Apologies for raising possibly the least exciting aspect of punting - but had a strange experience trying for my 2/3 monthl check up.
Previously gone to hospital based clinics where everything is private, discreet and well sign posted. This time tried the GUM in a community based clinic. Only it turned out to be a combined Mother & Baby / Smokers / GUM clinic. WTF!
No signs - so you had to approach the combined reception and ask for the GUM facilities. Got a hard 9 yard glare from one of the middle aged women. Then handed a combined single sheet questionnaire which began asking about your child birth experience/breastfeeding etc, and further down asked about your smoking habits. Right at the bottom was there a single line marked 'Sexual Health' asking you to indicate whether you had come had come for Condoms/Check-Up/Treatment. (Why have 3 questionnaires when 1 will do?)
Directed to the combined waiting area where rugrats played in front of you with those beads on metal frames, and blokes were comparing notes on their ciggie addiction.
Now once called into the GUM room the medics verbally asked all the questions the hospitals ask on paper and followed the same procedures. But the whole preamble for me was very off putting.
Is this what community GUM clinics are like?
