A patient visiting Great Western Hospital expressed her shock at the new check-in system’s apparent lack of privacy.

The concerned citizen wrote in to the Adver, but did not wish to give her name, after trying to book herself in for an appointment upon arriving at the hospital earlier this month.

The patient fears that other people’s private details may be at risk, though a hospital spokesperson explained that the system has been designed to ensure patient privacy.

The patient said: “Previously when going to GWH, you would go to the desk and the person there would ask you for your address, GP surgery, and phone number very privately and with privacy.

“Yet the new self-booking-in screen will fully show your address, e-mail address, GP surgery, phone number, and who you are seeing.

“I was very shocked.

“Units at GWH can have different departments, so if you are seeing a mental health nurse or the sexual health clinic, it can be very embarrassing as the screen is so big that anyone in that unit can see everything the screen shows.

“I am unsure why they can't just be the same as a GP surgery booking in which basically only partly asks for your surname and age.

“If GWH want more information from you, surely that can be asked by the nurse once inside the consultation room when the doctor gets ready to see you.

“In fact, I think they already do, which makes the self-booking-in questions not needed.

“Similar to health and safety, there must be some legal privacy right to the patient that this is against.

“I will certainly never use GWH's self service booking-in system, I will go to the desk and hopefully be able to book in with some privacy.”

A spokesperson for Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "The self-check-in kiosks at the Great Western Hospital have been carefully designed to ensure patient privacy.

“The information requested is similar to what would be asked at a reception desk, allowing patients to confirm or update their personal details directly in our system for accurate and up-to-date records.

“Patients also have the option to skip entering information if they choose.

“To maintain privacy, we use screen dividers and ensure a comfortable distance between the kiosks and the waiting area.

“If a patient prefers to check in face-to-face or would like to ask a question, our reception team are always available.”