Dear Sir/Madame,
I am writing this with diffidence and considerable regrets. It would be discourteous of me not to give clear indications on why I am writing this feedback but it would be impossible for me to do so without seemingly causing offence.
On the 9th November 2005 at 1700hrs, I accompanied my father-in-law and his wife to your A&E Dept as he was having intense giddiness. His wife is a discharged cancer patient of yours and she is not physically healthy, thus that is the reason for why I have to accompany both of them with my 15 month old baby.
Though I was advised by several friends that it is not suitable for babies to be in the hospital for long hours due to many reasons but I have to take this responsibility as my husband was working at that time and no one was available to see my father-in-law to the A&E. He was put on observation for several hours and was later discharged at midnight.
Sir/Madame, this feedback is nothing about complaining long waiting hours but the attitude of one of your attendants working during that time.
I am a breastfeeding mother to my baby, and I do understand there are no nursing rooms in the A&E and I don't have any problems nursing in public. But, that eventful evening, my baby was so active that he tended to skip his nursing times due to the active movements of people in that area and I need to seclude him for a moment to breastfeed. Upon going around and couldn't find a secluded area, I asked one of your friendly cleaners if there is any discreet or secluded area so I can nurse my baby 5 minutes. He allowed me to use the staff pantry, though initially I can see he was hesitant or maybe afraid to allow me to use the staff area. Appreciative of his kindness, I entered the staff pantry to have a quick feed for my baby, and yes I was truly aware that area was out-of-bounds to public, and I decided to leave as soon as my baby had quenched his thirst.
The moment I entered and was about to lift up my blouse, a male attendant barged in and raised his voice asking me what was my doing in there. Of course he did startle me and my baby, but I told him that I have asked permission from one of the staff. To my surprise, his response was that, "He was only A CLEANER!" Now my question is, what did he meant by saying I got permission from only a cleaner? Was working as cleaner in TTSH a low-life job that an attendant was allowed to insult him just like that?
Controlling my disappointments, I told that attendant, I just need to nurse my baby, but I was already ready to leave after given such a treatment, although in the end he gave in and allow me to nurse for 5 minutes and I saw him scolding the cleaner after that. I did apologise to that considerate and thoughtful cleaner for risking his job and allowed me to use the staff pantry.
With all due respect Sir/Madame, it might be my mistake for crossing the staff's boundary, but I have no choice to make, my baby needed to breastfeed and I just need that 5 minutes. But the way I was treated by that attendant and the way he insulted a TTSH cleaner was totally unacceptable.
I was previously so impressed by the positive attitudes of your staff since I have been to the A&E several times noticing the hot drinks served by your nurses to the waiting patients and their relatives but that incident totally changed my perspectives. Nobody was so approachable that eventful evening, but when I found one, he was in returned insulted and in fact scolded, in public, an act of inhumanity.
I am not taking these matters any further, but I hope you can advise your attendants to behave professionally in public eyes to uphold and maintain the service quality of your hospital.
Thank you for taking your precious time in attending to this feedback.
Sincerely,
Aminah Azirah Azmi
(S 7581778 I)
2 comments:
ade feedback ke on this feedback??
Hi, just want to share my experience- I went back to the Singapore General Hospital (where I gave birth to 3 kids) for a postnatal check-up and was breastfeeding my baby discreetly.
Though in public, I assure you it wasn't a case of indecent exposure and anyway, I'm wearing the hijab and baby's under the tudung (even if I'm not, there are simple means and creative ways to breastfeed a baby with decency) when one of the nurses in the Gynaecology clinic shrieked and exclaimed (thus drawing public attention and interest to an otherwise quiet and natural activity)
"Ehhh!!!! Why you breastfeed here?! Cannot breastfeed here! Aiyo!!" then proceeded to "drag" me to an unused room. Hhmmm... so much for the promoting breastmilk...
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