Blooming NHS/local hospital

[Sparks_]

Is it worth my while to put a complaint in to my local PALS service due to the miss handling of me by my local hospital?

 

From misdiagnosis to repeatedly cancelled out patient appointments to losing the notes that was supposed to request me being admitted for more surgery to yet again this month me being lost in the system and not getting the 6 month follow up that I was supposed to have....with the oh you are not in the system and we dont know anything about it as the usual response?

[nolegion]

What a wretched service you are receiving, Sparks.Commiserations. You are not alone.

 

Opinion is divided about PALS. I am predominantly of the opinion that it's at best waste of space.

 

Having said which, there is no harm in contacting them as long as you don't allow yourself to hope they will actually achieve anything (nice noises, no action). And there is a chance, if you persist, that you can extract from them the correct formal complaints procedure applicable in your case.

 

Basically, you need to know the right chief executive toaddress your written complaint to, but the chances of that actually changing the course of your current care, or lack of it, are slender.

 

Any chance you have a GP who works more than two and half days a week and would be bothered to make enquiries on you behalf? I assume the original referral came from him or her - and, in theory at least, you can ask to be referred elsewhere.

[Sparks_]

I asked my GP if he could chase up my appointment he just gave me the contact details for the consultants secretary Also if I complain would that affect the rest of the treatment I need? I just wish they would let me go back to the hospital in the Netherlands where I had my emergency surgery....they couldnt believe that my hospital had done the wrong kind of scan to see if I had Diverticulitis and I have lost all faith in my hospital at the moment

[mr_mastiff]

Have you rang your consultants secretary yet. They could provide you with the details that you require. State that your documents appear to have been lost. Ask them is this a breach of the data protection act. More importantly state that you should have been admitted for further surgery. Ask who can you talk to about it (ask to to speak to the out patients or your consultants clinic manager). Take notes of names and their replies. If you do not get the answer you require ask for a copy of the hospitals complaint procedure and ask who will be dealing with your complaint. If they ask you to speak to pals refuse and simply state that you feel that your concerns are too serious for an informal investigation. This should start the ball rolling among the admin staff. Next write a personal letter to your consultant explain your situation and ask him if he could intervene on your behalf a lot of consultants will.

 

Normally a swift kick like this will get the ball rolling. See how this works and get back to us if it does not work

[Sparks_]

Thanks I did get in touch with the consultants secretary and shes looking into it