"Lack of communication between NHS D&G and GG&C"

It has been 2 weeks since I contacted Care Opinion. since then, the figures state that 57 have been told about the contents, only half of those have read it (24).

I have had a response from each NHS Dumfries and Galloway & a few days later, later NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, both inviting me to reach out to 'patient experience team', NHS D&G.

I have done as you have asked, once by email and twice, leaving my number. Unfortunately the telephone number that I was given merely got me through to voicemail, which I used, leaving my telephone contact details. I have yet to receive acknowledgement or reply.

As I predicted, no one in any NHS department has stood up and taken responsibility for this situation. in 'my story' or my email.

PS My daughter, at the suggestion of one helpful NHS D&G clinician, was told that she needs to push NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, namely the Royal Infirmary, if she wants to get tests done at a local level. She has tried phoning the 'nurses line' which is the only phone contact available at the Royal. Yet again, it rang out despite claiming to get back to her within three days. That was three weeks ago!

It shouldn't be my daughter who is in a position to be 'pushing', it should be the relevant clinicians having those discussions then my daughter made aware of the arrangements for the tests!

Isabel Traynor

I have now had contact from D&G patient experience.

The advisor (D&G patient experience team) is, in the first instance, going to move forward the concerns, as stated above, about my daughter's treatment within Assisted Conception at The Royal Infirmary.

I believe that the aforementioned advisor should be permitted to do so, without 'muddying the waters' by my further communication to you. I firmly believe that one capable 'hand on the tiller' is sufficient to proceed.

It is our aim that both NHS boards (D&G + GG&C) work more closely together, thus preventing such a situation arising in the very near future. Referrals from Dumfries and Galloway deserve better.

Thank you very much for agreeing to share your details with me. I shall do so, if required or appropriate.

Here we are, 3 x weeks after Care Opinion was contacted. ‘My Story’ been read by an astonishing 100 people plus 28 staff members. It’s a great pity that ‘Healthcare Improvement Scotland’ were told, but did not feel compelled to read the contents.

Are we any further forward with ‘Lack of Communication between NHS D&G and NHS GG &C? No

Have we had any remedial action to this situation? No

As you can see, we have been passed on to dg.patientexperience@nhs.scot by both NHS D&G and GG & C. We have contacted them providing my phone number & email, my daughter’s phone number and dob. The advisor, who contacted me over a week ago, stated that she would phone my daughter to gain her permission. My daughter has had no contact from her.

It doesn’t appear that the patient experience team are taking this matter nearly seriously enough? The only function I can tell is that it takes this post away from the public glare of Care Opinion and offers some NHS corporate apology.

I don’t have time to spend chasing this situation up, trying to get someone to listen to me and more importantly, to take action!

Maybe we should have a third party, outside the health boards, as at the moment, it is barely impartial that they mark their own homework.

So:

§ People from NHS Dumfries & Galloway will continue to travel to referred services in Greater Glasgow and Clyde for tests that in my opinion can be carried out at a local level.

§ NHS D&G individuals will be forced to take a day’s holiday from work to accomplish this & suffer the growing expense of losing a work day & mounting travel costs. (Several days before the referral is accomplished, whether the patient is ill or well, using private or public transport, and forgot to mention the winter conditions on the roads)

§ We will have to request letters from our busy, primary care providers for letters providing evidence (as previously stated)

§ The referred GG &C clinician will have limited or no knowledge of our case before we arrive in front of them, from our experience!

I am so utterly defeated by this inaction, but not one bit surprised by the outcome.

This represents a whack of a difference to us all, as patients, within NHS D&G and flies in the face of any Patient Experience Policy that I have managed to read.

One further point to add to this laborious and time consuming saga.

During COP26, should we not be rather concerned over the miles travelled between both NHS Dumfries and Galloway & NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde? Are we not joining in the carbon neutral ethos and therefore reducing our use of cars, buses & trains and, as I am led to believe, planes, needed to access this and other NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde clinical services? Or is it just about delivering yet another, "Blah, Blah, Blah!" (quotation most adequately and fittingly provided by a well known Swedish activist).