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!