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Easy Read fact sheets are about what happens when you go to the doctor, including tips on what you can do before, during and after your appointment.
This includes tips for women’s health concerns, like:
You’ll also find helpful advice and conversation starters from health experts. You can use these suggestions to talk to a doctor at a community health centre, private clinic or hospital.
you might need to see a doctor when you:
You might feel worried about going to the doctor. But there are things you can do to have a good appointment. An appointment means you meet with a doctor to:
You can ask someone to support you when you need to see a doctor.
There are things you can do before you see a doctor.
First, you’ll need to find the right doctor for you. You can look for a doctor who knows about women’s health care. It’s ok to ask for a female doctor. For the best care, look for a doctor who:
Health professionals are experts in different types of health care.
If you need more information, you can contact the clinic before you book an appointment to make sure you feel comfortable in the space. You can ask:
You can also ask if the clinic is set up to meet your needs. For example:
If you need to talk about more than one health problem, you can book a longer appointment. A longer appointment may cost more.
Your doctor will ask you about your health concerns. You can:
You don’t need to rush when you speak to the doctor. Tell the doctor if you feel uncomfortable, worried or scared. It’s also okay to say if you’ve had a bad experience with doctors in the past.
Let the doctor know what helps you feel more comfortable. You can ask them to explain what they are going to do.
You can stop the appointment at any time if you need to.
If your doctor speaks quickly or gives you lots of information, it’s okay to ask them to:
Let your doctor know if something they ask is hard for you, such as:
Know your rights when seeing a healthcare professional or doctor. You have the right to:
If you are not happy with how you’ve been treated, you can make a complaint. You can:
Making a complaint can help improve the service for you and for other people. You won’t get in trouble for speaking up.
When you get home, you can make a list of any next steps. It can also help to talk to someone you trust about:
You can also ask them to help you with the next steps. For example:
After your appointment, treat yourself to something nice. This could be:
Get the most out of your medical appointments for brain fog, bladder leakage, heavy periods and more. This series includes practical advice and conversation starters from the experts.
