“Unempathetic”, “Frustrating”: Substandard Care at Student Health Services Causes Strife
Words by Zoë Mills (they/she)
CW: Disordered Eating
Students are reporting increasingly “unempathetic” and “uncompassionate” experiences with reception staff and general practitioners (GPs) at Mauri Ora – Student Health. Students are feeling increasingly disregarded by the lack of communication and longer wait times from the healthcare provider.
Amy, a second-year student, described her Mauri Ora appointments as “bad experiences”. Amy called Mauri Ora in regards to a mental health issue, and says that the receptionist “showed no emotion or compassion towards [her]”. Amy didn’t appreciate the lack of care and acknowledgement, as she felt reaching out is a “really hard thing”.
“It was very much [implied that]… ‘your problem isn't necessarily the top of my priority’, which was a really difficult thing to hear, especially when you're reaching out for mental health [support].”
Mandy*, a fifth-year student, echoed a similar experience with Mauri Ora when she booked a mental health appointment concerning her eating disorder (ED). Mandy experienced an “insane lack of regard or compassion” from the reception staff and GPs.
Mandy first visited Mauri Ora when she was worried about having an ED relapse. She was told to go outside, weigh herself in the hall, and bring back a piece of paper with her BMI and weight. This is something that can be extremely triggering to ED patients. When Mandy refused, the GP told her to “wait until the symptoms got worse”.
“I went back every month. It got worse every month. By the time they took me seriously… it was a point where they couldn't help me anymore,” Mandy said. The GP then referred Mandy to a specialist outside of student health services. “It was just really frustrating,” she said.
A university spokesperson told Salient that Mauri Ora—Student Health currently serves 8350 students, with a wait time of 10 working days to see a GP. The current ratio of students to full-time GPs is 927:1.
Mandy acknowledged that while Mauri Ora was over capacity, it wasn't an excuse for poor treatment. “There's a lack of resources, but it was just a lack of empathy.”
Willow, a first-year student, visited a GP in relation to gender-affirming healthcare. Even though Willow has been on hormone replacement therapy for oestrogen and puberty blockers since she was a teenager, the Mauri Ora GP suggested that Willow switch to a pill instead of an injection. Pills have been proven to be less effective than injections, and are known to cause stomach issues.
Willow stated that trans and gender affirming healthcare is moving toward an “informed consent model”, and that she felt her Mauri Ora GP “wasn't competently trained”. Willow felt the doctors didn't have “faith” in her. “I know my body…I've been on these medications for a long time.”
The university spokesperson said “The university supports Mauri Ora and its administrative staff with staff training, professional supervision, and collegial support, and has provided the service with a streamlined recruitment process.”
*Names have been changed