To start of with, I was referred to for an x-ray by my GP for my injured wrist which was the only care that went smoothly. This was 12th October.
Following the x-ray I was told to go to urgent care centre. At first the wait was not that long, I saw the nurse within the hour who tried to manipulate my wrist and asked that I go for a 2nd x-ray.
This is where the trouble starts.
First, they prints off the wrong x-ray sheet because they had me mixed up with another person, which I didn't find out until I got to the x-ray centre. When I went back to get it rectified, they were gone and I had to wait for another half hour.
After getting the x-ray done, I am told by the same nurse that the on-duty orthopaedic will see me within half hour.
7 hours go by before I am seen again. Even after numerous enquiries which started from 6pm onwards. First I am told the orthopaedic is on their way and I am first on the list. Next I am told they are in surgery and they (the nurses) do not know when they'll be coming out. After, I am told they are seeing other patients even though I am first on the list.
When I finally see the doctor at 12.30am, I had at the hospital since 4pm and had been waiting for the orthopaedic since ~5.30pm. The orthopaedic claimed I had 'fallen through the cracks' and they didn't know they had a patient waiting. This is despite the nurses claiming they had been trying to contact them since 8pm.
I see the doctor for 5 minutes after which they disappear before I can ask any more questions. And I wait for the nurses for another 1.5 hours before the backslab is placed. It is 2am when I leave the hospital.
When I try to get an appointment for the fracture clinic, I am told I need to wait till the following Thursday because the cast needs to set. Even not being a doctor, I am certain this is the wrong information as the x-ray did not show any cracked bones. I get an appointment for 22nd.
I see the doctor within an hour of my appointment time, at which I am told I need to wait for a CT scan and will be referred to the radiology department.
I wait for a letter. I did not receive one. I called the radiology department 3 times. They still have not received my referral 1 week later. I ask how long the waiting time for a CT scan is if I get a referral. I am told 6 weeks.
6 weeks in a cast I may not need. 6 weeks of having my muscles atrophy and requiring more healing time.
My hand is now going numb and I can barely feel my fingers. I go back to my GP to see what recourse of action there can be. They called the hospital but does not get an answer either.
So now I wait, not knowing if I will be seen at all and when. In the meantime, I cannot move my fingers much because my hand has gone numb.
Before you reply about sending in a complaint, I have. I did not get a reply.
Is this how patients are treated at your hospital? Impersonally and without respect nor care?
"Dislocated wrist but hospital of no help"
About: University Hospital Lewisham University Hospital Lewisham London SE13 6LH
Posted via nhs.uk
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