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"Interaction with doctor"

About: Borders General Hospital / GP Out of Hours (BECS) NHS 24 / NHS 24 (111 service)

(as a service user),

Contacted NHS 24 with concerns regarding a violent attack of muscle spasms which were causing me severe pain and weakness. After completing the assessment with a call handler, the call handler advised that they had spoken to a clinician and they advised I'd recieve a phone call from the local health board to discuss the next steps in my care. I received a timely response by a doctor from the unscheduled care setting at the Borders General Hospital.

Unfortunately, I have complicated health conditions; which means I attend the unscheduled care setting regularly and am familiar with staff who work in the Out of Hours. Anyways, cutting to the chase I spoke with a doctor, who asked me how they could help. I explained my concerns and they decided that they wanted to see me to carry out an assessment in A&E. The doctor is aware of my history due to countless visits to the A&E department due to seizures, blackouts, head injuries and so on. They still advise that I should drive to the hospital and park in the bay outside the main entrance and phone a number on arrival.

Now had we not had countless previous dealings then this could been seen as a general mistake or you could think of lots of reasons to justify this decision. Doctors are aware that certain health conditions mean you aren't safe nor medically fit to drive. Now I have a condition on top of my seizures that affect my vision which is a life long condition and unfortunately no cure for it at present. This all happened in the early hours this morning no public transport to the hospital.

I feel the doctor was being deliberate and at the very least being obstructive as they are very familiar of me as a patient. The doctor knows I can't drive so to say such a thing to me, knowing I don’t drive or own a car, was simply a way of avoiding having to see me and to treat me, I believe. I feel it's personal and discrimination. 

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Responses

Response from Dawn Orr, Nurse Consultant - Telehealth and Telecare, Nursing and Care, NHS 24 5 months ago
Dawn Orr
Nurse Consultant - Telehealth and Telecare, Nursing and Care,
NHS 24
Submitted on 15/12/2023 at 10:24
Published on Care Opinion at 10:24


picture of Dawn Orr

Dear Itsokaynottobeokayvet,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience on Care Opinion. I'm sorry to learn you required to contact NHS 24 with your call being passed onto your local health board. I hope your muscle spasms have abated and the subsequent pain has improved.

I reply on behalf of NHS 24, If you wish to share any more information with me in relation to your contact with our service, you can contact me by email at Patient.Experience@nhs24.scot.nhs.uk.

Thank you again for sharing your experience.

Dawn Orr

Nurse Consultant, Telehealth and Telecare

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Response from NHS Borders 5 months ago
Submitted on 15/12/2023 at 10:56
Published on Care Opinion at 13:39


I am sorry to hear this has been your experience of the Out of Hours GP Service. We would never advise someone to drive themselves to the hospital if it is unsafe, however we will routinely check if patients have any other way of getting to the hospital as this can lead to quicker assessment and treatment. I would be keen to investigate this further and to do that would need some further details from you. I can be contacted via email Fiona.jackson@borders.scot.nhs.uk If you would rather speak to someone out with the department you can contact the Patient Experience Team on Complaints.ClinGov@borders.scot.nhs.uk

Fiona Jackson, Senior Charge Nurse, Borders Urgent Care Centre

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