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"Unacceptable experience at Whipp's cross"

About: Whipps Cross University Hospital

I recently accompanied my daughter for her colonscopy. I Given that people waiting for a colonscopy have had nothing to eat for, in my daughter's case, 36 hours, we thought it thoughtless that the literature in the waiting room was all food magazines. My daughter was collected for her appointment and taken to the ward. There she had to listen to the nurses discussing the tin of biscuits they had just opened...again thoughtless. We were given the diagnosis of Crohn's disease by a nurse standing in the corridor, they were clearly more interested in the comings and goings of the waiting room than in being concerned about my daughter and made no attempt to explain the diagnosis and how it might affect my daughter's life. The next day my daughter returned for medication. she was told that the prescribed steroid was not available and that she would be started on a stronger one. Apart from being told she would put on weigh, there was no information about other side effects or any alternative treatments discussed. She was told she would have a follow up appointment in 3 weeks when the results of the biopsy would be known. Having not been sent an appointment she returned to Whipps Cross to find out when it was. She was sent from department to department with no one seeming to be able to give her a date...Eventually she gave up and was later sent an appointment for the end of August,, 3 months hence, as that was the first new appointment available. My daughter then went to her GP who said she would make enquiries on Anna's behalf. The GP was told that Whipps Cross had no record of Anna which was why she was given an appointment in 3 months time! Given that stress and anxiety are known to contribute to the symptoms of Crohn's I find it appalling that a young woman can be subject to such a total lack of basic care and sensitivity.. What, I wonder, is going to happen in the appointment in August? Will she be told that as a "new patent" she will have to go through the whole procedure again as they have no record of her? This whole experience has left me with no confidence that my daughter will receive the care and help that she needs in dealing with this horrible and cruel disease. Can you please tell me the route to take this further?

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Responses

Response from Whipps Cross University Hospital 8 years ago
Whipps Cross University Hospital
Submitted on 25/06/2015 at 16:58
Published on nhs.uk on 27/06/2015 at 02:30


We are very sorry for your daughters experience at what is a stressful and upsetting time for you both. Please accept our apologies. To discuss this further please contact out Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at pals@bartshealth.nhs.uk or by calling 020 3594 2040. Kind regards Barts Health NHS Trust

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