the receptionist to book a telephone call with the GP regarding the clinical letter they had received. He had a chat with me about the diagnosis and offered to refer me to the talking therapies service. I know how busy GP surgeries are so I was surprised to be contacted and it made a difference to know that they care and acknowledge that my diagnosis is significant. 

I think hospitals might be included but that's up to you.

My dentist turns off the radio when I ask + explain but then I don't understand why they have a radio on in the 1st place...