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?

The referral wasn’t through my gp. The reason for the cancellation was never explained to me and in four weeks I’ve not had a rebooking.

That's good news . I fear you may be in for more delays but hopefully some progress will be made.

As you slowly move forward try to pick up some direct dials - hopefully you will be given them as a staff member.

As a long term wonky walker I have the radiologists and consultants phone contacts - so it is easier to contact them than my GP. Having said that I never like to use the numbers so I try for days on the general line first so I am not seen as a nuisance

I’m really hoping it came across that I was just looking for some clarity, and not that I’m trying to cause a fuss

Great news!

I am sorry, I did not see your post. So I went onto the national website and I quote, "You can speak up about anything that gets in the way of patient care, or that affects your working life.

That could be something which doesn’t feel right, for example a way of working or a process which isn’t being followed, or behaviours of others which you feel is having an impact on the well-being of you, the people you work with, or patients."

Go onto your hospital website and look up Freedom to Speak up Guardian (FtSu) and contact them, every hospital has them, they are independent of the hospital but usually know it really well.

Well it’s been rebooked.

To a hospital 20 miles away! Beggars can’t be choosers and I’ll get there somehow, but it’s frustrating to say the least

Some doctors / consultants do respond very negatively to complaints, and even if the complaint is not on the patients notes the staff are aware of it from whatever follow up investigations take place.

I am happy to name the hospital, Trust and the consultant, though I suspect MNHQ would rather I didn't, against which my late husband had cause to complain. The result of the complaint was that my late husband was found to be entirely justified in complaining about negligent treatment. The consultant then chose in a medically unjustified but vindictive move to report my late husband to the DVLA as being unfit to drive, for entirely spurious and made-up reasons. This resulted in the suspension of his driving licence.

My late husband then had to take the DVLA to the Magistrates Court to get the licence reinstated, which took several months and resulted in the DVLA admitting that there were no genuine grounds for the suspension and reinstating his licence because the consultant in question did not respond to any of their correspondence, and his medical notes provided no grounds for the report made. We then had to take the NHS Trust in question to court for reimbursement of costs incurred because of the wilfully misleading actions of their employee. These included legal costs, taxi / train costs, compensation for inconvenience etc. The Trust chose to settle this action before court, though not before trying to defend their employees' action, as they soon realised they didn't have a leg to stand on. But, even then the Trusts initial angle of defence was to attack - and I think that was a deliberate attempt to intimidate. But, we were not easily intimidated, and had deep pockets. They ended up with a low-to-mid five figure bill for our costs, plus whatever they wasted on advice to try and weasel out it. We then reported the consultant to the GMC. After that, my late husband was seen by a different consultant, and I have to say they were very responsive ;)

As I have said elsewhere, working for the NHS doesn't make people angels, or honest or even nice and I agree such things do happen and as NHS staff myself, I have experienced bad behaviour. I am glad you got a good outcome and sorry you had to fight for it.