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Care Opinion

Worried about risks

Posted By Moonstar

"Worried about risks"

About: General practices in Lothian Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France / Trauma and Orthopaedics Western General Hospital (Edinburgh)

(as the patient),

I was going to my GP surgery on average about once a week over a period of several years. On each occasion I told the GP that I was suffering with severe, chronic back pain. I saw eleven different GP's in total during this time and kept asking them to send me for an MRI scan. However, all they would do is send me for an x-ray. The GP's interpreted the x-rays differently. One told me I had damaged muscles, another said I had damaged nerves, a third said I had sciatica.  

Over the years my back pain worsened. Then in 2015 I found a GP who took the time to listen to me and sent me for an MRI scan. The result of the MRI did not match up with the results of the x-rays. The MRI showed that I had osteoarthritis down my right hand side. The delay in having this condition diagnosed means the osteoarthritis got worse. I am now having to undergo hospital treatment. I have found the service from the hospital frustrating as the appointments keep getting re-arranged.

Furthermore, I am concerned that the high number of x-rays I have had could have been damaging to my health. One GP told me I had had so many x-rays that I was now prone to cancer. I don't know what the risks are but it is a worry for me. 

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Responses

Response from Jeannette Morrison, Head of Patient Experience, NHS Lothian 5 years ago
Jeannette Morrison
Head of Patient Experience,
NHS Lothian

Submitted on 17/12/2018 at 10:29
Published on Care Opinion at 12:24

Dear Moonstar

Thank you very much for sharing your feedback with us and please accept my apologies for the delay with my response.

I was sorry to read of your difficulties that you have experienced over the years with your back pain and the delays in getting a diagnosis for this.

I was pleased to read that you have now found a GP who was able to listen to you and request the MRI scan for you. I can appreciate that the time that this taken has been a difficult and anxious time for you.

I am sorry that you have had hospital appointments rescheduled which l can only imagine is adding to your frustrations and I would like to apologise for any inconvenience that this may have caused you.

If you would like us to look into this for you in more detail l would be grateful if you can please contact the Patient Experience Team who will try to help. Their contact details are:

Email: feedback@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Telephone: 0131 536 3370

In the meantime l have shared your feedback with the hospital clinical team who were saddened to read of your experiences. If you feel able l would encourage you to share your feedback with the GP Practice as the majority of GPs are independent contractors.

Thank you again for sharing your feedback with us.

Kind regards

Jeannette

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