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Trying to call podiatry to say I was running late

Posted By ScottTheScot

"Trying to call podiatry to say I was running late"

About: Kent & Canterbury Hospital

(as a parent/guardian),

Appalling communications. I was running late for a Podiatry Appointment today, so we thought we should phone ahead and let them know. First you are taken to a switchboard that eventually takes you to another switchboard. Then we finally got through to a human being. That's when the real problems started.

The receptionist said she couldn't view Podiatry appointments, so she put us through to another number there was no answer and eventually the call was picked up by another receptionist who didn't know the phone number and couldn't see the appointments. After twenty minutes of various phone calls, which made us even later we drove over to the hospital.

This was no better she didn't have a number either and couldn't get hold of anyone in Podiatry, by this time it was too late and we waited another 20 minutes at the hospital while the receptionist looked for a number. She gave us a number and then said no one will be there until next week.

I took the day of work to do this and I'm back at work next week. The communication is appalling and I will be informing my MP.

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Responses

Response from Julie Pearce, Chief Nurse + Director of Quality + Operations, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust 9 years ago
Julie Pearce
Chief Nurse + Director of Quality + Operations,
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

I am responsible for quality improvement which includes patient safety and patient experience

Submitted on 01/09/2014 at 22:30
Published on Care Opinion on 02/09/2014 at 09:33

Thank you for providing feedback and I am sorry about your experience about getting through to someone who could help you with the appointment. Please do email me and I will see this through for you. My email address is Julie.pearce1@nhs.net

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by ScottTheScot (a parent/guardian)

There's not much to follow through, the problem is perfectly clear to any one with a modicum of common sense.

The podiatry service and the receptionist at the hospital don't communicate with each other. One has the appointments in a book and the other uses a computer and never the twain shall meet.

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