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A painless and relaxing experience

Posted By jjb1

"A painless and relaxing experience"

About: University Hospital Ayr / X-rays and Scans

(as the patient),

Eventually arrived at Ayr hospital for my Mri scan after having to literally run from Ayr bus station to train station to catch connecting bus 357, bus times are terrible. I decided to walk into Ayr after my scan as I would have waited 2 hours for a return bus the walk took 30 mins and it was nice day so no problem for me but I dread to think how someone with mobility issues would cope with this situation.

The scan itself was pretty much wham bam thank you ma'am,

Straight forward questions ( repeated three times) and into scanner trainers and all only thing I had to remove was my belt.

A tight fit actually and I'm slim but my elbow still dragged on wall inside scanner,

No interaction while I was scanned at all

Which I didn't mind personally.

From xray dept I was led around maze corridors to mobile scanning unit, low n behold, yards from main entrance I couldve simply walked straight up to it but had to register at xray dept some distance away.

One niggle at no point was I checked to see if I had any magnetic metals in my pockets,

If I'd forgotten a pocket and left a key in it or something only way I and staff wouldve known was when it flee through the air causing injury or damage staff should check.

I think patients can't be trusted to remember everything and might be stressed or forgetful.

Even though I'd checked my pockets a few times as scanner started I wondered if I'd missed anything but after few mins I realised I hadn't as nothing was flying about.

Overall a painless relaxing experience took about 40mins would've been more convenient if I could've had scan at Crosshouse hospital if ive to go there again for scan I'd cancel travel is nightmare.

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Responses

Response from Eunice Goodwin, Patient Feedback Manager for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Quality Improvement and Governance Team, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 8 years ago
Eunice Goodwin
Patient Feedback Manager for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Quality Improvement and Governance Team,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

I respond initially to most of the posts and ensure they are passed to the appropriate team whether they are compliments, observations or grumbles. It is important to make sure all issues are addressed and I try to encourage that to happen for all the posts as required.

Submitted on 19/10/2015 at 09:21
Published on Care Opinion at 14:53

picture of Eunice Goodwin

Dear jib1,

I am sorry you had travel issues going to Ayr for your MRI scan. I am sure you could have cancelled it and gone to Crosshouse but of course that would have probably meant you waiting longer. When the mobile scanners are used, it is usually to increase the supply and reduce the wait for the service because demand has been high.

Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your experience. You clearly know about the need to remove the metal items for an MRI but not everyone will so it is helpful to share this too.

I will pass this to the relevant teams to reflect on the learning from your post and I do hope your results are good.

best wishes,

Eunice
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Response from NHS Ayrshire and Arran 8 years ago
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 21/10/2015 at 17:53
Published on Care Opinion at 18:17

Dear jib1,

I wish to apologise for the travel inconveniences that you experienced in attending your MRI scan appointment. As I do not have your details I do not know how far you had to travel or on what date you had your scan. When booking appointments the clerical staff are not aware of patients means of travel, so if you anticipated a difficult journey you would have been able to change your appointment. As Eunice pointed out the mobile scanner has been employed to help cope with waiting times for MRI.

In reference to the questions being repeated- all staff have to check patients I.D. and confirm that they are MRI compatible and therefore safe to go into the scanner so this is normal procedure.

I am disappointed to hear that there was no interaction during the scan, as at Ayr we normally converse with patients throughout to ensure they are coping with the scan. I will pass these concerns onto the mobile unit staff and their manager.

Regarding the distance from the main entrance to the scanner- all patients are required to check in at the x-ray reception for administration purposes and are then escorted to the mobile unit. Sorry, this seems like a long way round, but we do have an Imaging assistant on duty to escort patients to the van from the x-ray reception. They will also go through the MIR safety checklist and ask about any metallic objects. I am surprised that you say that you were not asked about this and I will reiterate this to the assistants and the mobile van staff.

I thank you for your comments and am pleased that at least you found the procedure painless and relaxing.

Kind regards from

The Superintendent Radiographer for CT and MRI

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Update posted by jjb1 (the patient)

I was asked about metal objects I wasn't checked to see if I had any though,

My concern was if I'd forgotten something or not noticed something a coin in corner of a pocket for example.

I was under impression I was due surgery in 6 weeks so scan results may have resulted in surgery being delayed if I'd cancelled and waited for a slot at Crosshouse

If I'd known surgery expected would take longer ((I've since been told 12 weeks )

And bus service was so bad I would've cancelled my appointment.

My condition makes sitting for long periods a problem this was reason for scan and known so even if traveling by car there would be an issue

If surgery wasn't priority then why rush to get scan at ayr instead of waiting for slot at Crosshouse,

I could easily have attended a scan at Crosshouse at short notice if someone had cancelled or waited few weeks for Crosshouse appointment.

I've since learned I might even be expected to have surgery at ayr,

I do not relish the idea of bus or car journey home after bowel surgery so would cancel,

Ayr hospital is so remote and badly covered by public transport I have real concerns over being expected to attend Ayr in future and would cancel

Any procedure. I was expected to have in Ayr

One other point,

I was asked my weight prior to scan

I'd no idea what I weighed the nurse said it was important and I had to give an answer,

I've suspected crohns my weight has been all over the shop from 12.5 sri e down to 9.5stone so I'd literally no idea

Nurse asked me to guess an avg I suggested 10 stone as it was somewhere the middle,

If weight is important why not weigh patients in an exam room my pre scan questions were asked in open plan waiting area and en route to scanner.

I'd no idea I needed to know my weight prior to scan or I wouldve weighed myself I followed all instructions for attending scan and weight wasn't mentioned at all

My weight was in fact 10.4 stone so my guess was pretty close and I wasn't given any drugs so I don't think it mattered in my case.

I think my first visit to Ayr was my last

And realise this might result in delayed treatment

I will raise travel issue with clinic staff at Crosshouse during my next appointment.

I realise it is outside of nhs control and not the fault of the nhs to run a regular bus service.

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