Appaling service by NHS recently - where to start?

[Night Owl]

Make sure your wife is seen on a regular basis by her midwife.

Once you have had confirmation from your GP that the pregnancy is real she should be automatically transfered to the Midwife for further care.

She should have had a 20 week scan by now anyway.

 

Good luck with the pregnancy too x

[paulfoel]

Government Guidelines state that patients should be seen with 4 hours of arriving in A&E - this also depends on the triage service of prioritising the sickest and life threatening cases to be seen first.

These Guidelines only add extra pressure on Hospitals and the staff that work in them because we are constantly being told that if we do not meet the targets then the hospital is charged.

They don't look at WHY these targets have not been met - staffing, beds, increased number of patients etc. . .

These targets sometimes cannot be met because of delays in treating the sick in A&E before admitting, or discharging, or transfering to other hospitals.

 

Appallingly patients are being made to wait on A&E trolleys for beds - sometimes for hours for which there is no guidelines set in stone.

This is disgusting, degrading and reduces privacy. Patients must complain about this because nurses have their hands tied.

Saying that the Government has just lifted the gagging law!!! Watch out Government!!!

 

Bed occupancy around the hospitals depends on discharge times of patients. Beds cannot be "kept" for routine admission patients because Emergency admissions take priority.

 

Good luck with your letter.

Keep it factual, to the point and polite - you will get a better response than just slagging everything off.

 

Thanks. Is that 4 hours in A&E before seeing a doctor or triage nurse? Do you have a link to this?

 

In two visits to A&E I'm sure wait was around 5 hours first time, and 8 hours 2nd time.

 

On last occasion, she was sent directly to Medical Assessment Unit by GP. Got a trolley after about 3 hours when she was moved to observation ward, waited another 4 hours to see junior doctor (at 1am!). Then stayed on trolley for 48 hours.

 

Yes, was planning to be factual but also point out issues that I deem to be unacceptable. The only bit I'm not sure is what I should ask to be done?

 

Most importantly, I want to ensure any future care is up to scratch but I'd also like to think I can stop it happening to anyone else? If this means staff get disciplined this needs to happen...

 

But is it going to be taken seriously if I ask for compensation? - for a start, wife works for the trust and shes going to be on 1/2 pay soon and I feel this could have been sorted months ago. Also, shes had a lot of pain and suffering caused by this.

[Night Owl]

Interesting read in the Guardian here about A&E waiting time targets being missed.

Statistics for A&E can be found on the Department of Health website here

 

I'm sure you are complaining for a better understanding into the delays in your wifes A&E care, and her unacceptable waiting time on a trolley whilst in the early stages of pregnancy. Also possible lack of dignity.

If you can get this explanation it may help you to move on and look forward to the happy arrival of your new baby.

It will also go to hopefully making a difference to anybody else attending A&E and waiting for treatment.

[Night Owl]

Help from NHS Choices on making a complaint here

[honeybee13]

Thank you for looking in, Night Owl, you're a gem.

 

HB

[paulfoel]

Interesting read in the Guardian here about A&E waiting time targets being missed.

Statistics for A&E can be found on the Department of Health website here

 

I'm sure you are complaining for a better understanding into the delays in your wifes A&E care, and her unacceptable waiting time on a trolley whilst in the early stages of pregnancy. Also possible lack of dignity.

If you can get this explanation it may help you to move on and look forward to the happy arrival of your new baby.

It will also go to hopefully making a difference to anybody else attending A&E and waiting for treatment.

 

Better understanding maybe. But I've got a feeling a lot of rules/guidelines have been breached because they think no-one will complain.

 

Main priority is to ensure ongoing healthcare is adequate going forward. Then I'd like think I can make a difference to make sure it stops happening to other if things were done incorrectly. Finally, and I 've got a thing about this, if there is any negligence I want the staff involved to be dealt with.

 

Finally, at the least, I'd like someone to acknowledge our financial loss. Like I said, if treatment has been delayed or negligent it seems unfair that same trust should cut wifes pay because her illness has been extended unnecessarily.

 

I'm not looking for a payout. I don't need any extra money. But if it proves a point I will do this.

[paulfoel]

Help from NHS Choices on making a complaint here

 

Thanks. Also got some good advice from the CHC in Wales...

[paulfoel]

Thank you for looking in, Night Owl, you're a gem.

 

HB

 

I would second that. NightOwl is a star....

[Night Owl]

The structure of the NHS is undergoing some change from April 2013 - here