"A very helpful senior nurse was ..."

What I liked

A very helpful senior nurse was able to ensure that the tests (physiotherapy) were done and communication between patients, physiotherapists and the doctors was (re?-) established.

Our appointment was reasonably punctual.

What could be improved

communication - at every level - is abysmal. Is management equally poor? Probably, but difficult to assess as a visitor

Anything else?

I accompanied my husband, an outpatient at the clinic, to his latest appointment in January 2009. This followed physiotherapists' assessment of his possible need for Oxygen a couple of weeks earlier. This in turn was supposed to have happened three months ago, but it was clear then that the instructions from the consultant to the physio clinic to arrange tests took no account of the physios appointment timescale. The physios seemed unable to communicate back to the team. Sure enough, after a cursory and rushed appointment with the registrar ( 'your lung function continues to deteriorate..' , but little else was said) we asked about oxygen supply, but were told that nothing had been arranged. Eventually, I found a senior staff nurse who contacted the physiotherapists who reluctantly talked to us and told us that the report had not yet been signed off by the doctors (apparently it had not, at that point, been received by them). After numerous phone calls over the following days, we finally established that an order for O2 had been placed with the suppliers (and then another saga started...)

I have little faith in the communications and management of the lung function clinic and its 'professionals'. Our GP has also reported difficulties in communicating with the clinic, especially with the consultant.

Anyone having similar problems might find the PALS service helpful - 0207 9431335.