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?

I see. So again, it’s the patients’ fault is it? They are hateful, or something because they expect adequate and polite care in a timely manner.

From my experience, what actually happens here is an enquiry is made to the department concerned to ensure that the patient's case has not fallen through a gap in the system for whatever reason. If all the referrals are being delayed then if its possible that might be addressed by adding extra clinics or other actions (yes I know flying pigs at the moment) and the enquirer will be given information about waiting times, but it does happen that appointment making errors are made and people whose appointments are cancelled by the hospital will not be put back in the queue where they should have been,or even at all, and that will be rectified.

I've had travel insurance before with investigations outstanding, and they just add an exclusion clause for anything related to that issue.

I DID NOT SAY THAT!!!

I wish I’d not mentioned i work here because then maybe I’d be getting actual advice instead of this pile on, picking apart every single thing I say

So how is that whinging? Why would you be concerned your colleagues would perceive as “whinging” somebody following up an unacceptable delays and a department that has made itself uncontactable for information - a legitimate complaint by any standards - unless the prevalent view amongst your colleagues is that such sub-standard care is acceptable and patients should just shut up about it unless it’s something immediately life threatening?

You did have advice: contact PALS and complain. As everybody should in such situations.

Ah, well that makes sense and a good use of PALS

I’m talking about me personally. You seem like a dog with a bone.

Nail on the head. My DH has cancer and the admin/management of the oncology dept has been an absolute shambles, right from day one, and he's now into his 8th year of continuous treatment (ongoing maintenance chemo). Every month was a nightmare of getting the right appointments at the right time in the right order and then the chemo drugs wouldn't be ready for collection on the appointed start day of the monthly cycle, thus pushing back the start date which in turn meant the pre-booked appointments for the next month (i.e. blood test, consultant phone call, infusion) all had to be put back a few days, which in turn meant more admin/appointment cock ups. He didn't want to complain but it got so stressful in the end that I persuaded him to go through PALS. Nothing happened quickly, but we did start to be given "direct" phone numbers of more senior admin staff rather than the carousel of new staff who answered the phone and hadn't a clue what to do. A year or so since he made his first PALS complaint and it's all a lot better now - simple things like appointments being booked for the right days in the right order, the chemo drug prescription being ready for the day treatment starts, etc. Not rocket science, but it took someone to give them a kick up the bum to start doing things properly.

I am very surprised that you don’t know if PALS has been involved……i am absolutely informed via email, clinical message etc. As is my secretary, site manager, trust departmental team etc etc.
Whilst a chunk of their work is absolutely appropriate and I am pleased it is available, it is absolutely weaponised by families to get what they want even if that is not clinically appropriate or there are other more urgent cases.

This is how I feel, and I do worry I fit into the second camp. But all I want is a date for my appointment and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect it to be rebooked nearly 4 weeks after it was cancelled

Of perhaps just someone who has been subjected to negligent delays in treatment and treated appallingly for complaining that urgent procedures on a two week pathway were not even booked after 4 weeks… not an uncommon experience it seems.

And that’s not my fault?

Well, some people who encounter you might make their own judgement as to whether you're a 'good' or a 'bad' PALS user, just like you do according to this post. Your options are to run that risk, or keep waiting.

I don’t make those distinctions. But of course, this is Mumsnet.

I also don't actually think 4 weeks is an unusually long wait for an appointment to be booked, but I guess my standards for response times in the NHS are low!

What an awful experience, as though having cancer isn’t stressful enough. Your poor DH. I am glad to hear PALS were able to help you. Comments like the OPs may discourage people from using the service and clearly it is essential when care is so poor and negligent that it’s putting people at risk, or even “just” leaving them in unnecessary pain or with deteriorating health when conditions are treatable which is obviously made much worse if the NHS staff don’t even bother to provide clear information on waiting times.

OP, ignore the NHS haters. What you explained was perfectly clear and they are just jumping on this post to push their own agenda.

I know you have said the booking service is miles away, but I honestly do think it is worth going to them and speaking to someone in person. Years ago I needed an op. I got chatting to the receptionist for the team and was just nice to him. I explained that I lived nearby and work was flexible so if they ever got a cancellation I could be there in less than an hour. 2 weeks later I got a call from him saying someone had cancelled their op the next day, and so I went in and got it done. My original op had been booked for 6 months later.

I had an hospital appointment cancelled, my GP referred me back.

Friend is waiting for an operation. Hers is a heart valve replacement so it is something that could effectively mean her actual demise. She cancelled her planned holiday. It’s been 7 months now and she had to also travel out of area for both of the scans she needed, all the way to London for one with the associated cost to her plus a day off work.

You are going to have to pay a lot more for travel insurance but at least you are diagnosed so can get insurance . I am still awaiting the result of my cardiac MRI so dare not book anything, many insurers won’t cover if still awaiting the diagnosis as the cost is astronomical.

I think as you are NHS admin people are reacting negatively because that is the part of the NHS that is an absolute shitshow. My nieces are a matron and a low grade NHS manager. I feel bad for both of them, my admin niece explained how some of the databases she works with are from the early 1990’s and absolute crap. It’s the 250k managers that make the decisions not my poor niece she just has to live with them. NHS systems will always be rubbish because almost anyone with superior programming skills will not work for them. My IT mate who works for an investment bank said the NHS were advertising a role in IT security, they pay more to their graduate scheme new starters.

Did I say it was? I was merely rejecting your insult that I am “like a dog with a bone” which implies an impulsive and unreasoned response.

This is my concern. Because I’m waiting for the scan they won’t touch me, but it’s not my fault I’m still waiting!

I don’t know if this comment was a reply to me or to the OP but it is far too long in some cases, for example when tests or treatment are required to be carried out on a two week pathway.

It’s not the initial booking, it’s the rebooking.

Again, it isn’t hateful to be critical or an organisation that is negligent and putting people’s health at unnecessary risk or leaving them living in constant pain unnecessarily.

Yes exactly - I'm in touch with PALS currently and it's not a complaint. It's twofold - to find out where my referral is on the list (appreciating dynamism etc, but will it be Christmas - as estimated on the 36 week wait on the website - or is it closer in time) and, if it isn't due within the next three months then how to go about paying for my own CT scan that will be recognised by the NHS e.g. by a moonlighting consultant. It's the 'A' in PALS - I've asked for advice. They're happy to do it - the lady I spoke to was lovely - but it has been two weeks since she has been in touch now...