This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?
Care Opinion

Referrals

Posted By Jimmy o the neeps

"Referrals"

About: NHS Orkney

(as a service user),

I went to my doctor in February 2020, pre-covid, and was referred to a podiatrist for assessment. Nearly a year and a half later I haven't even had a call to say that they're running late with their lists. It's quite a long time to be in pain, as I wasn't given pain relief from the doctor as a stop gap until seen by the podiatrist.  

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Julie Tait, Patient Experience Officer, NHS Orkney 2 years ago
Julie Tait
Patient Experience Officer,
NHS Orkney

Submitted on 03/11/2021 at 09:25
Published on Care Opinion at 09:25

Dear Jimmy

Firstly please accept my apology for the delay in responding to your post on Care Opinion. We have changed our NHS email addresses and this has caused a communication delay. I am very sorry this was the case.

Regrettably we have been experiencing some delays for our patients in accessing Podiatry services. If you would like to contact me directly with your contact details and more information, I would be very happy to look into this for you.

It is difficult to share any further information with you without these details but please do get in touch with me if this is still ongoing.

My contact details are ork.feedback@nhs.scot

Kind regards

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Jimmy o the neeps (a service user)

Hi Julie,

Thanks for your response.

I am aware of the need to postpone/delay treatment due to the pandemic, that really isn't what I am annoyed about. My issue is the complete lack of communication when these referrals were delayed/postponed. As a patient I was left in the dark, in pain and not knowing if or when, nor if, I could expect any treatment. To have pain every day for several months really got me down, and to feel abandoned without any communication from NHS Orkney compounded this. I didn't think it was too much to ask to be kept in the loop as to the status of my referral, or whether there was something that could be done via another means of communication (video link, telephone, internet). Even now there hasn't been anything from NHS Orkney, apart from you replying to my post.

Fortunately I managed to research and find some exercises to do and took what medication I could. After about 18 months of being in pain it eased and isn't bothering me at present.

I'm not wanting to go further with this. I only hope that in the future there is some communication out of the Balfour to patients concerning the status of their referral more promptly than has been the case in this instance. As I said previously, there still hasn't been anything official from NHS Orkney as yet 22 months later.

Response from Julie Tait, Patient Experience Officer, NHS Orkney 2 years ago
Julie Tait
Patient Experience Officer,
NHS Orkney

Submitted on 07/12/2021 at 15:06
Published on Care Opinion at 15:06

Dear Jimmy

Thank you for your further feedback. I appreciate this has been very frustrating and I will raise this with the manager of the service and ask that this is something that is considered and look at how this can be improved.

Our communication with you has not been as you would have expected and I am very sorry that this is the case.

Thank you again for raising this with us and if you change your mind and it would be helpful to get in touch, please do email me on ork.feedback@nhs.scot

Kind regards

Julie

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k