"Not receiving and still waiting for medical treatment"

I would like to express concern and seek advice on the harm being experienced as a result of the delays in arranging for me to be assessed by a Consultant Gynaecologist.  

I am not complaining regarding any specific employee within NHS Lanarkshire - but want to highlight that the delays are contributing to further health decline and significantly compromised quality of life.

A referral was submitted to Gynaecology in early July 2020 from my GP due to a large ovarian cyst. I have been experiencing severe pain now since March 2020 and prior to that consulted several clinicians over the course 12 months due to pain, though regrettably none considered the need for investigation. 

I am a key worker working in a role of critical importance to Lanarkshire’s response to the pandemic and although I continued to work while in pain during the pandemic, I could no longer do so due to severe and unbearable pain that meant I was not able to walk. 

While I have been waiting to discuss the scan results and my symptoms, I now have severe and debilitating pain and am no longer able to stand for longer than a few minutes. I have no family am now completely reliant on my friends to deliver essential food.   

I am now mostly confined to bed, unable to eat normally due to the pain and vomiting that occur after eating and have now developed symptoms of panic and anxiety, which I feel are worsening as a result of being advised that my worsening physical and mental health is not classified as urgent.  

I am scared, frightened and at times feeling desperate that ‘the system’ doesn’t appear to be able flexibly respond to my deteriorating physical and mental health. 

I have been advised by and advanced nurse practitioner and GP that they are unable to reprioritise the original referral as the symptoms and decline in my health are typical of an ovarian cyst. 

I have been told by the Gynaecology patient service that I could have “three months or more” to wait to have an appointment and have advice of a specialist in Gynaecology.

I completely understand that there are referrals which need to be seen urgently such as those women with suspected cancer, though the advice I have received to date has appeared impersonal and inflexible. I have also been advised to attend A&E, though have concerns about this suggestion given the need to ensure A&E services are available for people with immediately life threatening emergencies. 

There are several aspects of the handling of my case and decision-making about my deteriorating health that do not appear to be consistent with the Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities 

My understanding is that given the size of the cyst (and the risks of rupture or secondary damage), my deteriorating physical health, functional abilities and psychological wellbeing are all a reasonable basis for NHS Lanarkshire to classify this referral with a greater degree of urgency. 

Considering NHS Lanarkshire and the Board’s vision:

"NHS Lanarkshire is committed to delivering world-leading, high quality innovative health and social care that is person-centred. We care about the people we serve and our ambition is to be a quality-driven organisation that is focused on achieving a healthier life for all."

I ask that you better demonstrate this commitment to care and consider how demonstrable actions can be taken to better reflect your ambition to be a quality driven organisation, more focused on achieving a healthier life for me.  

I respectfully suggest that this could be achieved by:

-classifying my need for a consultation with a Gynaecologist as more urgent than routine, respecting and acting on my reports to staff and here of deteriorating health

-not exposing me to the distress of having to act as case manager and persuade others such as my GP to document the worsening physical symptoms, psychological distress and reduced functional ability

-consider the benefit of embracing technological advances and offering an Attend Anywhere Consultation with a Consultant who, with recent scan results and investigations, may be able to recommend surgical treatment.

I am fortunate to have access to the advice and support of a senior official in the Scottish Government Health and Care Directorates who has reassured me of NHS Lanarkshire’s commitment to respond positively to feedback and to work collaboratively with people in ways that truly listen, engage and respond to “what matters most” to me and to do so in a way that respects my experience, to work with me on delivering improvements and to recognise the importance of facilitating my recovery and return to work contributing to supporting others in NHS Lanarkshire.

Thank you in advance for reading and considering my feedback.