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"My husband was left feeling like he'd been a nuisance"

About: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary / Clinical haematology

(as a relative),

My husband has had leukaemia for 7 years and requires regular blood tests prior to his 3 monthly hospital appointment (currently merely a phone call due to COVID) to be able to get the medication he needs to keep him alive.

The labs need time to process this and an appointment arranged when the blood results are available.  

This week he was trying to organise said hospital appointment having had his blood tests done but was met with a very aggressive response from the receptionist.

My husband was told he was unable to get the date of appointment he needed and was offered another which would mean no results were available and no meds could be given, effectively making the appointment useless.

When my husband pointed this out to the receptionist , the receptionist then pointed out how busy they are.

My husband was left feeling like he'd been a nuisance . Does this receptionist not realise how the department operates or how very ill the patients who attend that ward are?

I work on a very busy ward in a hospital and would never dream of speaking to someone in this way.

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Responses

Response from Caty Smith, Nurse Manager, Surgical 1, NHS Grampian 3 years ago
Caty Smith
Nurse Manager, Surgical 1,
NHS Grampian
Submitted on 28/03/2022 at 14:30
Published on Care Opinion at 14:30


Dear Balti

Thank you for taking the time to share this important feedback with us. I am sorry that this has been your husbands' experience when communicating with our department. We work very closely with our administration colleagues and I have already shared your feedback with the team. I would be happy for you to contact me if you would like to discuss further and our administration manager has also offered to call you if this is an option you would like to consider.

Kind regards

Caty Smith

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Update posted by balti (a relative)

Yes, I would like to respond further. After the problems booking an appointment, my husband required an emergency supply of drugs. However, someone sent these to a random pharmacy out with the hospital. Our problem with that being; I work in the pharmacy at ARI and have been collecting all of my husband’s drugs since the start of covid. Did they feel he needed punished further for having complained?

Response from Caty Smith, Nurse Manager, Surgical 1, NHS Grampian 3 years ago
Caty Smith
Nurse Manager, Surgical 1,
NHS Grampian
Submitted on 14/04/2022 at 08:48
Published on Care Opinion at 08:48


Morning Balti

If you wish you can contact me directly to discuss and allow me to investigate your husbands experience in more detail. Please can you contact me on my extension 01224 559425 or email me directly catriona.smith2@nhs.scot.

Kind regards Caty Smith, Nurse Manager

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Response from Kirsten Dickson, Quality Improvement and Assurance Facilitator, Quality Improvement and Assurance Team, NHS Grampian 3 years ago
Kirsten Dickson
Quality Improvement and Assurance Facilitator, Quality Improvement and Assurance Team,
NHS Grampian
Submitted on 25/04/2022 at 17:42
Published on Care Opinion at 17:42


picture of Kirsten Dickson

Dear Balti,

I'm sorry to hear you have been having trouble getting hold of Nurse Manager Caty. I don't work within the service but with the Quality Improvement & Assurance Team and have a role in helping services access the Care Opinion stories that are shared. I suspect Caty is off on unexpected leave but I'll check and get back to you with another contact. If you would prefer to contact me directly you can do so either by email at kirsten.dickson@nhs.scot or by telephone/ text on 07885720267.

Again, I'm sorry this has been so frustrating for you.

Take care,

Kirsten

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Response from Caty Smith, Nurse Manager, Surgical 1, NHS Grampian 3 years ago
Caty Smith
Nurse Manager, Surgical 1,
NHS Grampian
Submitted on 26/04/2022 at 15:30
Published on Care Opinion at 15:30


Dear Balti

Apologies for my delay in responding on this platform and thank you for contacting me directly. I hope my email responses will help ensure you are able to have communications with other members of the team to discuss the experiences and have any additional questions, you or your husband may have, answered.

Best wishes to you and your husband.

Caty.

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