"Horrendous pain while I wait"

About: Good Hope Hospital / Trauma & orthopaedics Good Hope Hospital Trauma & orthopaedics Sutton Coldfield B75 7RR

Posted by ukbelgarion (as the patient), 10 years ago

I was referred by my GP some 8 to 10 weeks ago with a painful shoulder. This was after a Cortisone injection failed to relieve the pain. Now nearly 8 to 10 weeks on and having been told at first I had a frozen shoulder then that the cup in the joint had shrunk, this started off from Manipulation under anaesthetic and now to Key hole surgery.
All this time I have been under dreadful pain and been brought to tears by it.
The nonsense still goes on, my last appointment with a specialist I challenged them to why they were keeping me in pain so long. The answer shocked me when I was told it was the system and I now need to to have a pre op meeting.
That was a week ago and no news from the Hospital. If I was an animal I would be treated the same day.
My Dr has upgraded my painkillers to just below Morphine and still they dont work and I am in constant pain. It seems all because of the system.
The thing is that they know I have problems with pain control due to a previous operation.
It seems that pain control for me is a hit and miss situation and this time it's a miss. They know this and they are sticking to the system and not budging.

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Responses

Mark Newbold

Chief Executive,

Heart of England Foundation Trust

Submitted on 29/09/2013 at 20:15

Published on Care Opinion on 30/09/2013 at 14:37

Dear ukbelgarion
Many thanks for your post - I think you emailed me earlier today? I understand your concern about the time taken, but from what you tell me quite a lot of assessment has gone on during this time and it is really important to get the diagnosis correct before undertaking surgery.
It seems that pain relief is complicated in your case, and clearly it isn't proving effective for you. My best advice is to speak again with your GP who is prescribing your pain killers. I will also look into the dates for your operation and check there is no delay there - if there is I will see if I can bring things forward for you.
I will need some details to do this, so my team will be in touch with you if that's okay?
Kind regards, Mark Newbold

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Iona Belgrove

Patient Services Manager,

Heart Of England NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 30/09/2013 at 10:14

Published on Care Opinion at 14:37

Dear ukbelgarion
Further to Dr Newbold's response, I would be very grateful if you could contact me on 0121 424 0808 so I may take some details from you.
With kind regards
Amanda James
Patient Services Officer
Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust

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Update posted by ukbelgarion (the patient) 10 years ago

Disgusting,disgusting and even worse in my opinion it's hopeless.
After my story as you can see Mark Newbold the CEO got in touch. Eventually he got the full story by Email and promised help.
That help has now come in the form of an appointment for the middle of November over a month away with my specialist. Not an operation to sort my pain out but just an appointment so I can be seemingly fobbed of again.
Today I saw my own GP and we agreed that I was to stick with it as the final hurdle was on the horizon now it's on Mars.
Why do we have an A+E? It's so people in pain can be looked after efficiently and quickly.
It seems to me that orthopaedics + trauma is for people to keep a big long queue of people waiting in pain with no hope and expectation of being treated for at least 6 months to a year.
I don't wish chronic pain on anyone but when it's you suffering like a wounded animal and nobody cares it makes you wonder why it's so.

Mark Newbold

Chief Executive,

Heart of England Foundation Trust

Submitted on 07/10/2013 at 14:56

Published on Care Opinion at 15:33

Dear ukbelgarion
Thanks again for responding.
Firstly, the November date is a date for your operation, subject to satisfactory pre-operative checks. It is not just a further out patient appointment, I apologise if this was not made clear. It is much sooner than we are normally able to offer for an operation such as this, I can assure you I have done my very best.
I can offer two further options for you to consider. Firstly, the consultant has offered to see you this thursday to discuss your pain - we have emailed you separately about this. I hope you are able to make it - please do come back to us.
Secondly, we can offer an even earlier date for surgery but it will not be with the consultant you have already seen. Again, if this is of interest to you please discuss it with the consultant on thursday and he will make the necessary arrangements.
I hope this is helpful
Kind regards
Mark

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Update posted by ukbelgarion (the patient) 10 years ago

Dr Newbold thanks for your reply and first of all let me point out that I do have a lot of respect for you and your style of modus operadi, Its like a breath of fresh air to Good Hope and even you can not change the system over night.
It is the system I am disgusted with, ie for one department to communicate with another is endemic in the system and needs changing, keeping patient informed is another. I know you can't change this overnight but I know you will strive to improve this.
As for my operation I now have more questions to ask as I am due for another scan this month as they believe my Cancer may have returned and I hope to be on chemo buy the date of your operation if it has, I don't know if this is possible to do but I will find out and let you know.

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