"Shortage of PICC line technicians"

At 73 years of age I needed an urgent knee revision which obviously meant regular & frequent multi antibiotic infusions.

After 14 cannulas in 10 days, I then had one failed & two successful midline’s put in. They didn’t last any longer than the cannulas & my veins were collapsing & being damaged. Two veins are irreparably damaged.

A PICC line was only solution yet it took an age to get it implanted. With an ever-aging population this is not an isolated issue in fact it’s really common. A comprehensive cost/benefit analysis would undoubtedly prove that several more technicians are required. The phlebotomists time & equipment being constantly expended on the same patients, the Drs time & equipment needed for midline insertions must surely amount to a substantial sum to say nothing of the pain & distress for patients who are being unnecessarily subjected to painful cannulas that fail & damage their veins.

I would urge the health board to review the provision for PICC line technicians as a matter of urgency. All it takes for capacity to be severely restricted is for one of that very small team to be sick or on holiday. No business would ever survive when there are so few people capable of performing this increasingly demanded intervention.