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Original poster

NHS Admin idiots - I AM LIVID!

28 replies

CheshireEditor · 14/10/2014 16:44

They have sent my Mum a pre-op letter before sending her out a letter telling her why she has to have an operation! Last meeting with the consultant was all was well and this letter arrived today out of the blue and of course the consultant is not available and his secretary can't tell my Mum anything and the GP should have it in his notes but they can't even do a phone appt for days.

It's Idiots Guide admin, how hard is it to get right? Now we all have to worry what the fuck is up because some/several DICKHEAD(S) (sorry HQ) can't send out letters in the right order.

OP posts:

ShatnersBassoon · 14/10/2014 16:47

Is it sent in error, if no op was mentioned by the consultant? It seems more likely than a surprise op.

Original poster

CheshireEditor · 14/10/2014 16:48

She has one op already and no mention was made of another.

Either way, op or no op, they are FUCKING TOSSERS.

OP posts:

VanGogh · 14/10/2014 16:49

I had a referral for CBT and help from the Mental Health team.

They called my mother as she has these name as me. We have big IDENTICAL NAME stickers on our files.

They divulged a lot of personal information to my mother until DM interrupted and said "I think that you want my daughter" ...too late.

I now don't trust them. (The MH team) I met with my councillor once to try and let her gain my trust. The woman in question actually said to me "I'm sorry but I can't do anything about that now" and it was her who made the phone call.

I cancelled my next appointment.

ShatnersBassoon · 14/10/2014 16:50

Err, sounds like simple human error . Give them a chance to explain at least.

Original poster

CheshireEditor · 14/10/2014 17:21

Women in her 70's had to spend days in worry and panic because of 'human error' No excuse for it AT ALL.

OP posts:

RockinD · 14/10/2014 18:27

We should have a sticky thread for NHS admin cock ups. Our local hospital has recently majored in phoning the wrong family when Grandma is on the point of death. They've done it several times.

GilesGirl · 14/10/2014 19:11

So you've never made a mistake? Must be nice to be perfect.

UltraNumb · 14/10/2014 20:27

it might not be them, it might be the post or the hospital postal admin team, dont go blaming the consultants team until you can confirm whats gone wrong.

NHSADMINIDIOT · 14/10/2014 21:55

Is there any excuse for your rudeness OP? No, don't think so.

NHS admin is actually extremely complex. Tbh I think it's enormously unlikely that your mum has genuinely been listed for a procedure that has never been described to her previously. I think you need a lot more information about the situation before you go in guns blazing.
FWIW the consultant's team are separate from the waiting list scheduling team who plan the lists and the pre-op and both of those teams are totally separate from the GP practice where you couldn't get an appointment. So please don't blame the whole service for individual issues.

It's also completely correct that the secretary couldn't tell you anything. She/he's a secretary not a doctor.

I'm sorry you are concerned but you are out of line in having a go at somebody whose only 'crime' is to send your mum an appointment.

StetsonsAreCool · 14/10/2014 22:04

I'm kind of with you OP. I'm 30 weeks pg, in what has been deemed by the midwives as a low risk pregnancy. Next thing I know, appointment with consultant comes through the post. At that point, I'd only actually had two MW appointments - booking in and 16wk. Had to ring 3 different people to find out what the consultant appointment was even for, turns out there were question marks raised about the amount of blood I lost last time, so my delivery may be higher risk. Now, because no-one thought to mention this to me in advance, it was a bit of a nasty surprise to suddenly get an appointment foisted on me that I wasn't expextig, especially when generally, the consultants get involved when something is expected to go wrong.

Miscommunication before the arrival of the appointment notification does cause unnecessary stress so I have full sympathy for your mum. Hope she's ok.

BobPatandIgglePiggle · 14/10/2014 22:07

People make errors. Your reaction to an admin error is ridiculous.

Flissity83 · 14/10/2014 22:12

If you have issues with the NHS then go private. The NHS is a service that shouldn't be taken for granted. Surely it's better to be offered an operation by mistake than to not have the operation at all if it was needed.

northernlurker · 14/10/2014 22:12

Stetsons - that's not an admin error though. Your midwives could have explained the implications of your previous blood loss better but no actual mistake has been made has it? I got a consultant appointment too in my last pregnancy when I'd asked for midwife only care. Turns out it was because of dd2's heart murmur. I went to the appointment, took what I needed from it and then cheerily declared I'd stick with the midwives thanks. It wasn't a drama. I wish you a very smooth pregnancy .

BiscuitMillionaire · 14/10/2014 22:18

NHSADMINIDIOT: stop and think for a minute before you get all defensive. The reason the OP is upset is not because there was an admin error, it's because she and her family are worried sick about her mother. And they can't find out what the reason for the operation is for several days. Anyone would be upset in that situation.

nancy75 · 14/10/2014 22:20

OP - I understand your frustration
Last year I needed a scan on ovaries, got referral from gp - no appointment for weeks. On advice of GP I called the scan dept, I had missed the appointment because they had sent letter to the wrong address, I gave them correct address, no appointment, called again got the rudest woman on earth telling me that as I had just not bothered to turn up twice I couldn't have an appointment, I had wasted resources ect ect. The letter for the second appointment had gone to the same wrong address as the first - according to charming woman on the phone this was somehow my fault for not updating my address when I moved (despite the fact I have never lived at the address they had and have lived in my house for nearly 8 years)

In the end I paid and had the scan done privately

SpanielFace · 14/10/2014 22:22

I'm with you OP.

I lost my 2nd baby at 21 weeks of pregnancy. Just the worst thing I have ever experienced, I'm still grieving for him 6 months later.

2 weeks after he died, I received a voicemail from a midwife at the same department of the same bloody hospital, asking me to phone back and explain why I'd cancelled my antenatal care, and how important it was to discuss birth options with the consultant before baby arrived. Surely, someone cancelling antenatal care ought to be unusual enough to warrant a quick read of their notes before phoning? I'm not the only one either. My friend who lost a baby at 16 weeks received a questioning letter after not turning up for her 20 week scan. Same hospital.

It's not the individual staff members' faults, it's the system that is shit. But 5 months on and I still don't have an apology. I hope your mum is ok.

StetsonsAreCool · 14/10/2014 22:54

Lost a whole chunk of my post there

I'm not sure whose error it was. The midwives didn't know about the appointment, and no one else had been in touch about anything that might indicate I'd need extra support at that point.

So not exactly an admin error, no, because they were just administrating. It's the lack of communication from the people higher up that they're administrating for that caused the problem!

StetsonsAreCool · 14/10/2014 22:56

Spaniel, I'm so sorry about your DS.

That would be the definition of an admin cock up. How distressing

KittieCat · 14/10/2014 22:59

I'm a huge supporter of the NHS. However, my dad received a letter inviting him for an MRI before he'd got his biopsy results back...

FrontForward · 15/10/2014 06:33

Have you complained? I hope you do. The hospital need to investigate and change their system. It's not hard to do. Can I just say it is not admin idiots Admin do what they are asked to do. They are not informed if the patient hasn't been, either! It is the clinician who requested the assessment who holds responsibility for discussing why with the patient.

We have a system in place that the patients own GP is contacted with bad results/unusual results or anything else that needs explanation. I will also ring patients and talk it through. The surgeon is at fault here. He should delegate that communication if he doesn't do it himself/herself.

Please do complain. It might be that in their desire to expedite care they have started what they thought were behind the scenes actions to avoid delay but overlooked what the consequences are.

R4roger · 15/10/2014 07:01

perhaps the letter is in the system, waiting for the secretary, who someone, to type, waiting for the consultant to sign, or even dictate.
but not good that she knew nothing about it.

ItsNotEasyBeingGreen · 15/10/2014 07:08

Not to defend the nhs as such but to defend the nhs admin staff, can I just say? There have been massive cuts and downgrading to their posts throughout the nhs. It is not uncommon for one secretary to work for 4-5 consultants, each with their own registrar, if not 2. Think about the number of patients that is and the number of different admin systems and bookings they have to deal with when it crosses departments and you'll begin to see how difficult it becomes. It was a mistake.

GratefulHead · 15/10/2014 07:21

As an ex-nurse it sounds very odd that a patient would have a letter telling them WHY they have to have an operation, that's something which would and should be explained face to face. Then a pre-op letter is sent out.

I doubt there is any other letter waitig to be sent and your OP is offensive and rude to admin staff who work bloody hard in crappy circumstances and who have faced cuts right left and centre....how on earth do your expect your tax cuts to be funded if not by the loss of essential jobs.

If you want to complain then suggest you complain to the consultant who didn't explain to your Mum she needed another op.....or for telling the admin staff she needs one when she doesn't and instructing them to send a letter.

Or perhaps your Mum went in for her previous op on a cancellation and the system has not updated.

Lots of reasons for this letter rather than the admin staff being "dickheads". Are you always so rude?

I have never said this before but.....here's a grip. Get hold of it and keep hold of it before posting offensive comments about other people.

I am sorry your mum is upset and worried, that's awful but it will be either a computer glitch or a mistake by your consultant. It is highly unlikely to be due to some overworked and underpaid admin person.

Annietheacrobat · 15/10/2014 08:10

If all was well at her last appointment it is highly unlikely that she has been booked in for a procedure.

Phone up the secretary again. I wouldn't bother the GP as this has come from the hospital.

Say that your mother is very distressed and you would like someone to clarify the situation urgently ie by the end of the day. it doesn't necessarily have to be the consultant - a member of his team should be able to go through his notes and put your mind at rest.

Whitershadeofpale · 15/10/2014 08:30

Its not admin idiots who will be at fault its the system.

The consultant will decide that somebody needs surgery and will fill out an electronic form that will go to an admissions coordinator who will arrange a pre-op date and send out an admissions offer.

If they dictate a letter to to your mother, they may hold onto the dictaphone for a few days until they have a collection of letters. If its anything like my hospital it will then be placed on the secretary's desk late at night when the consultant is in the office doing their admin. The dictation will then be uploaded onto a system when it goes abroad to be typed. when the letter comes back 24-48 hrs later the secretary then checks the letter, adds headers and footers etc and prints it out, the consultant then checks and signs the letter (it can sometimes take days or even weeks for them to do this), it is then photocopied and sent out to all of the relevent people (your mum's copy and the GPs copy will go out at the same time).

I think that from this you should be able to see why if the dictation and admissions form were completed at the same time you may recieve the pre-op or admissions offer first. What should have been done if there genuinely had been no previous mention of surgery should have been for the consultant himself to call your mum or arrange for one of the regs or fellows to call.

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