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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be a little pissed off?!

16 replies

4teensandababy · 29/09/2017 14:26

This is more of a vent, but will try not to drip feed!

At the beginning of June I suffered an ankle injury whilst playing netball. I literally jumped up and came down on the outside of my ankle. Really unlucky and a hazard of the game! I felt it 'pop' and when I tried to get back up I couldn't stand on it. I went off and iced it. I then (in my wisdom) thought I'd just twisted it, so strapped it up and went back on for the last quarter.

After the game it was really hurting, and resulted in me going to a&e. I had 2 lots of x-rays, as the nurse wasn't sure if there was anything to see or not. In the end she decided (didn't see a doctor) that it was just a sprain and put a small splint on it. I was advised to move and get back to normal as quick as possible.

After 2 weeks on crutches not being able to weight bear, I started physio through the netball club. The physio said due to the pain I was still in and the swelling, I'd suffered a 3rd degree sprain which is full ligament rupture. We did massage and exercises accordingly for weeks.

6 weeks ago I was still in a lot of pain (still taking painkillers) and walking for longer than a minute was incredibly painful! I went back to the GP who referred me to the hospital.
2 weeks later I was seen by orthopaedics (SHO) who looked at my x-rays from before and said that it was definitely my ligaments and I would need surgery. He then told me to wait for an MRI scan to confirm which ligaments were damaged.

I waited 3 more weeks for an MRI (that was super quick as the GP had asked for it be expedited), and then had to go back today (2 weeks post MRI) for the results.

Today I see a consultant Orthopaedic surgeon, who asks me: 'How is your ankle?' I replied 'Still quite sore actually'. He replied 'I'm not surprised, you have quite a nasty fracture there' and proceeded to show me on the MRI. Now this was not what I was expecting, I was waiting to be told it was ligaments! He then said because I've been walking on it (as advised!) it hadn't had a chance to properly heal. He even showed me where the fracture was on the initial x-rays too, and couldn't understand how it was missed!

I'm now in plaster, and have to wait another 6 weeks before I go back to the fracture clinic for yet another x-ray to see if it's healed.

Because the fracture wasn't spotted, my recovery and return to sport has been delayed by months.

AIBU to be a little pissed off and feel a bit let down? I'm not NHS bashing, I know how hard the staff work, it's just frustrating that they missed my broken ankle!!

OP posts:
TurnipCake · 29/09/2017 14:30

Declaration of interests: I'm an NHS doc, and if I had missed a fracture, I'd want feedback so I can learn for future cases.

I think it needs highlighting to the teams involved. Out of interest, I'd want to know if the radiologist reporting the x-ray had spotted the fracture too

Pariswhenitdrizzles · 29/09/2017 14:30

YANBU at all Flowers Sorry about what's happened. It does seem strange that the A&E nurse you saw didn't ask a doctor about it or even get a second opinion from a colleague. Really sorry to hear this :(

Aquamarine1029 · 29/09/2017 14:31

You should file an official complaint against every doctor who botched your diagnosis. Can you sue for damages, lost wages, etc? Their incompetence has, and will have, major, long-lasting consequences on your life.

4teensandababy · 29/09/2017 14:35

TurnipCake Will the consultant I saw today feedback to the others who missed it do you think? I was also advised at the time that a radiologist also looks at the x-rays so if they see anything untoward I will get a call back. Seems a few of them missed it unfortunately. The consultant did say there was a lot of swelling in the x-rays, not sure whether he was trying to play down the missing it bit?!

Pariswhenitdrizzles It's normal practice at our hospital to have a specially trained nurse who does the non-complicated cases I think. I know she didn't ask for a second opinion and made the diagnosis herself.

OP posts:
LagunaBubbles · 29/09/2017 14:39

I had 2 lots of x-rays, as the nurse wasn't sure if there was anything to see or not. In the end she decided (didn't see a doctor) that it was just a sprain and put a small splint on it

Did a Doctor actually see your x ray results, as far as Im aware they have to be checked by a Doctor?

4teensandababy · 29/09/2017 14:41

LagunaBubbles A doctor didn't see them that evening. I was told all x-rays taken that day are sent to a radiologist who checks them overnight and if anything is missed they call the patient back the following day.

OP posts:
ShakeTheDisease · 29/09/2017 14:45

No, the consultant you saw won't be flagging it up to the earlier teams. You should complain yourself. You're written it all out here, so neaten that up a bit, add in dates and so on and email the chief executive of the NHS trust saying you want to make an official complaint. It won't help you now, sadly, but it will make them review how this happened. That's important so it doesn't happen to others. Sorry you've been so unlucky.

4teensandababy · 29/09/2017 14:46

Aquamarine1029 Don't get me wrong - I LOVE suing people (just ask the Daily Fail Wink) But I don't think that would achieve anything in this instance. I am cross, but I just hope they learn from it.

OP posts:
Ellendegeneres · 29/09/2017 14:46

I broke a bone, knew it was broken, saw it on the X-ray. They said it was a sprain. I felt the fucker snap, I know a break when I feel it. 3 weeks later, dosed to the eyeballs, I was sent for another X-ray. It was a clear through and through. They pulled up the old X-ray and started panicking, seeing how obvious it was. Due to position of break I had surgery, and lost feeling in that area, some of which has never returned. Drs all blamed each other when I submitted a complaint through pals, and I've never had a satisfactory outcome or apology.
Op go through pals. You've been treated terribly. Good luck

MrsMargeSimpson · 29/09/2017 14:49

This is, in NHS terms, quite a serious incident. It would certainly be worthy of investigation at such at our Trust. You should absolutely raise a complaint via PALS (which should then be linked to the investigation) and I would expect you’d be able to raise a claim if you wish to. Personally, I don’t agree with claims unless there are extenuating circumstances. That’s just my view though.
Hope your recovery is easier now Flowers

4teensandababy · 29/09/2017 14:50

ShakeTheDisease If it's unlikely that feedback will be given, I'll compose something to send to them then.

Ellendegeneres I'm so sorry to hear that, it must have been awful for you. I hope it's healing as well as it can. Flowers

OP posts:
ElspethFlashman · 29/09/2017 14:56

The A&E nurse is not qualified to interpret X rays, unless she's an Orthopaedic ANP (unlikely if she's in A&E). They should have been reviewed by doctor, she could lose her registration over that.

But I'm actually more shocked an Orthopaedic SHO missed a fracture. Thats appalling. It's his specialty, he looks at x-rays all day long!

Both need to be complained about in writing.

4teensandababy · 29/09/2017 14:58

MrsMargeSimpson Thanks for the advice. I'll look into speaking with PALS. I don't want to make a monetary claim - heaven knows the NHS needs as much money as possible. If they can learn from it, and it saves someone else in the future then I'll be happy.

OP posts:
spiderlight · 29/09/2017 15:01

That's horrendous! You must have been in agony, walking on a broken ankle all those weeks. Speak to PALS for the relevant hospital - they'll know the best channels to go through. I hope it heals without any further complications now.

TurnipCake · 29/09/2017 15:02

Not necessarily re: consultant feeding back to SHO etc. If I was aware of this as a case, then I'd report it as a Datix (incident reporting tool) but I think in this instance, PALS is the best way to go

MrsMargeSimpson · 29/09/2017 15:49

If this isn’t datix’d there are serious issues! It’s clearly at least an amber.

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