"Mission Statement versus Actuality"

Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital's  mission statement states that their mission is to work together to help you stay healthy and to care for you expertly and compassionately.

In my experience, the above mission statement is not being observed…….to summarise:

I was treated by the RD&E and post surgery was referred to the Speech Language & Therapy (SLT) unit for treatment. That’s expertly and compassionately.

SLT confirmed to me in person on the day of discharge that they would arrange treatment. That’s expertly and compassionately.

But then SLT decided they would not accept the referral after all as I am registered to a GP Surgery in the Torbay catchment area (regardless of the fact that I demonstrably live in the RD&E catchment area). That was a bureaucratic, not an expertly and compassionately decision.

SLT referred me to Torbay against my wishes and my freedom of choice. That was not an expertly and compassionately decision.

However there was a plot twist. Torbay could not accept my referral as they did not have anyone trained to do the treatment.

SLT decided as Torbay cannot accept the referral and they declined to accept the original internal RD&E referral, I am not going to receive the requested treatment at all. That was not an expertly and compassionately decision.

In my view, that is abrogation of responsibility.

It is clear to me that National has been removed from National Health Service which is now operating as the Area Health Service.

Administration dictats seem to be overriding Patient’s actual needs, freedom of choice and entitlements.

Mission statements are empty words if they are not implemented.