Where's the Communication

[MikeyBikey]

I have been sitting here waiting for Patient Transport (the patient waiting patiently) and contemplating chasing them up when my phone rang. It was the wheelchair guy to say he would be with me shortly. I pointed out I had appointments today and tomorrow, and had re-arranged the visit for yesterday's no-show for Friday morning.

So why was he on his way - a) maybe he had not been told or b) he had not checked his schedule?

After Monday's nonsense about the appointment that should have been cancelled I am increasingly frustrated by the lack of communication within the NHS which wastes people's time and delays others being seen.

Add into this the huge windows GPs give you for call backs and others like yesterday's 10-hour window and you wonder what is going on?

 

[silver minion]

You get the feeling that if you messed them around by not showing up or cancelling appointments at short notice they would soon be complaining. Your time is as precious as theirs and it is not beyond their capabilities to organise smaller times lots, say 2 hours, and to notify all parties.😡😡 on your behalf!

 

[MikeyBikey]

It continued today. When I was waiting in the Podiatry Clinic I got a phone call offering me the flu jab . I pointed out I had turned it down four weeks ago and every time I have been offered it for over ten years as I had it three times and each time was quite unwell - the last time for a month! When I asked "Why do you keep asking?" I was told "In case you change your mind"! Surely if I change my mind I could ask for it?!

 

[MikeyBikey]

You get the feeling that if you messed them around by not showing up or cancelling appointments at short notice they would soon be complaining. Your time is as precious as theirs and it is not beyond their capabilities to organise smaller times lots, say 2 hours, and to notify all parties.😡😡 on your behalf!

Oh, they do! Nearly a year ago I got a text about an appointment where I had to reply YES, REBOOK or CANCEL. I responded with REBOOK and got another appointment. Then a couple of days before the original appointment I got a reminder text and so I rang them. I was asked if I could attend as although thy had rebooked it they had not cancelled it. I carefully explained that I could not be in two hospitals twenty miles apart at the same time. Then two weeks later I got copied in to a DNA (Did Not Attend) letter to my GP saying it was in my best interests to attend and if I failed to attend again I would be discharged. I then emailed them copying in my GP asking for an explanation as nobody would attend an appointment they had cancelled and rebooked. I never got an answer apart from the initial "We will reply within 28 days" and after chasing twice gave up as life is too short!

 

[helli]

I was just reminded of this thread and the tribulations you have been going through with NHS comms, @MikeyBikey.

Last month, I had a blood test. The doc was concerned because it showed "mild anaemia" and insisted upon seeing me. So, I took time off work to find out it was probably due to the surgery I had had 3 weeks prior (and was in my notes). However, he still recommended further blood tests.
Yesterday, I returned to the surgery to "deposit my blood" again.
I was surprised to receive a message this morning as blood test results usually take a few days. "If they are contacting me this soon afterwards, there must be a good reason", I thought.
So, with some trepidation, I logged into the NHS app and found the message.

It was a survey on "your experience of our service"!
All they did was took some blood - I haven't even got the results. I am half expecting another survey on my experience of the last survey.

 

[Leadinglights]

I read that Costco in the US had recalled 72,000 packs of butter as the label did not say 'Contains dairy products'
Other half had a pack of nuts and bolts which said 'May contain nuts' Ha Ha.

 

[Robin]

I was just reminded of this thread and the tribulations you have been going through with NHS comms, @MikeyBikey.

Last month, I had a blood test. The doc was concerned because it showed "mild anaemia" and insisted upon seeing me. So, I took time off work to find out it was probably due to the surgery I had had 3 weeks prior (and was in my notes). However, he still recommended further blood tests.
Yesterday, I returned to the surgery to "deposit my blood" again.
I was surprised to receive a message this morning as blood test results usually take a few days. "If they are contacting me this soon afterwards, there must be a good reason", I thought.
So, with some trepidation, I logged into the NHS app and found the message.

It was a survey on "your experience of our service"!
All they did was took some blood - I haven't even got the results. I am half expecting another survey on my experience of the last survey.

You’re probably keeping my daughter in employment! She works for one of the companies that processes and number crunches these surveys, and reports back to the NHS department or hospital they’ve come from. (Whether the NHS ever react to any of these reports is another matter, )

 

[helli]

You’re probably keeping my daughter in employment! She works for one of the companies that processes and number crunches these surveys, and reports back to the NHS department or hospital they’ve come from. (Whether the NHS ever react to any of these reports is another matter, )

If I'd have known I would have written something entertaining.
I imagine your daughter and her colleagues like to read something different every so often. 😎