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, haven't read the full thread but I would complain - you are not being difficult.
The cancellation is fine, but the waiting time, lack of communication, failure to rebook you and unavailability to contact them is completely unacceptable. This is not your fault or you being "difficult", I would simply raise a complaint due to the above failures. If anyone questions it, then you can simply explain that it was cancelled, you were not communicated with and experienced huge delays through no fault of your own with no response when you contacted them, so you had no choice.

Perfectly reasonable and unless you value your colleagues opinions over your own health, you need to speak up and get something done. Otherwise as you say, you're the only one that will suffer.

I need to call my insurance company and declare it, I have an annual policy.

And yes, I think everyone will want to pay the lowest amount possible for insurance?!

You work in a hospital and don’t know where to turn??? How do you think the rest of us feel.

Ask advice from your manager, your colleagues, take yourself over to the department.

Make an internal call which may be attended to more urgently.
Be proactive and just walk over to the department.

If they’ve just been moved they may be in disarray.

Also to add I work in the NHS and wouldn't judge a colleague for complaining, at all! We encourage people to complain when there has been a genuine concern. In your case there absolutely is.

That should be your starting point.
You're anticipating a problem that may not even occur.

You've not got quotes from what you've said- just guess work?

And as for the rest, just turn up where the appts are booked and speak to them.
Asking what to do here is wasting time and not achieving anything.

I think you’re deliberately misunderstanding what I’m saying.

@whatareyouwaitingforr but if you have the GHIC or EHIC whatever it is now called, then surely you could access emergency care? You just may not be able to go straight to private and as I said your policy may well require you to use the GHIC first anyway - suggest you read the policy terms and conditions in detail to ensure it covers what you think it does. There was a case recently where a family had raised a gofundme for a relative who had travel insurance and was taken to a private hospital and her insurance required her to use the non-private one so insurers were not paying out. Cheapest is not always the best unfortunately.

I don’t care about it being the best but as far as I know the GHIC isn’t inclusive cover? So it’ll only cover emergency care. It’s just an absolute nightmare and at this point it’s making me want to cancel my entire trip

Are you at QMC or are other hospitals shipping their admin staff offsite thesr days?

I would go and speak to the department directly.

Whilst they may not book the appiibtments they are absolutely in contact with the admin staff to manage diaries etc.

Go in in person.

Pretend you can't handle on-line booking.

Don't leave until they have booked another appointment that doesn't interfere with your holiday.

I don't find it weird.

I think many staff don't realise how bad many NHS systems are and how unreponsive opaque and confusings huge parts of the system are for patients.

Once they are facing that as patients- they probably don't want collegues to know their medical information and it's also probably hard because they feel like they are criticizing their employer and may be aware how petty NHS can sometimes be about any complaints.

Pals requesting help with information would be first point of call - how helpful they are depends on your area - after that you may well have to go down complaint route.

IME this situation isnt uncommon at all - departments not answering phone e-mails and with apparently no-way to contact to cancel - sometime they clash with other NHS appointments or life which seems to offen many but does happen- or reschedul appointments they may have canceled last minute. It always seem to be pointed back to the patients fault IME never the actual system if they can help it.

Have you considered talking to your Freedom to Speak up Guardian? They are very good at dealing with slightly off kilter issues. I totally understand your dilemma, but my concern is if you are being treated like this (where usually there would be professional courtesy) what happens to someone with nobody to advocate for them.

I think you should talk to your insurance co, or get an online quote before jumping to conclusions. You've not given the figures, so you presumably don't have them.

Maybe deal with it in a practical way like visiting the place where they make the appts, getting insurance quotes and doing something to move it all on. Lots of posters have said forget making a formal complaint and just turn up where you can talk to someone.

What’s that,

its not actually right

but she hasn't yet tried PALS

I’ve emailed them and been told that here’s no timeline for them to respond

" If you are going to Europe as a presumably UK resident then you can apply for an EHIC card which will give you the same level of cover in EU countries as citizens of that country have."

Well, yes and no. I think it mainly gives you access to emergency care, but anything further you'd have to pay for, as local citizens might have to, but those local people will be able to claim back on their compulsory health insurance. I also don't think it covers things like having to be flown back home.

I have annual travel insurance and I don't remember any questions about health conditions. I would also think that you only have to declare them after a formal diagnosis.

no timeline for who to respond?

Pals

No you have to declare if you’re awaiting tests.

It’s so annoying because I’m left hanging through no fault of my own

This is incorrect, surely? PALS should respond within 5-working days at every Trust I’ve worked at. If they don’t and believe they can drag it out, escalate to a Trust complaint (your Trust with have a complaints policy on the intranet - this is not PALS). If that doesn’t work reach a satisfactory conclusion, there is the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman.

The automatic reply states that due to pressures there’s no timeline

Well it worked! They’ve contacted physio who will be in contact. I’m just so worried they’re going to think I was kicking off

There must have been a reason for the cancellation and a rebooking will surely come through. Alternatively, could you ask your GP to refer you to a different hospital?