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"Removal of Hickman line"

About: Belfast City Hospital / Radiology Belfast City Hospital / Rheumatology

(as a service user),

Hello, 

I have been waiting on 3 months to get a Hickman line removed after a referral was made from rheumatology to interventional radiology and infusional services. My understanding is that it is sitting as an open referral that has yet to be actioned.

Having this line and only being flushed once a week is putting me at increased risk of infections and I have had bacteremia and Hickman infections in the past, the line also means that I am having to have weekly district nursing to flush the line.

I have tried going down different avenues to try and get it removed but keep hitting a dead end. I am worried it’ll take me getting a serious infection and ending up in hospital before anything is done about it. 

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Responses

Response from David Ferran, Assistant Service Manager / Lead Nurse, Dermatology & Rheumatology, Belfast Health and Social Care last month
David Ferran
Assistant Service Manager / Lead Nurse, Dermatology & Rheumatology,
Belfast Health and Social Care
Submitted on 26/09/2025 at 19:32
Published on Care Opinion at 23:54


Dear aquariusef63,

My name is David Ferran and I'm the Lead Nurse / Assistant Service Manger for the Rheumatology service.

I'm very sorry to read of your recent experience. If you are happy to do so, can you please contact Sister Aine Mc McCaughey (Rheumatology Ward Manger), providing your personal details so that we can look into this in more detail and make contact with you directly?

Aine can be contacted on the below and is awaiting your email to assist you: Aine.McCaughey@belfasttrust.hscni.net

Thank you,

David

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