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Removal from ENT referral list

Posted By Pinga's Mum

"Removal from ENT referral list"

About: Gartnavel General Hospital Western Infirmary/Gartnavel General / Ear, Nose & Throat

(as a service user),

My story begins at the start of 2019 when I developed tinnitus of the right ear. The ENT dr had requested an MRI and MRA of my had and neck. However a radiologist had vetted it for an MRI of head only. When I questioned this, another radiologist decided that I SHOULD have both an MRI and MRA of the ear and head. 

Well somehow the MRA results were 'lost'. I was first told - 'you did not get contrast'. Yes, I imagined the contrast being injected into my arm.

I then had to go through further testing ie MRA (MRI with contrast) of the head but MRA of the ears was not repeated. This meant I had the contrast twice due to the 1st lot of results being 'lost'. I mean, how can a state of the art scanner lose results?

The second MRA showed I had a brain lesion - this was missed by the MRI. I went through the complaints procedure at nhsggc which was not a pleasant experience.

I've been prompted to write as the story has a fresh chapter. I developed very loud tinnitus (new) in my left ear and my GP referred me back to ENT in mid April 2021. I requested that I not be seen by the same ENT consultant from 2019.

ENT refuse to see me and have forwarded me to audiology instead. I found that out this week. My GP was unaware of this also.

ENT are ignoring new symptoms. I have a vascular loop of the left AICA. They cannot say that my ear canals are clear as those tests were not repeated.

Have I been 'kicked off' the ENT list as I said I did not wish to see the 2019 dr?

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Responses

Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 2 years ago
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Submitted on 30/07/2021 at 16:00
Published on Care Opinion at 16:00

picture of Nicole McInally

Dear Pingas Mum

I am very sorry to read about the difficulties you have been experiencing regarding your referral and it would be helpful if you could contact us to discuss this further. Can you please contact my colleague, Debbie Marshall on 0141 211 3017 (Monday to Wednesday) or 07929 841372 (Thursday and Friday).

Thank you

Kathleen McIlravey

Clinical Service Manager - ENT & Urology

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Update posted by Pinga's Mum (a service user)

Dear Ms McIlravey,

Thank you for your reply.

Due to other commitments, I've not responded to Ms Marshall yet. I'll contact your colleague either at the end of this week or beginning of next week.

The left vascular loop (which is a medical cause of tinnitus), did not constrict the 'hearing' nerve when it was picked up in 2019. ENT (2021), to remove me from their list, must be absolutely certain that there is no constriction now 2 years later. The left tinnitus symptom is new; I had been referred in 2019 with right sided tinnitus.

Or it may be that they have not read the MRI/MRA reports from 2019, which is unacceptable. I hope that you will agree.

Yours sincerely,

Pingas Mum

Update posted by Pinga's Mum (a service user)

Why is it so difficult to get a straightforward answer from nhsggc? I initially wrote on around 22/07/21. I was told to contact a member of staff as above; try as I would, I could not get in touch with that member of staff on either of the quoted numbers, nor were my voice messages returned.

I attempted to contact (via the main switchboard) another member of staff but that direct line went unanswered also. I eventually got through to a third member of staff at ENT (last week) who said that the two people I had been attempting to contact were unavailable. I guess that meant my concerns as a patient can go ignored, you know, when staff 'unavailable'.

The person I spoke to said last week that they would get in touch this week but not heard anything back. Keep your word nhsggc

Update posted by Pinga's Mum (a service user)

I spoke with the 3rd member of staff at ENT on 17/09/2021; I had to go in a roundabout way to contact them, as that person's direct line went unanswered. I was told that one of ENT's main medical people was looking into the missing MRI/MRA reports and that I'd get an update. No update. I was also told, during the 17/09/21 call, that they had trouble getting through to my mobile. That's a strange one as everyone else, both non nhs and nhs (g.p), have had no issues. I offered to read out my contact numbers again but was told - 'no, that's ok, we have them'. They have my email address also. 'Do you want to log this as a complaint,' 3rd person asked, to which I replied 'no'. Has anyone had experience of their so called complaints procedure? How long does their complaints procedure last, one may ask....as long as they can stretch a rubber band before it snaps, in my opinion.

Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 2 years ago
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Submitted on 04/10/2021 at 13:39
Published on Care Opinion at 13:39

picture of Nicole McInally

Dear Pinga’s Mum

I am sorry to read that you are still awaiting an update regarding your MRI report. I have spoken to Ruth McLaughlin, who is the Clinical Service Manager for ENT and Ruth has asked if you can email her at Ruth.McLaughlin@ggc.scot.nhs.uk with your details and she will be in touch.

Kind Regards

Nicole

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