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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is partly why the NHS is in such a state?

50 replies

QuestionableMouse · 11/12/2023 12:33

A friend has an outpatients appointment today for a fracture. Unfortunately she had an accident over the weekend and is in hospital. I'm ringing because she has no contact with her family and lives alone, and due to the nature of her injury she's not able to to do it herself.

I've been trying all morning to rearrange her a or at least get in touch with the team but I've genuinely rang 20+ times just to get an answer phone message. Rang the hospital switchboard, rang the ward my friend is on to see if they can pass an message internally - all either just ringing out or going to voicemail.

Not bashing the NHS but with the pressure on appointments it's really frustrating to be in this situation of not being able to speak to someone!

OP posts:
PerspiringElizabeth · 11/12/2023 12:36

YANBU it’s really awful. Many similar experiences here.

Also if I hadn’t chased a long-awaited referral my son would have missed his appointment - turns out appointment letter went to our old address. I had changed address with GP and hospital directly, and have since confirmed our address at the hospital again but letters STILL go to old address. Shambolic!

user628468523532453 · 11/12/2023 12:42

We should criticise the NHS where it fails. Otherwise how will anything improve?

GrannypantsMagee · 11/12/2023 12:42

It's rubbish. But why doesn't the ward she is on let the fracture clinic know? Even if it's a different hospital and unrelated admission I'd expect them to do that.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 11/12/2023 12:43

I feel so bad because I know the appointment is going to go down as missed but short of driving to the hospital I'm not sure what else to do! Been ringing every 10-20 mins since 9am and only got voicemail!

To think this is partly why the NHS is in such a state?
OP posts:
Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 11/12/2023 12:44

GrannypantsMagee · 11/12/2023 12:42

It's rubbish. But why doesn't the ward she is on let the fracture clinic know? Even if it's a different hospital and unrelated admission I'd expect them to do that.

Because as far as I can tell, the ward doesn't know about it! (That's been my general experience of being in a ward and having an outpatients appointment)

And I can't get through to the ward to speak to them either!

OP posts:
Livedandlearned · 11/12/2023 12:45

Can you call the ward directly, the numbers are usually on the hospital website. If you get the wrong ward someone might help you find the right one.

Livedandlearned · 11/12/2023 12:46

I didn't read your post properly at all, sorry!

wheretoyougonow · 11/12/2023 12:48

Don't feel bad, you've done your best. They should be able to see on their own system that she is currently an inpatient but they probably won't.

I was recently rung to ask why I hasn't attended an outpatients appointment. I explained it was hard to attend an appointment I didn't actually know about. I got a letter with the time and date the day after!

PermanentTemporary · 11/12/2023 12:50

Ring PALS for the trust if you can.

Have you tried the actual switchboard? Can you speak to a human there?

One of the reasons l like my job is that I get to say that it's much more efficient if everyone just bloody answers the phone rather than trying to come up with a system to 'manage' messages.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 11/12/2023 12:54

Yep, tried the switchboard who put me through to appointments who couldn't help because the fracture clinic has their own system. Got put back through to them and got the same voicemail message. The ward line is just ringing endlessly - I've been two in the queue for over ten minutes now!

OP posts:
mooncloud1 · 11/12/2023 12:56

QuestionableMouse · 11/12/2023 12:43

I feel so bad because I know the appointment is going to go down as missed but short of driving to the hospital I'm not sure what else to do! Been ringing every 10-20 mins since 9am and only got voicemail!

Not sure if I'm missing something but why can't you leave a voicemail? I know you may need to reschedule the appt for her but you could leave a message asking someone to call you back?
Hope your friend is feeling better soon

Livedandlearned · 11/12/2023 12:57

The ward is more likely to be able to cancel an appointment if a ward clerk answers.

Icedlatteplease · 11/12/2023 12:59

Yep.

When you've had as much involvement with the NHS as I have I know full well what high percentage of those missed appointments are down to NHS ineffectiveness

Icedlatteplease · 11/12/2023 13:04

Livedandlearned · 11/12/2023 12:57

The ward is more likely to be able to cancel an appointment if a ward clerk answers.

My DM was on the ward in hospital with breathing difficulties one room away from where the consultants were when the ward staff were "unable" to cancel her appointment snd couldnt take her in a wheelchair to attend it. With the lung consultant.

You couldn't make it up its so ineffective

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 11/12/2023 13:08

A BiL had an appt. letter (one of many previous that had gone to the right address) sent to an address he’d left 17 years previously! Luckily the current owners forwarded it in time.

Dh was sent to the wrong centre for a minor surgical procedure, and there wasn’t time to get to the correct centre, so that was one appt. wasted because of shambolic admin.

And I’ve heard too often of appt. letters being sent to people with dementia, without copies being sent to relatives, even though they’ve told NHS staff repeatedly that the person will never remember, and will probably throw the letter away. But unless the relative already has P of A, they’re told that they can’t be copied in, because of patient confidentiality.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 11/12/2023 13:12

mooncloud1 · 11/12/2023 12:56

Not sure if I'm missing something but why can't you leave a voicemail? I know you may need to reschedule the appt for her but you could leave a message asking someone to call you back?
Hope your friend is feeling better soon

Show quote history

I have - sorry if I didn't make that clear! 😊

OP posts:
Tink1989 · 11/12/2023 13:16

why do you keep calling if you've left a message? chances are the staff aren't in the office and will pick up on their return and pop her down as a cancellation instead of DNA

eosmum · 11/12/2023 13:17

My DD had a physio appointment, then due to the injury was advised not to attend by the consultant at that time, couldn't get through on phone, ended up painfully walking to the department, she worked in the same hospital, and physically asked to cancel the appointment. Then received a letter saying she had missed the appointment, a complete mess.

SunshineIndoors123 · 11/12/2023 13:20

I've known of a few clinics where there isn't someone there to answer the phone all the time, and it works by you leaving a message, then at various points in the day someone picks up all the messages and deals with them/gets back to you if needs be. It is possible this is the situation here? Annoying if the voicemail message doesn't actually tell you that though, I had a similar issue trying to get through to the community midwives once.

Catza · 11/12/2023 13:21

To be perfectly honest, even if you manage to get through, they won't fill the appointment slot at the last minute anyway. I work clinically and our cancellation rate is about 8%. Unless the patient lets us know a couple of working days in advance, there is nothing we can do to fill the slots. We still have to ring around to find people from the waiting list who want/are able to come in at the short notice.
The best thing you can do is to inform them as to prevent discharge from the waiting list. You already left a voicemail, they will deal with it when admin staff are on site (which can be different hours from the clinic opening).

SleeptightDaisy · 11/12/2023 13:23

My dad was recently on a ward at one part of the hospital the ward arranged an appointment for him in urology to attend, he was picked up from the ward in an ambulance with two staff. They drove him over to urology booked him in and waited with him only to be told 30mins later he couldn't be seen because someone else on his ward had tested positive for covid. He was then driven back. The ward knew there was a positive case before they'd even booked the appointment. A completely and utter waste of everyone's time.

daffodilandtulip · 11/12/2023 13:33

Communication in the NHS is shocking. I got discharged from a consultant after never being seen. Two were phonecall appointments that I "didn't attend" - they didn't phone me, what can I do? And one I got the letter the day after the appointment. So we're going back through the entire referral via GP again.

daffodilandtulip · 11/12/2023 13:35

SleeptightDaisy · 11/12/2023 13:23

My dad was recently on a ward at one part of the hospital the ward arranged an appointment for him in urology to attend, he was picked up from the ward in an ambulance with two staff. They drove him over to urology booked him in and waited with him only to be told 30mins later he couldn't be seen because someone else on his ward had tested positive for covid. He was then driven back. The ward knew there was a positive case before they'd even booked the appointment. A completely and utter waste of everyone's time.

Yeah but they'll pass the target for getting someone an appointment so all's good 🙄

LIZS · 11/12/2023 13:38

If it is the same hospital as she is in can a ward nurse ring outpatients or take her to the appointment if she is up to it. I've seen inpatients attend eye appointments with relatives or dropped off/collected at our local one. The system should flag her admission.

mooncloud1 · 11/12/2023 13:46

I have - sorry if I didn't make that clear! 😊

No problem, probably me misreading!
So frustrating, hope they call you back.