Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
To answer the OP, maybe. I found some of the measures in hospitals (e.g. not having ill people sitting right on top of each other in the waiting room) actually quite nice. But to be honest, that's where it ends. For example, having to stand 2 metres away from the reception desk and having to explain why you are here in a raised voice, literally in the middle of the waiting room. You can forget any privacy.
Despite what some GP surgery receptionists seem to think (far too many of them think it's their life's vocation to prevent as many people seeing a doctor as possible), you do NOT have to discuss your medical condition with them, simply that you have one and need to see a doctor. You are quite within your rights to simply say that you wish to discuss that in private with the doctor.
At hospitals even less so, you already have an appointment, they already know why and you're giving it away a bit by virtue of which department you're in anyway (and everyone else there has something similar[1] anyway) - all they'll want is name and date of birth.
[1] OK, not always (most notably MK Hospital do random blood tests in the oncology (cancer) department because it generally has a bit of spare capacity at certain times of the day, which can be a bit alarming when you first open the letter), but mostly.