wilma-bride
<<This space intentionally blank>>
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2005
- Messages
- 22,681
Sorry, this is long and convoluted but I am still frustrated and a tad peeved even now so I need to vent 
Last August, following a visit to the oral surgery department at Great Western Hospital in Swindon, we were told that Sian needed surgery to remove 4 teeth
She was put on the waiting list and told to expect a wait of 3-6 months.
Fast (or slow) forward to the 2nd week in April - I receive a letter from the hospital, asking if we still want to be on the waiting list for the surgery and to complete the enclosed form and return, confirming contact details and any dates we may be unavailable.
I did as I was asked, returned the form (despite there being no pre-paid envelope
- a pet hate of mine, if somebody expects you to send them something by return of post, they should enclose a pre-paid envelope for your convenience). Anyway, just 2 days later, we get the long-awaited letter to say that Sian has an appointment for surgery on 15th May. It contained a leaflet detailing all the rules like no eating after midnight, post anaesthesia care etc. The letter stated that if we had any queries or were unable to attend the appointment to contact them as soon as possible.
To be perfectly honest, the timing was a bit pants - Gary goes away for 6 weeks on Sunday, Sian has to be at GWH for 8 am on Tuesday, Daniel has to be at nursery in Corsham for 9 am, Rea has to be a t school for 8:30 - you get my drift. Anyway, I call upon my dear friend Becky to transport Daniel and Rea to their respective destinations and arrange to have the day off work. It was not the easiest of things to arrange and it's costing me extra childcare fees but, hey, Sian desperately needs this surgery.
Anyways (I am getting to the point
), I get home from work this afternoon to find a message on the answerphone from a lady at GWH saying that since I hadn't confirmed that Sian would be attending her appointment, she had cancelled it and given her slot to someone else! What!?!?!?! 
So, I phone her on the number she has left - answerphone. I leave her a message informing her that I wasn't aware we had to confirm, I have already made arrangements, we will be there etc. etc. After 2 hours left stewing the woman finally calls me back and starts protesting that I was supposed to confirm - her exact words 'It doesn't actually tell you to do it on the letter but everybody knows you need to confirm' Um, no they don't or I would have.
Eventually, after much threatening of speaking to supervisors etc. she tells me she will try to sort something out. An hour later she is back on the phone - Sian can still attend but she has to come in at 12 o'clock, instead of 8. Um, nope, that's no good because I have to pick my son up from nursery at 2.30 - well, that's the best she can do. Again, I manage to convince her that it's not good enough, the error is on her/their part and not mine. So, again, she says she will see what she can do. I have to say, at thsi point, her whole attitude the whole way through was that she was doing me a MASSIVE favour by trying to fit us back onto the list
I was trying not to get angry but could feel my temperature rising everytime she a) called me Mrs Bell - I have told you at least a dozen times that is my daughter's surname and NOT mine and b) every time she said 'but you didn't let us know that Sian would be attending' - you didn't tell me I NEEDED to.
She phones me back yet again to say that Sian can now attend as originally planned at 8 am on 15th - her parting statement was 'one of the other patients has kindly agreed to take Sian's spot at 12 jsut so you can come in the morning' It was a good job Daniel entered the room at that point otherwise I am afraid I wouldn't have been able to publish my response here.
Good old National Health service - I would love to know who provides their customer service training
Still, at least she is getting to go on the original date and time again now and hopefully her teeth will be right as rain soon
Thanks for 'listening'
Last August, following a visit to the oral surgery department at Great Western Hospital in Swindon, we were told that Sian needed surgery to remove 4 teeth
She was put on the waiting list and told to expect a wait of 3-6 months.Fast (or slow) forward to the 2nd week in April - I receive a letter from the hospital, asking if we still want to be on the waiting list for the surgery and to complete the enclosed form and return, confirming contact details and any dates we may be unavailable.
I did as I was asked, returned the form (despite there being no pre-paid envelope
- a pet hate of mine, if somebody expects you to send them something by return of post, they should enclose a pre-paid envelope for your convenience). Anyway, just 2 days later, we get the long-awaited letter to say that Sian has an appointment for surgery on 15th May. It contained a leaflet detailing all the rules like no eating after midnight, post anaesthesia care etc. The letter stated that if we had any queries or were unable to attend the appointment to contact them as soon as possible.To be perfectly honest, the timing was a bit pants - Gary goes away for 6 weeks on Sunday, Sian has to be at GWH for 8 am on Tuesday, Daniel has to be at nursery in Corsham for 9 am, Rea has to be a t school for 8:30 - you get my drift. Anyway, I call upon my dear friend Becky to transport Daniel and Rea to their respective destinations and arrange to have the day off work. It was not the easiest of things to arrange and it's costing me extra childcare fees but, hey, Sian desperately needs this surgery.
Anyways (I am getting to the point
), I get home from work this afternoon to find a message on the answerphone from a lady at GWH saying that since I hadn't confirmed that Sian would be attending her appointment, she had cancelled it and given her slot to someone else! What!?!?!?! So, I phone her on the number she has left - answerphone. I leave her a message informing her that I wasn't aware we had to confirm, I have already made arrangements, we will be there etc. etc. After 2 hours left stewing the woman finally calls me back and starts protesting that I was supposed to confirm - her exact words 'It doesn't actually tell you to do it on the letter but everybody knows you need to confirm' Um, no they don't or I would have.Eventually, after much threatening of speaking to supervisors etc. she tells me she will try to sort something out. An hour later she is back on the phone - Sian can still attend but she has to come in at 12 o'clock, instead of 8. Um, nope, that's no good because I have to pick my son up from nursery at 2.30 - well, that's the best she can do. Again, I manage to convince her that it's not good enough, the error is on her/their part and not mine. So, again, she says she will see what she can do. I have to say, at thsi point, her whole attitude the whole way through was that she was doing me a MASSIVE favour by trying to fit us back onto the list
I was trying not to get angry but could feel my temperature rising everytime she a) called me Mrs Bell - I have told you at least a dozen times that is my daughter's surname and NOT mine and b) every time she said 'but you didn't let us know that Sian would be attending' - you didn't tell me I NEEDED to.She phones me back yet again to say that Sian can now attend as originally planned at 8 am on 15th - her parting statement was 'one of the other patients has kindly agreed to take Sian's spot at 12 jsut so you can come in the morning' It was a good job Daniel entered the room at that point otherwise I am afraid I wouldn't have been able to publish my response here.
Good old National Health service - I would love to know who provides their customer service training
Still, at least she is getting to go on the original date and time again now and hopefully her teeth will be right as rain soon
Thanks for 'listening'
well done you for sticking to your guns the hospital staff were completely in the wrong and should never have put you through all that. It's inexcusable to treat patients like that maybe they will change their wording in future on their letters. I bet they have had lots of families complain about those letters but not everyone stands up for themselves any more. Best wishes to Sian 
