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Children's health

Come and tell me what you would do.....

12 replies

cansomeonehelp · 08/04/2010 20:23

DD3 has been very ill for 2 years now with a long-term condition. Her paediatrician has been fantastic, very caring and has always encouraged me to phone her whenever I have needed to. Last year sometimes this was once a week or more at DDs worst, but now has reduced to just when necessary. I dont phone unless I need her. (phoned twice this year before this latest attempt at contact)

Phoned 4 weeks ago and asked her to phone me. One week later, after a frantically worrying week I phoned and she had gone on holiday. Fair enough! So phoned DD3s specialist consultant who is hundreds of miles away. She answered some of my queries, thankfully.

Local Paed's secretary said she would leave her a message to phone me when she returned from hols. Another week later and still no call. Left another message yesterday asking her to phone me. Still nothing.

So, now. Do I start getting cross and nagging? Or do I just give up and go through this alone, which is incredibly scary! Do you think she is deliberately not answering my calls? We had always got in really well. Sometimes she has taken a few days to get back to me, but never this long and never have I needed to phone her so many times to get her to respond.

Opinions please. I dont want to be a nag!!

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rockinhippy · 08/04/2010 21:41

No, start nagging, thats out of order, your obviously not a complainer & need her guidance, its HER JOB FFS!!!..... quite possibly its her Secretary or receptionists fault for not passing on the messages, or she may be ill, so there could be good reason, but by law you are entitled to a proper service from her.........if your still not getting it after your next FIRM call.........speak to PALS.....
Patient ?? Liason Service....... its the first step in the complaints procedure........

good luck

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mumonthenet · 08/04/2010 21:47

I agree with rockinhippy,

don't be afraid to be a nag, there's probably a good explanation for the Paed's silence but to respond to you is her job.

Your job is to worry about your dd.

hope everything works out.

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cansomeonehelp · 08/04/2010 21:47

Thank you Rockinhippy,

Its sort of what I was thinking, but just dont want to be thought of as a nag. I will phone again on Monday as I know Friday is her day off, unless she's on call. I will be firm!! I promise!!

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cansomeonehelp · 08/04/2010 21:48

Mumonthenet - I am good at my job then!!

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LaDiDaDi · 08/04/2010 21:51

Have you given any indication to the sec as to what you want to discuss? I understand that you might not want to but it may make the doc respond more promptly.

I think it's perfectly reasonable for you to ring again on Monday.

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cansomeonehelp · 08/04/2010 22:01

When I phoned and paed was on holiday I did say (in a very disappointed way) "Oh no, I desperately needed to speak to her last week, can you please make sure she phones on Monday" - which is now 11days ago! I have phoned twice since then and reminded her!
secretary always seems really nice and promises to pass on messages. Although I do always like to believe that people will do what they say they will do. (I would be horrified if I forgot to pass on messages in my job!)

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rockinhippy · 09/04/2010 13:12

if you can't get to speak to her, maybe try asking very firmly if their is another Doctor who CAN speak too you urgently, as it IS URGENT & also let the receptionist know you are very upset that you've not yet had any reply, as it was urgent when you first rang weeks ago, & you've been advised to raise a complaint, want to give them the benefit of the doubt this time..........

somebody definitely ISN"T doing their job properly, but difficult to know who I suppose, but you & your DD have a legal right to proper care & they don't sound like they are providing that, so it doesn't really matter whose fault it is, as a team, they are failing you & DD, so don't be afraid to get a bit stroppy with them, sadly often thats the only way to get properly heard...good luck

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cansomeonehelp · 09/04/2010 17:29

Thank you for all your responses. I will definitely phone on Monday morning and will let them know exactly how I feel.
Just in case anyone is interested I will post on Monday how I get on.

Thanks All - you have given me confidence that I am not being a PITA!

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nellie12 · 09/04/2010 17:32

can you ask secretary for consultants email address - that way if you email her you know she is definitely getting the message?

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cansomeonehelp · 09/04/2010 19:52

Thanks Nellie, I have asked for her email address in the past as I would think this would be a far better way to communicate and sooo much easier for me as I could email at ridiculous times of the night . BUT she says they dont use their email addresses for patients. So just have to phone and she then rings my mobile whenever. I then feel attached to the bloomin thing and waiting for it to ring.

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PositiveAttitude · 12/04/2010 09:55

Just in case anyone pops back to see how it went, I have just phoned her secretary.

Guess what...... she's now on holiday again!!

But I told the secretary how frustrated I was that it would now be nearly 6 weeks from when I started trying to speak with her to when I actually get a reply. SHe agreed this was unacceptable. She has given me an email address that will then get passed on to her as soon as she returns.
I now have a week to type out a good letter to her saying everything and pointing out how I feel. I am quite happy with this because I feel I will be able to say what I need to say, but I know I would probably chicken out a bit once she was nice to me on the phone!

Thanks for your support.

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cansomeonehelp · 12/04/2010 09:56

Oh Bugger!!!! Forgot to change my name!!!!

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