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Original poster

Hospital won’t rebook cancelled appointment, but I can’t complain

208 replies

whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:23

I have been on a waiting list for an orthopaedic physiotherapy consultation for 5 months now. I had an appointment booked, but I got a voicemail to say it was cancelled last month and they said they’d “rebook by post”. The hospital uses an app that is instant. When something is booked, it goes straight through to the app.

I know this because I work there. I am in an adjacent department to this one. So I can’t complain.

I’ve called everyday, sent emails, tried everything to get in contact with them. They don’t answer their phones, nor do they answer emails. I’m at a loss, mainly because I know after this appointment it’ll be another 6 months before I can get a scan and I’m due to go on holiday in August. I don’t particularly want to cancel, but I’m worried that waiting for this will make my insurance unaffordable.

Is there anything I can do besides PALS?

OP posts:
Oneearringlost · 15/05/2026 07:50

DoYouLikeYourNaneFred · 15/05/2026 07:42

Can you get it done privately?

if not, contact Wes, I'm sure he'd be glad if something different to think about this morning!

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It's not Wes Streeting anymore! It's James Murray, the outgoing chief secretary to the Treasury...😀

TriciaMcMillan · 15/05/2026 07:48

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I have no idea why you think it wouldn't be. Second example given on the NHS website is
'help resolve concerns or problems when you're using the NHS'. This is exactly what you can use PALS for. I have used it myself for similar reasons and found it very effective.

OP, please do contact them, it really shouldn't cause any issues, I've done it when I worked in the NHS and worked in related service. It's what it's there for!

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/what-is-pals-patient-advice-and-liaison-service/

nhs.uk

What is PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)?

Find out more about the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), which offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters.

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/what-is-pals-patient-advice-and-liaison-service

Original poster
whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:48

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 15/05/2026 07:46

If it's less than a minute away just go there and talk to someone, surely!? I don't understand why it being in a different building is relevant if you're saying it's so close you could go to a cancellation at the drop of a hat.

The physio building is a minute away. The team that book appointments for the hospital have been moved off site, away from everyone else. (Part of me suspects it’s because of staff who would go in and ask!)

OP posts:
ArtyFartyCrafts · 15/05/2026 07:47

The very obvious answer if you don’t want to use PALS is to go there in person.

TofuTuesday · 15/05/2026 07:47

PALS was rubbish for me, asked for details I sent them (very intimate and distressing gynae stuff) and they didn’t acknowledge or reply. I had to contact them again, almost complained about PALS, they they decided I wouldn’t want conflict so they wouldn’t take it forward and would just pass on my concern. Absolutely useless

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 15/05/2026 07:46

If it's less than a minute away just go there and talk to someone, surely!? I don't understand why it being in a different building is relevant if you're saying it's so close you could go to a cancellation at the drop of a hat.

Original poster
whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:45

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

What will they do? This has all come from a self referral to physio, who then referred me on

OP posts:
Wishitsnows · 15/05/2026 07:44

you should contact PALS then. I mean what else can you do if the department don’t bother to monitor emails and do not answer their phones. You have been trying for weeks and getting nowhere. You are asking for special treatment at all.

Cutegarlic · 15/05/2026 07:44

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:43

BrendaSmall · 15/05/2026 07:42

Go and visit where you’re meant to be having the appointment to and ask them face to face would be the sensible thing to do!!

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They don’t deal with booking the appointments, so they’d not be able to help!

OP posts:
Memeyoulater · 15/05/2026 07:43

Most colleagues would applaud you for going to PALS if they have mucked up. JUST DO IT !

BrendaSmall · 15/05/2026 07:42

whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:35

I don’t know who else would be? They’re impossible to contact, you can’t get through on the phone (I’ve tried everyday for the last four weeks), I’ve sent multiple emails, the email for the head of the orthopaedic patient access team has a bounce back saying he doesn’t monitor them, I don’t know where else I can turn? I just really need to get the ball rolling.

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Go and visit where you’re meant to be having the appointment to and ask them face to face would be the sensible thing to do!!

DoYouLikeYourNaneFred · 15/05/2026 07:42

whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:39

I don’t think that about other patients, I think it about myself - I work there and using PALS will just make me look like I’m trying to get special treatment. I just want to have the scan before I go away because otherwise I’m going to be in the shit for travel insurance

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Can you get it done privately?

if not, contact Wes, I'm sure he'd be glad if something different to think about this morning!

saveforthat · 15/05/2026 07:41

Even if the department is off site, why can't you go in person on a day off e.g.?

Original poster
whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:39

Wishitsnows · 15/05/2026 07:39

I didn’t know that the highlighted PALS complaint on your file. It does not highlight that the patient is difficult it is normally that the patient has has to utilise PALS as the NHS process is broken again in that area and they have needed support to get the appointment or whatever if the same way that you do now. Concerning that you think someone that has had to resort to using PALS is a difficult patient.

I don’t think that about other patients, I think it about myself - I work there and using PALS will just make me look like I’m trying to get special treatment. I just want to have the scan before I go away because otherwise I’m going to be in the shit for travel insurance

OP posts:
Wishitsnows · 15/05/2026 07:39

I didn’t know that the highlighted PALS complaint on your file. It does not highlight that the patient is difficult it is normally that the patient has has to utilise PALS as the NHS process is broken again in that area and they have needed support to get the appointment or whatever if the same way that you do now. Concerning that you think someone that has had to resort to using PALS is a difficult patient.

Original poster
whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:37

BiteSizedLife · 15/05/2026 07:36

I guess PALS is a postcode lottery then! Where I am I was basically told unless she is being actually abused then they're not interested. and that They dont intervene with clinical decisions.

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Christ, we get them expedited all the time. In my speciality, it’s about once every two months, but across the entire team we probably get a pals expedite every couple of weeks. It’s madness.

OP posts:
Cyclingforcake · 15/05/2026 07:37

I work in a hospital and think PALS is appropriate here. It’s ‘Patients Advice and Liaison service’. You need some advice on how to get through and them to liaise with the department on your behalf. Complaints is only one part of what they do. And as clinicians we never really know if someone has used PALS and certainly wouldn’t hold it against them if they had.

BiteSizedLife · 15/05/2026 07:36

whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:33

PALS is for anyone who’s under the hospital care. We get surgeries expedited by PALs complaints probably every other month. At our hospital, they just want to avoid anything bigger than a PALs, so they get it expedited.

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I guess PALS is a postcode lottery then! Where I am I was basically told unless she is being actually abused then they're not interested. and that They dont intervene with clinical decisions.

Original poster
whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:35

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

I don’t know who else would be? They’re impossible to contact, you can’t get through on the phone (I’ve tried everyday for the last four weeks), I’ve sent multiple emails, the email for the head of the orthopaedic patient access team has a bounce back saying he doesn’t monitor them, I don’t know where else I can turn? I just really need to get the ball rolling.

OP posts:
Original poster
whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:33

BiteSizedLife · 15/05/2026 07:32

I thought PALS was only if you thought a patient was acrually being abused or somthing in hospital... not that you're unhappy with waiting times?

This is basically what I was told when they cancelled all mum's treatment and scans were suddenly not needed anymore and were wanting to discharge my mum home without diagnosis, and it was completely unsafe for her to go home.

they wouldnt even intervene then! PALS was bloody useless IMO

Edited

PALS is for anyone who’s under the hospital care. We get surgeries expedited by PALs complaints probably every other month. At our hospital, they just want to avoid anything bigger than a PALs, so they get it expedited.

OP posts:
Cutegarlic · 15/05/2026 07:33

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

BiteSizedLife · 15/05/2026 07:32

I thought PALS was only if you thought a patient was acrually being abused or somthing in hospital... not that you're unhappy with waiting times?

This is basically what I was told when they cancelled all mum's treatment and scans were suddenly not needed anymore and were wanting to discharge my mum home without diagnosis, and it was completely unsafe for her to go home.

they wouldnt even intervene then! PALS was bloody useless IMO

Original poster
whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:31

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Because it just makes me look difficult and I’m not really after that, I just want to know when I’ll be seen. I’ve emailed them and said I can take cancellations as the actual physio building is about a minute from where I work, but they say they don’t get cancellations.

OP posts:
Original poster
whatareyouwaitingforr · 15/05/2026 07:30

shellyleppard · 15/05/2026 07:27

If you work in the same building could you just pop in and ask them?

We’re not in the same building unfortunately. They’ve just been moved to a building off site, or I’d go down!

OP posts: