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?

1. Complain to PALs - regardless of whether you work for the NHS or not, you should have received an appointment and haven't so you have every right to complain.
2. Go and talk to the admin team. No they probably can't do anything but it doesn't hurt to try.
3. I would be wondering if something has gone wrong. You didn't get correctly on the system or an appointment has been made, but the notifications have gone wrong,

Pals is for any kind of complaints or compliments@BiteSizedLife

I’m wondering if it’s gone wrong too.

I just can’t contact anyone to find out! It’s actually a bit laughable, they’re completely uncomtactable

And that's why you contact PALS!

I recently contacted PALS after something similar. They were absolutely useless and the matter still hasn’t been resolved. I was sent several follow up clinic appointments after a colonoscopy flagged up an issue (non-cancerous).

Each one was sent and then cancelled a few days later and this kept happening over the course of a few weeks until I finally received one that I was able to confirm and attend. When I attended the clinic on the day of the appointment there was no one there. Reception said the clinic had been cancelled, I should have had a letter and that they would send out another appointment.

I waited a couple of weeks and none came so I made a telephone appointment with my GP to try to sort it out. GP advised that shortly after the last appointment date they had received a letter from the hospital to say that I had failed to attend any of the appointments made and was being referred back into their care !! I was furious, as was the GP when I explained what had happened. I’ve been re-referred and am currently still waiting for an appointment.

My colonoscopy was as a result of being sent the home test. I attended the clinic appointment, was referred for further investigation, advised that there was an issue, but never actually got as far as having that issue sorted out. As far as I’m concerned the NHS isn’t fit for purpose.

You’re going to have to notify your travel insurers of your physio appointments that you’ve already had regardless as to whether the cancelled appointment is rebooked before your holiday or not. You could get an appointment next week but still not actually have the appointment until after your holiday.

Use your connections and find a name of someone who works in bookings .. not a mailbox a name. Mail them, from your work mail, so they see you work at the hospital

I know - but I’d like to know what I’m working with. If it’s something minor it probably won’t affect it but if it’s something that requires surgery I’d obviously rather know

This is all fairly standard. Takes ages now and I don’t think 4 weeks is actually that long. You should definitely let your travel insurance know if you are waiting to be assessed.

leave them a voicemail asking them to contact you.

I’ve tried! It just bounces back. It’s a joke. I’m going to email PALS this morning I think

My husband is currently paying £50 a session for orthopedic physio from a Spire hospital, is that an option for you? We paid £250 for a CAT scan last week and £250 to see an orthopedic surgeon tonight. The diagnosed part of private medecine can be surprisingly affordable.

I don’t have the means to, unfortunately

My guess is that insurance will decline you. Declined my husband being investigated for tinitus!!! We had to go private.

Mine is pretty good, they let me travel 10 days after surgery last year and they didn’t care!

I find it strange they don't get cancellations! People have to cancel for all sorts of reasons- they get Covid, bad coughs, family bereavement etc.

I'd pop next door and ask them?

My friend, who works in admin at the hospital seems to be able to help with appointments in any department. There must be someone you know?

There are plenty of routes you can at least try. You have the added advantage of working for the NHS so you understand better how it all works, unlike the rest of us who have to navigate the complexities of the NHS without the benefit of insider knowledge.
PALS is exactly for this - liaison. Never mind what your colleagues think - and how would they even know?
Or you could phone the physiotherapy team and ask for advice.
Or you could turn up at Ortho reception and tell them you're not going away until they tell you who to speak to.
Or you could suck it up and pay the extra insurance. Again, this does happen to many others. Annoying but a fact of life in modern Britain.
Finally, you could go private if your holiday is actually at risk.

Pals is appropriate but really uncomfortable when you work there. I’m needing to complain but I’m hoping they’ll respond before I have to because I work in the trust my role works closely with the pals team. Working in a hospital is weird because you’d never tell a colleague the details of your health issues. Knowing there’s a group of people you work with who’ve seen your vagina is also a thought to bury deep.

I’d see if my gp could chase the referral in the first instance op.

Yeah I think that line was bollocks, but that was when I was trying to get the initial appointment moved forward a little. It’s just so frustrating

This. I don't understand why you haven't spoken to them ?

I would try Pals but being realistic your physio will either say some physio and give you a sheet and send you on your way or refer you for an X-ray - possibly an ultrasound but not an MRI.

where I live non urgent X-rays and ultrasounds have a 6 week wait - my ct and mri scans are sometimes quicker.

I think I would accept it won't be sorted by your hols but you can get insurance - enjoy your hols.

if you think you know what you have as a condition there are good physio videos for the various conditions on Scot's NHS - I discovered this years ago after I had online physio during the covid era but the physios then could not offer that as they were transferred to recovering covid patients - who could actually walk - even the physios thought it was bizarre.

I get they're not where you are but I would see if I could physically go and visit wherever they've been moved to. Or look them up on the staff system and ring them through that route?

It’s so awkward isn’t it?

The physio I saw has told me the process, I’ll be referred for this, sent for an X-ray to rule out arthritis (which she’s confident I don’t have) and then on for an MRI. So it’s just how much of this will be done by the time I get on holiday. It’s just so infuriating that it’s been pushed back so much already

Its weird you actually work there but are asking randoms online for advice.