"Can not see the point in this"

Dear Ash613

Thank you for sharing your comments with the TRAQS team.

I appreciate that you may find the booking process frustrating when TRAQs are unable to offer an appointment at your Choice of hospital and have to place you on a waiting list for an appointment. Unfortunately as we rely upon the hospitals to release any available appointments and I am sure you can appreciate that this is outside TRAQS control.

TRAQS was established in June 2012 we are responsible for ensuring that all patients are offered a Choice of provider which is every patients' legal right under the NHS Patient Charter.

TRAQS are able to offer patients a Choice of any hospital in England which offers an NHS service.

We realise that not everyone is able to take advantage of an earlier appointment outside of their local area for various reasons but TRAQS is able to offer patients ithe information to ensure that they can make an nformed Choice. This includes if they wish to wait longer for an appointment at a local hospital.

The TRAQS team is also able to offer patients the option of attending Community Clinics where appropriate which have a number of benefits for the patients.

1. Many patients are unaware that It is not always necessary for them to be seen in a hospital as there are an increasing number of services available in the Community

2. This means that patients do not have to wait so long to be seen

3. Patients do not have to pay parking charges at many of the Community Clinics as they do at the local hospitals.

4. Not all of these services are directly available to GPs and as such the patients would not have access to these Community services without TRAQS or a similar service.

Thank you again for taking the time to respond to our request for feedback.The TRAQS team appreciates all patient feedback as it helps us to develop the service further for the benefit of the patients registered with GPs within the Telford and Wrekin area.