Taffycat
Crunchy Cat
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2006
- Messages
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Oh really...!! Is it any wonder that most of us have to wait an age to be given an Outpatient appointment, when hospital admin staff waste so much time by not checking their internal records?
For a while now, I've been waiting for an appointment with the Ophthalmology department of Cardiff's largest hospital. I knew there would be a wait, of course... there usually is. But I can't help thinking that if the non-medical staff were running things more efficiently, it might actually help to reduce waiting times.
Earlier this year, our Optician was not able to diagnose a sight problem which has been intermittently bugging me. I get a day or two of blurry vision and a very annoying, "double vision" kind of thing, (not in the true medical definition of the term, but where letters and figures appear to double-up.) I might "see" 110, or 1100, instead of 10 for example; and words containing letters i, l or v, such as in the word "exclusively" might look like "excllusiiwellly" to me.) Just to give you an idea.
When it happens, it can make reading decidedly difficult and has given me some nasty shocks when checking a bank statement!
Thankfully, this is not happening all of the time as I've already mentioned... but it means I'm not to drive until it's properly sorted. I wouldn't chance it anyway... because when it happens, I sometimes can't recognise faces until I'm close to them, or read street signs or number plates. Though most of the time, I can see them okay.
So, after Mr. Optician had ruled-out the obvious things, (e.g., cataracts or astigmatism) he decided to refer me to the hospital's Ophthalmic department for further investigation. I told him I'd had a brain scan last year (headaches) and the results were clear of any nasties. But as he pointed out, situations can change, and "We need to know if anything else is going on, sooner rather than later..." Hmm... that was a cheery thought.
Anyway, after several weeks, a letter arrived, informing me that I'd been added to "the consultant's shortest list." Oh good! Better than being on his "longest list" I guess. The letter also contained details of my address and phone number with a request that I should contact them if any of the details were incorrect.
They were all correct!
There passed ore weeks of waiting. Then, this weekend, another letter arrived. Oh great! My appointment, thought I.... But no, it was yet another letter, asking whether I still require the appointment/have already attended the appointment/no longer require the appointment/have a date to attend the appointment... please tick whichever is appropriate and return the form in pre-paid envelope. Oh... and whilst we're about it, we don't appear to have your telephone number. Please also supply your email address, if you have one, plus any dates that you will not be available!
It's a Bank Holiday weekend, so no postal collections until Wednesday. And when the returned form eventually finds its way to the hospital, I daresay it will be passed around a bit, before reaching the appropriate department, then go through their filing systems and what-not... so that effectively takes care of yet another week or so.
I have a hospital number, so why not simply have checked my records again, (or even looked at a copy of their previously-sent letter?) My telephone number would have been right there on file. A quick call:
Q: "Still want the appointment?"
A: "Yes please."
Q: "Any holiday dates to avoid?"
A: "No."
Q: "Got an email addy?"
A: "Yes, it's blah @ blah uk"
Done! Just a couple of minutes to key it into the computer and probably cheaper than having them send out forms, paying postage (both ways) and then spending time sorting out paperwork.
Hey-ho.... a bit of a grumble can be quite theraputic sometimes...
For a while now, I've been waiting for an appointment with the Ophthalmology department of Cardiff's largest hospital. I knew there would be a wait, of course... there usually is. But I can't help thinking that if the non-medical staff were running things more efficiently, it might actually help to reduce waiting times.
Earlier this year, our Optician was not able to diagnose a sight problem which has been intermittently bugging me. I get a day or two of blurry vision and a very annoying, "double vision" kind of thing, (not in the true medical definition of the term, but where letters and figures appear to double-up.) I might "see" 110, or 1100, instead of 10 for example; and words containing letters i, l or v, such as in the word "exclusively" might look like "excllusiiwellly" to me.) Just to give you an idea.
When it happens, it can make reading decidedly difficult and has given me some nasty shocks when checking a bank statement!
Thankfully, this is not happening all of the time as I've already mentioned... but it means I'm not to drive until it's properly sorted. I wouldn't chance it anyway... because when it happens, I sometimes can't recognise faces until I'm close to them, or read street signs or number plates. Though most of the time, I can see them okay. So, after Mr. Optician had ruled-out the obvious things, (e.g., cataracts or astigmatism) he decided to refer me to the hospital's Ophthalmic department for further investigation. I told him I'd had a brain scan last year (headaches) and the results were clear of any nasties. But as he pointed out, situations can change, and "We need to know if anything else is going on, sooner rather than later..." Hmm... that was a cheery thought.
Anyway, after several weeks, a letter arrived, informing me that I'd been added to "the consultant's shortest list." Oh good! Better than being on his "longest list" I guess. The letter also contained details of my address and phone number with a request that I should contact them if any of the details were incorrect.
They were all correct!
There passed ore weeks of waiting. Then, this weekend, another letter arrived. Oh great! My appointment, thought I.... But no, it was yet another letter, asking whether I still require the appointment/have already attended the appointment/no longer require the appointment/have a date to attend the appointment... please tick whichever is appropriate and return the form in pre-paid envelope. Oh... and whilst we're about it, we don't appear to have your telephone number. Please also supply your email address, if you have one, plus any dates that you will not be available!
It's a Bank Holiday weekend, so no postal collections until Wednesday. And when the returned form eventually finds its way to the hospital, I daresay it will be passed around a bit, before reaching the appropriate department, then go through their filing systems and what-not... so that effectively takes care of yet another week or so.
I have a hospital number, so why not simply have checked my records again, (or even looked at a copy of their previously-sent letter?) My telephone number would have been right there on file. A quick call:
Q: "Still want the appointment?"
A: "Yes please."
Q: "Any holiday dates to avoid?"
A: "No."
Q: "Got an email addy?"
A: "Yes, it's blah @ blah uk"
Done! Just a couple of minutes to key it into the computer and probably cheaper than having them send out forms, paying postage (both ways) and then spending time sorting out paperwork.
Hey-ho.... a bit of a grumble can be quite theraputic sometimes...
) 
It's a bit much that your Mum has to wait for another three months, particularly when it wasn't her fault that the appointment was missed. Wishing her all the best. 
