"Lack of communication and poor care"

I am very sorry to learn of the difficulties that you and your mother have experienced in receiving information from your mother’s consultant. Your description of messages not being passed on or, not being responded to, falls well below the standards of care and efficiency we strive to achieve. The services concerned will need to investigate what is going wrong so that it can be put right as soon as possible. I am concerned by your description of your mother’s deteriorating condition and want to do everything possible to help resolve these problems.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to identify your mother from the information provided in your post. I would be grateful if you could make contact with PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service), so that we can gather more information about your mother and then liaise with the appropriate members of staff. PALS can be telephoned on 020 7188 8801, 020 7188 8803 or emailed at pals@gstt.nhs.uk.

If you telephone PALS outside telephone operating hours (9am -12pm and 2pm – 4pm) or when the lines are busy, please be assured that any message you leave will be responded to within 24 hours at the latest and if possible within the same working day.

In the meantime, I will alert my PALS colleagues to your post so that they are aware that you may contact the service on this matter.

Finally, I would be grateful if you could pass on my apologies to your mother for the experience she has had so far. I hope that the problems with both care and communication will be put right very soon.