Ashe Conrad-Jones : Women’s Health – It’s the Who’s that Count

Published: Tuesday, March 11, 2014

In 2012 I had a hysterectomy in a major Dublin hospital that resulted in an unnecessary and untreated long term infection. It was a horrible and stressful experience but eventually it was resolved. However, this is not a story about things going wrong but what can happen if you use your voice when they do.

When I formally complained to the Hospital, they did not dismiss me, as is the common assumption but were instead open to hearing my complaint and my suggestions of solutions for the benefit of future patients. They wanted to know what had gone wrong; how I had slipped through the “holes”. And I learnt a valuable lesson myself on how to complain. Instead of attacking the Hospital for their mistakes, I realised that if I showed my willingness to listen to their side of the story too that we could work together to achieve positive solutions. The old adage is true – you get more flies with honey than vinegar.

The experience also made me see the issue of Women’s Health from a much wider viewpoint. It seems to me that women that have to avail the Irish Healthcare System have a lot in common with how the citizens of Who-ville from the Dr Seuss classic – Horton Hears A Who! – are perceived.

Women are treated as small, insignificant participants in their own health. Brushed aside with indifference or impatience; dismissed as hysterical or ignorant. Unfortunately, when people are treated a certain way, they begin to believe it and therefore act accordingly. But change is in the air and now is the time to remember:

“A person’s a person, no matter how small.”

And it is up to us to speak up, to turn up the volume on our voice – to make ourselves BIG.

So although the Hospital were open to hearing me, it took a lot of fighting to be heard because it is simply not the culture to listen out for our voices. The experience taught me to keep fighting; that sometimes you will be ignored but do not give up. Speak up, yell and scream if you have to, but if you know something is wrong tell the powers that be – tell the ones who can actually do something to bring about change.

It is a myth that our Healthcare System is free – as taxpayers we pay for this service and therefore have a right to be involved in the running of it. I think we have forgotten that the Healthcare Service is there to serve us, to care for us. If we want change we must not be afraid to speak out and keep on talking until we are heard. Healthcare should be treated as any other business and if you are unhappy with the service you receive – tell them!

As Dr Seuss so wonderfully illustrates, one voice CAN make a difference:-
“Finally, at last! From that speck on that clover
Their voices were heard! They rang out clear and clean.
And the elephant smiled. “Do you see what I mean?...
They’ve proved they ARE persons, no matter how small.
And their whole world was saved by the Smallest of All!”

The views expressed in NWCI's Blog do not necessarily represent those of NWCI