NHS referals from gp, seems computer says no, but cancel appt !!!!!!!!!!

[watchinginvestigation2011]

My hospital put all our records on computer, they then decided to change the appt booking system to online. In my case my appt for opthamology was put down as urgent as I have a known condition kerataconus that keeps deteriating and came to a head where recently when out fell down stairs as simply could not see them, my eyesite just decided as if to switch off and when can see due to condition and lights like walking through pea soup. I have epilepsy as well which can mess with vision so suspected it was that, however after boots appt telling me my conditon had deteriated within a matter of weeks from last prescription, they refered me.

 

Okay so I get letter from doctors telling me to make appt, I must admit for a couple of weeks i put it off due to another ongoing issue. I got reminder from hospital and the ref refered in surgery letter was not there, so I rang my surgery who said fine and made the appt for me online as were able to link to hospital, so fine sorted and my appt was for end dec as earliest they have. Okay.

 

A few days later get letter from hospital saying the surgery has not given them enough info so they have cancelled it !!!!!!!! I rang them and spoke to outpatients admin manager and said suprised they did not contact me or liase with doctors if something was missing, but why so promptly cancel the appt, told that is what they do. If they cannot open the file from the surgery they cancel.

 

Told me they coudl make another appt for end jan. Told them I feel that is not sattisfactory and want my old appt back at least coudl they check if that day was still available. Told online earliest they can book is end jan. So I politely insist they get me an earlier appt as not in my interest when refered as urgent for them to cancel on basis of computer issue as in file woudl not open as surely they can contact gp to get it sorted without cancelling my appt especially as over a month away. Told no.

 

So I point out I am recording the call for aide de memoir and must admit to being confused. You see prior a letter would be sent from hospital, they woudl ahve had referal in post, then you would ring the hospital, make appt and bobs your uncle sorted. Now because they have spent millions putting records on computer and changed system then they at slightest problem seem to cancel the appt to the detrimant of patient rather than sort the issue.

 

She agreed it is frustrating for me and I said why change to system that is inconvinient for patient when s omething goes wrong as in blip or minor error and told that is how we do it now, reminded me of little britain and computer says not sketch. So I politely said I appreciate it is not your fault, but would appreciate you finding an appt earlier for me as have alraedy been told that date is now fully booked.

 

She comes back with appt for same day end dec wuppee, but two hours earlier than the prior appt so it is obvious the appts were not all full. I say thank you and then she says if we cannot open the new referal from doctor which apparantly was sent yesterday due to them realising hospital had cancelled, we will cancel it again.

 

So I said to her do not cancel my appt again, I have recorded the call adn will go to the papers if you do. If there is any problem ring me and I will lisase with my doctors, but dont cancel it.

 

So because of their new system when a consultant reviews a referal to apparantly decided if it is classed as urgent as mine was, which they then can apparantly get you a quicker appt, if they cannot open the file rather than ring or look into it or at least check wether you are already under them for opthamology which woudl easily in my case let them know what I was in for, then they cancel it !!!!!!!!!!

 

So rather than urgent appt you can then be fobbed of to end of jan.

 

Little britain has took over my hospital appt admin:-x

 

Okay so rant over, but has anyone else had this experience? It dumfounds me how their new system can make a simple process worse xx

[Nystagmite]

How can they decide if it's urgent, if they haven't seen you? All they know is that you have an ongoing eye problem. The only person who will know whether it's urgent, is the optician.

[watchinginvestigation2011]

I am already under the hospital opthamology for kerataconus. I am not too fussed re the waiting a month as that is fair enough. My point was my notes on the new systeym would have opthamology section stating kerataconus and I thought any consultant in that dept woudl gather it was same issue as it is degenerative and does not improve unless have cornea grafts eventually.

 

My beef was rather than just cancel appt, what happened to ringing the patient or gp surgery to say where is the information and even if that was too much then an appt over a month away coudl have let me get in touch with gp as soon as issue made known for me to chase it up if it came to that.

 

When they canel an appt for computer glitch of file not opening they are adding a month onto wait time and treating you like just newley refered, so in cases where fair enough they dont know how urgent due to glithc, the case is put off.

 

A simple phone call or email to doctors woudl resolve rather than cancel is my anxe xx

[watchinginvestigation2011]

I am not having a dig an any of the staff or at any time been rude, just I cannot understand why they spend millions to make a system worse !!!!!!!

 

Before when referals woudl be received by them they woudl have it in front of them all the information, their new computer system seems to have glitches which they say they cannot over ride, but when you politely say please do so, they can.

 

Nothing wrong in politely insisting they sort it, I wonder how many are made to wait months due to a glitch..........

[watchinginvestigation2011]

I will ring my doctors tommorow to let them know thier file/s are not opening.

[watchinginvestigation2011]

Second referal seems to have been okay to open and they rang me to go in tomorrow afternoon as marked/judged urgent. They did again explain that apparantly thousands of the referals are arriving wrong adn that is why they are routinely cancelling the appts so I understand hard to research each individual reason on their new system, but has to be said there is obvious a problem with the referals being done properly ifso many arrive without what they need.

 

Consultant read my referal today and I am in tommorow and to be fair cant complain at that side of it

[watchinginvestigation2011]

Lets hope I can get help as fed up of walking into walls and missing stairs:lol:

 

The migraines I wont go into having just recovered from one and not wishing to tempt fate:madgrin:

 

xx

[watchinginvestigation2011]

I totally take it back and am happy to eat my words, was a stressy day yesterday:oops:

 

Got to appt and consultant due to epilepsy said was to recomend me for cornea graft surgery as could not manage contact lenses 'phobia' due to comming around and tearing at my eyes on an occasion before. Any way I said if I could manage with contacts would I be refered so quickly and told no, my condition could manage with them if I could for a while yet.

 

So the happy pills might be starting to do something after all, as I said let me try them again contacts that is and see if I do better this time after all it was a few years ago when I gave up.

 

So being seen friday to have eyes scanned and see the contact lens clinic at hospital.

 

So very promptly I know its up to me, try to see how I do and overcome panic of them, kids know to watch me after fit incase I panic at them having moved in my eye etc....and I will give them a go, as the alternative if I dont manage is both corneas replaced and I am cringing at the thought of it just now, though know it is inevitable but not yet pleasssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeee xx

 

So I eat my words, my moan was not justified as their new system seems to protect the nearest appts for the benefit of making sure ongoing care is once identified given promptly and from consultation to clinic in a day, well cant beat that. I made sure I thanked them and apologised if I came across over confused, stressy.

 

I am freaking out about these lenses though, but thats me have to panic over something it seems

[watchinginvestigation2011]

He even explained why my vision suddenly dissapears it appears to me and can last for some time hours. Due to the strain of my condition on the muscles of my eyes squinting etc.......the go into spasm and I cannot see, makes sense.

 

We do take our eyes for granted:oops:

[watchinginvestigation2011]

Was going to appt and then cancelled my ride as noticed the letter had diff ladies name and address on it. It was printed on date of last appt, so needed to check appt. A small blip but they are now seeing me next week so not too long to wait. To be honest nervous of contacts, so another week to prepare not so bad.

[Nystagmite]

Hope all gets sorted quickly for you.

[watchinginvestigation2011]

Hope all gets sorted quickly for you.

 

 

Thanks xx