speculum

Rattled by the doctor’s comments, Poree tried to stay calm as the speculum went in, but she couldn’t help screaming at the stabbing, almost electric pain it caused.

Many said there had been shortages of medical equipment such as speculums, emergency adrenaline, ECG patches, forceps and gloves due to "constantly unpaid invoices", which they claimed had resulted in some appointments being cancelled.

Echoing her allegation from the complaint, she said that Lee inserted a speculum without any lubricant and was “in there for about ten minutes while I was asking him to stop and was crying.”

Less than a quarter of people surveyed said they knew they could request a smaller speculum and only 12% said they knew they could ask for a double appointment.

Ms Hewitt, from Cambridgeshire, said she always asked for a smaller speculum to be used and for a double appointment to "break the ice" with the nurse.