Cat amongst the pigeons MAY BE TRIGGERING

[gail2]

My gp is brilliant bless him. Last time I was in hospital following an od. The hospital sent me home with some of wot i oded on, I asked for just one lot, it was not until I got home that I found out they had sent me home with five lots , if I had had the needles to fit them I would have taken the lot that night, so I put it all in the freezer and took it in to him the next day and he hit the roof. He has now sent it all back to the chief exsective (wrong spelling) of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust. As he said in the letter you have sent this lady home with more than she oded on. He said to me that when they discharged you on the discharge letter there were FIVE signatures and at least one of them should have realized what had happened. He recons that they will get a bit of a ticking off. Which i think is quite right, after all what if I had taken that lot that night, there was enough to do the job.
I would love to be a fly on the wall for that meeting.

 

[bev]

Hi Gail,
I would think they will get more than a 'ticking off' - surely there must be some protocol in place for this sort of situation - even a bit of common sense would have worked. I do hope the GP can get to the bottom of why this happened and also that it never happens again as the consequences could have been much worse. Well done for having the foresight to put it all in the freezer - it shows your totally switched on and didnt want to go down that path, and that takes strength.🙂Bev

 

[Robster65]

I would hope they'll completely review their procedures and re-educate the whole hospital. Makes you wonder if others have had similar experiences and have just kept the stuff for a 'rainy day'.

It may even get you enough attention to actually get the care you want. Unlikely I know, but fingers crossed. If it embarrasses them enough, they may be scared of all the other failings you could highlight and start putting some of it right.

Good for you and your GP. 🙂

Rob

 

[Tezzz]

Gail,

Well done for freezing the evidence.

 

[alisonz]

Hear Hear Tez and well done your gp for writing that letter xxx

 

[RachelT]

Good to hear from you Gail. It's great that your GP is going right to the top, i know that when somebody complained to the chief exec about something in our department, it got taken very seriously (it's alright, it wasn't anything i did, in fact i was pretty clueless about the whole thing).

Honestly, you've made me think. Of those five signatures on the discharge letter one of them could have been one of me (or if i'd have gotten the job at i interviewed for three years ago would have been me) and i wouldn't have had the first idea what the policy would be for providing essential drugs for people who may OD on them. It might say that you'd been admitted to hospital after an OD, (and we'd not give a patient like that too much paracetamol or sleeping tablets) but it might not say what the OD was of. Ultimately the responsibily rests with somebody further up the ranks than me (the doctor or the pharmacist) but we're all supposed to be working together in caring for patients. It's an interesting question, and maybe we all need more training.
Take care,
Rachel

 

[gail2]

Rachel i think wot annoyed me and my gp more than anything was the fact that one of those sigs was the head diabetic doc and it was him who saw me when i was admitted. I guess that the docs whos names are on the discharge letter dont always see that letter. I want to kick up a fuss about this and my GP has said hes prepared to take it further if nessery

 

[RachelT]

I think you GP has done the right thing, everybody needs to be made more aware that in some patients, good care isn't quite as simple as just giving out the right meds. And i really don't think that in general, hospitals that don't specialise in mental health take enough care or think hard enough about the needs of patients with mental health difficulties. please don't think i was annoyed or upset by your post, i'm, pleased your GP has gone to the top with your complaint. It's just given me food for thought (and hopefully something to bring up at my next job interview)🙂

 

[gail2]

And i really don't think that in general, hospitals that don't specialise in mental health take enough care or think hard enough about the needs of patients with mental health difficulties. please don't think i was annoyed or upset by your post,

you have hit the nail on the head.
Didt think you were annoyed/upset by post hunnie
Take care
gail

 

[Caroline Wilson]

Gail you did absolutly the riht thing in taking all the stuff back to your doctor. I hope everything works ou and you get everything you need in the way of help.

 

[margie]

Hope that the complaint gets answered quickly.

Your GP is certainly trying to get things done for you.

Hurray for him.

 

[Catwoman76]

My gp is brilliant bless him. Last time I was in hospital following an od. The hospital sent me home with some of wot i oded on, I asked for just one lot, it was not until I got home that I found out they had sent me home with five lots , if I had had the needles to fit them I would have taken the lot that night, so I put it all in the freezer and took it in to him the next day and he hit the roof. He has now sent it all back to the chief exsective (wrong spelling) of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust. As he said in the letter you have sent this lady home with more than she oded on. He said to me that when they discharged you on the discharge letter there were FIVE signatures and at least one of them should have realized what had happened. He recons that they will get a bit of a ticking off. Which i think is quite right, after all what if I had taken that lot that night, there was enough to do the job.
I would love to be a fly on the wall for that meeting.

Good god gail, unbelievable and this was a hospital!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well done for informing your doctor, let's hope they tighten their belts and something like this never happens again. Sheena x