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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

hospital saying I should have informed them

93 replies

Mharhi · 16/05/2012 19:11

about my previous medical history on admission to A and E? I just got back a complaint response and apparently it may have made a difference if I 'had alerted staff to my previous colonoscopy' when I came into casualty. However I was in a lot of pain, bleeding and taking tramadol, just felt at the time up to answering what they asked me. And what they asked was very specific "have you a history of inflammatory bowel disease?" then came back and said "sorry they forgot to ask had I ever had bowel cancer or family history of it?"

Now they are saying I didn't make them aware of a benign tumour which was in the colonoscopy report...argh..

Shouldn't they have a checklist or something to ask people? I already feel so bad I didn't alert them, I didn't know the report was important or was aware the lesion mentioned was a tumour...

I also would have thought the person checking me in should have checked out on the computer my past records?

OP posts:
Sirzy · 16/05/2012 20:28

Did your partner not think to offer that information then?

How are they supposed to know things if they aren't told? They don't have psychic powers, nor do they have time to read everything in someones (often extensive) notes even if they do happpen to have them to hand which is rare.

bruxeur · 16/05/2012 20:30

iguanadonna, you may have missed the fact that OP got this as part of a complaint response.

And it's not about blame, it's about responsibility - which is shared by patient and HCP.

scottishmummy · 16/05/2012 20:30

yes you should disclose your previous medical history
not all trusts Can quickly access med notes,and different trusts may not share info

Llanbobl · 16/05/2012 20:32

And he didn't think to mention it either, gosh how remiss. Both of you are unreasonable. Maybe next time (which hopefully there won't be) you could be accompanied by someone with a bit of gumption who can help provide your medical history and si avoid some poor sid in the NHS having to investigate and reply to what appears to be a vexatious complaint.

Original poster
Mharhi · 16/05/2012 20:32

Yes I had no idea a lesion was a tumour either! They called it a 'polypoid lesion that is nothing to worry about".

now they are saying I 'should have informed them I had a polyp" but i didn't know I had a polyp / tumour! I would have asked more questions if i hadn't been told it wasn't anything to worry about.

my GP's obviously didn't think it was anything to worry about either- i'd been seeing them for months in terrible pain from this thing. Turns out whoever put it on their system put in in as minor/inactive and missed out all my info eg consultant, further tests needed...so hadn't been referred back in,

hence me in A and E in an emergency situation. It had grown to over 6cm so in agony, nearly perforated the colon. sent home with painkillers.

OP posts:
Gentleness · 16/05/2012 20:33

Having just read through the inaccurate report of a minor trip to A&E on the discharge letter, I'm not feeling impressed with our experience of being listened to. So I'm sympathetic!

Llanbobl · 16/05/2012 20:34

Blush *so avoid some poor sod in the NHS even. Who the ...... is sid in the NHS

Original poster
Mharhi · 16/05/2012 20:34

I think my partner was just terrified.

I should explain the bathroom was covered in blood. The tumour had caused an extremely rare telescoping effect in the bowel and pushed out, it looked like an organ. I think we were both just terrified, it was so scary

OP posts:
piprabbit · 16/05/2012 20:34

I always veer towards oversharing with medical staff. First I can see their eyes glazing over...and then their will to live leaving them as my notes arrive on a trolley all of their own Grin.

scottishmummy · 16/05/2012 20:35

sorry you're having such a dreadful time
are you ok now

piprabbit · 16/05/2012 20:36

X-posted with your most recent posts, sounds horrific you poor thing.

Sirzy · 16/05/2012 20:37

Pip I go for that approach when I take DS in .. they start off writing everything down then write less and less!

Sirzy · 16/05/2012 20:38

Sounds awful but one of those things to put down to experiences as being errors on many levels unfortunately. Write down a full history of everything and make sure your DP knows where it is then if needed its easily available.

Original poster
Mharhi · 16/05/2012 20:38

The reason I'm complaining is they then sent me home with something that was a life threatening condition and i nearly died. when they finally operated I had sepsis and it was a much more major op than would have been, a hemicolotomy. Narrowly missed a stoma, which is good, but rushed in with emergency small bowel obstruction since, now awaiting another op.

So am very much paying the price for my missed info on arrival into A and E.

OP posts:
hiveofbees · 16/05/2012 20:40

You cant assume that they would have access to your full record, they generally arent electronic.

They cant ask specifically about every single potential aspect of past medical history, but will often at some point ask if you have any medical problems whether before or after a more specific list.

A lesion is not the same thing as a tumour. A lesion is a non specific name for any kind of abnormality eg you could describe a spot as being a dermatological lesion.

Original poster
Mharhi · 16/05/2012 20:41

I'm ok thanks Scottishmummy. I just have to avoid anything with fibre in it mainly and in quite a lot of pain with adhesions. There were lots of other things a problem so think they're just trying to pick at things. They mainly sent me home becuase there was no space and my pulse temp etc was ok, no space to examine me apparently, not till the next Wednesday. Oh well.

OP posts:
scottishmummy · 16/05/2012 20:43

what a ghastly,scary day
you and dp must've been terrified

Original poster
Mharhi · 16/05/2012 20:45

thanks hiveofbees. I have written saying they should have explained and monitored it but it was very rare. I didn't get any follow up you see. they could have removed it sooner, but was told it was ok. that should be my main complaint I think.

there are clear statistics that in the colon at 2cm they cause problems in 50% of people and at 4cm in 75%, these being serious, major things like massive bleeding, perforation and intususception, which I had.

I've just found out it was 2-3cm when found in 2008 so am Shock

think it was totally unreasonable telling me it was nothing to worry about, maybe that should have been my AIBU Blush

OP posts:
Original poster
Mharhi · 16/05/2012 20:48

Yes scottishmummy well actually the middle of the night. Was terrified the little ones might wake up and see it. Had to call sis in law to come round at 3am which she kindly did as DH wanted to come with me, bless him, he was finding it hard to drive. We should have got an ambulance really I guess. It's ok now I'm just so cross it got to the stage it did.

OP posts:
butthatsnotfair · 16/05/2012 20:55

It sounds awful Mharhi :(

I do think the doctor who told you that the lesion wasn't a problem was at 'fault' (if we are apportioning blame).

She / he should have told you the full story including possible complications (even if rare) and what to do if they do occur.

Northernlurker · 16/05/2012 20:57

I can see this was a horrible experience for you but it's a positive thing that they noted what you told them about your husbands condition. Clearly they were listening to you. From their perspective I'm sure it's hard to accept that you told them about your husband's condition but not about a major investigation you had. Do you see what I mean?
Are you happy with the rest of the response?

PestoPenguin · 16/05/2012 20:59

Actually, I'm going to go against the grain here and say I think the person taking the history should have asked broader questions. Have you ever had any problems with your stomach or guts? Have you had to come for any hospital appointments about anything recently? etc etc

In that sort of terrifying scenario, after taking tramadol I wouldn't expect the average person to remember everything. No doubt your DH was pretty scared too. Normal people frequently don't understand medical jargon, or the significance of technical things they have been told. Especially not at 4am when frightened and in pain. People who attend hospital are frequently vulnerable, confused, etc etc. Medical staff should know this and be used to dealing with it. After all, someone could die if they miss something crucial.

I also don't think anyone outside the NHS would be unreasonable for not knowing that hospitals don't necessarily keep electronic records, especially of events within the last few years. The people patients have most contact with are GPs, and they do obviously use computers right in front of you, so it would be perfectly logical for the average person to think hospitals did the same and that in this day and age they might all be connected up somehow (after all the rest of the world seems to be scarily interlinked electronically doesn't it?).

bruxeur · 16/05/2012 21:01

There's nothing to say they didn't, PP.

PestoPenguin · 16/05/2012 21:02

Well OP says she has her notes, so wouldn't they record what she was asked?

bruxeur · 16/05/2012 21:03

No.

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