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

[whatareyouwaitingforr]

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?

Sorry - I don’t think I made it clear. The reason I can’t (or don’t want to) complain is because I work in elective surgery, and so if it comes to surgery my case will have the label “pals complaint”, which I don’t really want to have. I don’t want my colleagues knowing I’ve made a complaint

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

Have you tried contacting PALS as to the complaints procedure?
Also, Staysure covered us in the past when DS was waiting to see a consultant after having some tests and was undiagnosed.

Sorry if I don’t understand the hierarchy but can’t you just go along to the department and ask about it.

Of course you can complain!
Go in and have a conversation, be polite and ask for some help to sort it out.

This, that’s what I’ve tended to do!

Just go in and ask! When I had problems getting a scan for my cancer scheduled, I went directly to ask.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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!!

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

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