"10 stars the medicine "

10 stars for the medicine. 3.5-4 for the admin. A phenomenally brilliant job on my dense left eye cataract in May. No pain from start to finish. I am typing this out on my laptop in 10 pt and I can read it perfectly without glasses. I had no huge expectations, thought if I were able to read normal print with spectacles, that would be great. It did not occur to me I should no longer need glasses, other than for really small print, and the other eye with less severe cataract still remains to be done. I shall be a hawk! The only after-effects were a lot of watering and now, 6 weeks later, almost non-existent aching, scratchiness and itching, which never reached a level of being distressing. All the staff were excellent, doctors, nurses, support, not just competent but caring – was I OK? (I am disabled and look it.)

The first two appointments, pre-assessment and surgery, were arranged without glitch but admin do not use email or texts for appointments and this mattered over arranging follow-up. I missed a call. Had the appointment been immediately emailed or texted to me, problem solved. Instead it took 8 days to resolve. Today I was rung with an appointment, I was told a snail-mail letter had gone out two days previously. I haven’t received it yet NHS policy seems to be set by individual Trusts. The Sussex Trust says ‘Only use email with patients and service users who have given their informed consent for using email to communicate with them. This consent should be clearly recorded in their Medical Record.’ I thought I did that. I routinely have texts from my GP practice confirming appointments for blood-tests and I rescheduled a CT by email. Also I was an NHS medical secretary at London teaching-hospitals for 30 years, making appointments and communicating them to patients by whatever were the latest means.

There are email addresses on their website, but no automatic reply is generated to confirm the mail has been received. People in health settings often work part-time or non-standard hours. I do not know if this is relevant here, but it is useful for patients to know things like the people who will get back to you work 11-7 or Monday, Wednesday and Friday.