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Communication

Posted By MrFraggle

"Communication"

About: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France / Xrays and scans

(as the patient),

Last week I had a CT neck, chest, abdomen and bladder with contrast I assume that is the dye. This morning I received an appointment letter for a NM Whole body PET FDG for next Thursday. I was discussing this on the throat cancer group I belong to on Face book, don't have cancer there now, and someone mentioned it seemed suspicious that I received a appointment letter. I told him that is how things are done in the UK, in America said he would have been contacted via the telephone where any fears and questions would have been answered.

I think my experience in particular shows there is a distinct lack care or interest shown to patients in these matters. I can imagine many people having sleepless night on receipt of this type of letter. Why cannot we be called or is this yet another strange interpretation of the Data Protection Act which NHS Lothian uses I wonder?

I had a similar when I waited 7 weeks for biopsy results which is bad enough for anyone but an ex cancer patient. And the consultants reason for the delay was, 'oh the results were negative so did not think there was any rush to inform. ' Not for the first time have I experienced this sort of arrogance with consultants.

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Responses

Update posted by MrFraggle (the patient)

No response from NHS Lothian on this one I see.

But here is an update.

i have not, some four weeks later learnt the results of the scans.

I have ask my GP but he was unable to access them.

Phoned the consultants secretary and was informed that he would return my call. This never happened.

I have now written to the consultant and asked him to provide results within 5 working days with an explanation as to the waiting time.

Formal Complaint in draft stage on my PC.

Response from Jeannette Morrison, Head of Patient Experience, NHS Lothian 7 years ago
Jeannette Morrison
Head of Patient Experience,
NHS Lothian

Submitted on 03/05/2016 at 11:48
Published on Care Opinion at 12:50

Dear MrFraggle,

Please accept my aplogies for my delay with my response. I shared your feedback with the team and have been told that it is the responsibility of the clinician making the diagnostic imaging referral to advise you of the reasons for the test, when the results will be available and what the possible outcome might be. l am very sorry that on this occassion this has not happened for you.

I would be happy to look into this further for you if you would like to get in contact with the Patient Experience Team:

Email: feedback@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Telephone 0131 536 3370

Postal: 2 - 4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EG.

Kind regards

Jeannette

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

Update posted by MrFraggle (the patient)

So what you are saying is that NHS Lothian does not policy on appraising patients of the results of any tests and that it is basically at the "responsibility of the clinician making the diagnostic imaging referral to advise you of the reasons for the test, when the results will be available and what the possible outcome might be" And all this is at the whim of the consultant?

We are now in the 21st century and 4 weeks is a ridiculous time though I have waited 7 weeks before now for biopsy results.

As for contacting Patient Experience Team:is this the same body that was found to be not fit for purpose in an external report of January 2015? I don't think so. Thanks anyway

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