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"I feel really frustrated and angry about the whole thing"

About: Devon Referral Support Services Leicester Royal Infirmary / Accident and emergency Leicester Royal Infirmary / Ear, Nose and Throat North Devon District Hospital / Ear, Nose and Throat North Devon District Hospital / Fracture Clinic Wallingbrook Health Centre

(as the patient),

I went to the University Hospital's of Leicester A&E department two and half weeks ago with a broken nose. They saw me and I was out after about 6/7 hours. This service was good. 

A couple of days later I received a text from their ENT department for a follow up two weeks after. Again this is good but unfortunately that would be in Leicester and I live in Devon. 

I didn't have my NHS number when I was in A&E so they couldn't access my details. 

I was told that my referral from Leicester to the GP would take 48 hours, so I called my GP. The GP told me that they couldn't get my paperwork from the hospital for security reasons, so I called the University Hospital's of Leicester to chase this up, which took hours. 

A week later, my discharge notes arrived with my GP, after a lot of phone calls from me. This was sorted by a nice lady called Alison at Leicester A&E. 

Once my GP got my notes, they sent them to North Devon District Hospital fracture clinic. The clinic said that they don't deal with nose breaks, and it would need to go to ENT.

However, North Devon District Hospital didn't send this information to my GP, but instead to my old address. There has been no referral to ENT, and it would be up to me to deal with this. 

A week later, I rang my GP to see what was happening. They called North Devon District Hospital who told them that they don't deal with broken noses. So my GP then urgently referred me into the Devon Referral Support Service for a ENT referral. I have called Devon Referral Support Service today and they are closed for training. 

This is now two and half weeks post injury, and I haven't even got my original referral sorted. All the information I read says that any procedures for a broken nose are best happening within 2 weeks of the injury. 

I want to be clear that my GP has been good, University Hospitals of Leicester has been good and North Devon District are not at fault as they don't deal with broken noses. It's the computer system that's not working. I feel really frustrated and angry about the whole thing. 

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Responses

Response from Teresa Sturm, Matron, Patient Experience Team, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust last month
Teresa Sturm
Matron, Patient Experience Team,
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

My role as matron in the patient experience team covers both northern and eastern services at Royal Devon.

Submitted on 24/03/2025 at 15:19
Published on Care Opinion at 15:19


picture of Teresa Sturm

Dear talxg34,

Thank you for sending us your feedback. I am really sorry for the issues you have encountered. If you have not done so already you may want to look into signing up to My Care to enable you to access your health information, proxy access, view letters and test results https://www.royaldevon.nhs.uk/patients-visitors/my-care/how-to-sign-up/

As Care Opinion is anonymous I would advise you email the PALS team with your name, NHS number and address and they can check your contact details held on your electronic health record. Their email is rduh.pals@nhs.net

I do hope you are recovering well now and I am sorry this experience has left you feeling angry and frustrated.

Kind regards

Teresa

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