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Care Opinion

My Asthma is getting worse but no one ever calls me

Posted By Royal Blue

"My Asthma is getting worse but no one ever calls me"

About: Good Hope Hospital / Respiratory medicine

(as the patient),

I am disgusted and appalled by the way GHH have treated me. I had an appointment last week, which I called and cancelled as I was unable to attend on the day given. I have since had a letter saying I have been discharged as I have gone down as a DNA! HOW?!

I called the department and spoke the most unhelpful person I have ever spoken too! It wasn't how can I help, it was ‘not my problem therefore I will transfer you’ how nice!

I was told named person at the appointment centre would call me. Have they??Well of cause not, why would I think they would, so nearly £10 later in calling people I am still discharged, with server Asthma, waiting to see my consultant, who I seen in January 2014 and was meant to be called back 3 months later, and this is the first appointment that has been offered to me!

And I couldn't attend as I received the appointment letter the same day as the appointment, and the envelope was scanned 2 days before! HA! Good Hope making life as difficult as possible as usual.

How can they think sending a letter a few days before that I was going to get it in time, also I have told them time, and time, and time again for work I need to give 2 weeks’ notice if I need time off for an appointment, but does anyone listen? No! Also in all the years I have gone to GHH I always get a call at least a week before asking me if I am still attending, I find it very strange this never happened, so I do ask myself did this appointment ever exist? ? ?

So if anyone can be bothered to read this message, can someone contact me at all? As long as it’s not too much trouble considering the amount of calls I have had to make to you. As I need to see a doctor sooner rather than later as my asthma is getting worse, as my GP has advised you many times, but still you can’t see me 11 months later.

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Responses

Response from Marie Helebert, Patient Services Officer, Patient Services, Heart of England Foundation Trust 9 years ago
Marie Helebert
Patient Services Officer, Patient Services,
Heart of England Foundation Trust

Work with patients & families to highlight and address any issues relating to patient experience.

Submitted on 20/11/2014 at 16:35
Published on Care Opinion at 19:31

Dear Royal Blue

Thank you very much for your comments regarding your poor experience with the Respiratory Service at Good Hope Hospital. Patient experience and feedback is extremely important to us.

I am extremely sorry at the upset and distress that has been caused to you and would like to ensure your concerns are looked into further and assist in resolving them satisfactorily. So that I can investigate your concerns, may I please ask you to contact me directly on 0121 424 0808 so that I can obtain some more information from you? It would be most appreciated and I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for bringing your experience to our attention and I look forward to hearing from you at your convenience.

Kind Regards

Marie Helebert

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Response from Arne Rose, Consultant, Associate Medical Director for Good Hope Hospital , Management, Heart of England Foundation Trust 9 years ago
Arne Rose
Consultant, Associate Medical Director for Good Hope Hospital , Management,
Heart of England Foundation Trust

Consultant

Submitted on 20/11/2014 at 23:24
Published on Care Opinion on 21/11/2014 at 08:34

Dear Royal Blue,

clearly not a good experience of the service, I am sorry for what you have gone through just to get an appointment. If you would like to phone up to discuss your asthma and how we can slot you in to be seen, please ring 0121-4249664 or 0121-4249001 on 21.11.14 and I'll ring you back as soon as I can.

Best wishes,

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Royal Blue (the patient)

Well, I don’t know about anyone else on here, but personally if you have a complaint about the Heart of England, be careful how it is answered.

I had to fight to get replies after I told my story and updates. They seemed very interested in my story at first, but then getting answers was impossible. On the other hand, one Dr was amazing and was speaking to the Secretary and got me an appointment! I don’t understand why you have to go so high to get answers! I also as well as the high praise I have for the Dr, would also like to thank staff from appointments for contacting me because without them I would have gone as another DNA as I had been informed 3x’s in e-mails that an appointment had been cancelled when in fact it hadn’t!

I had two responses to my story, and spoke to several other members of staff. Since my story, I have been to see my Doctor and my Medication has been changed, this was great.

That was the start of it, the Dr got me an appointment in early December, then I was asked to come back in 6 weeks for test etc… and see the Dr for a follow up, 6 weeks come and on Monday when it would have been, 6 weeks the next day- to the day since I had seen my Dr I called GHH and guess what I had been keyed as discharged! Oh my how good GHH are! Well I had to laugh at this, as if I didn’t I think I would have cried! I was informed it wouldn’t be an issue and was apologised to and the lady on the phone spoke to appointments and I got an appointment for the next day, good job really as I have a serious condition with my lungs. This is down to my Asthma.

I have to say though I am very concerned, as I have to keep going back now for further test and to see my Doctor, but will I be keyed as Discharged again and have to call and spend forever on the phone getting through, or will they even send me an appointment or will they DNA me again? I have to say now I know the seriousness of my condition I am concerned with been treated by GHH as to every think that has happened to me, and it seems GHH have not learnt a lesson from this, I am seriously considering in asking my GP to refer me to another hospital for treatment, but don’t want to go through every think again! It’s a hard one but I have now got to put my health first!

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