"Disappionted"

Dear Mr Walton I am very sorry that you had such a poor experience and suffered such significant symptoms that your endoscopic test was not successful. Unfortunately the test can not be completed in approximately 1% of patients. The sedation employed is "conscious sedation" with no expectation that the patient will be asleep. The sedation often makes patients forget about the experience, since it has amnesic properties, even though they have been awake during the procedure. An individual's response to the sedation is highly variable and this can impact upon the success of the procedure. Repeated attempts to persist with the test can be very distressing and potentially dangerous. In your case the endoscopist made a clinical judgement not to proceed with the test at that time. The reason why the endoscopist did not discuss this with you personally and left a nurse to do this will be investigated. Your comments regarding the nurse’s attitude will be brought to the attention of the staff member involved. It is true to say that many patients choose to have the test with throat spray, though a significant proportion chooses sedation. This is a matter of personal preference and is influenced by many factors. It is not something about which a judgement should be made. Your experience and concerns will be discussed at the endoscopy users’ group to ensure staff learn from your experience and improve the experience of future patients. Our aim is to ensure that every patient experiences a high standard of care. I am pleased to note that an alternative procedure has been arranged for you and you will have the opportunity to discuss your experience with the endoscopist when you attend your forthcoming outpatient appointment. If you remain dissatisfied following your outpatient appointment we would like to encourage you to contact the patient relations team to discuss further. Tel: 01642 854807 or email: Patient.Relations@stees.nhs.uk