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Story from nhs.uk

"New buildings"

About: North Tyneside General Hospital

(as a relative),

What I liked

New buildings

What could be improved

In the gynocology department there was utter confusion about my daughter's appointment for an ultrasound scan. She had been given an appointment a month after the request and came back from Manchester for it. The counter staff said she has come 4 days early. She had received a letter for this day and no other. They said it was n't in their system. A call to the consultant's secretary resulted in an admission that she had been offered an appointment but the schedule was full. They reluctantly squeezed her in for an ultrasound without her medical file. This meant the ultrasound nurse admitting she didn't know what to look for. After a 300 mile return journey and £60 plus costs this is unacceptable. She may have to do it all again and we can only hope there isn't a problem there!

Anything else?

A better organised service and frontline staff who are the patient's best friend, not the enemy!

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Responses

Response from North Tyneside General Hospital 14 years ago
North Tyneside General Hospital

Submitted on 14/01/2010 at 11:14
Published on nhs.uk on 15/01/2010 at 04:38

Please accept our sincere apologies for the confusion over your daughter’s recent gynaecological scan appointment. I have spoken with the staff in the department and they recall the incident, it appears that the error has occurred as a result of several changes to the scan appointment in order to expedite an earlier appointment for your daughter. Unfortunately, whilst the appointment had been changed in the letter to your daughter, it appears that this had not been entered onto our system, may I offer our apologies for this clerical error. I am pleased to hear that the staff did manage to arrange the scan to be done on the day, especially following such a long journey.

Can I reassure you that, although your daughter’s medical records may not have been available, all of the required details for the examination were outlined on the scan request form, to enable the sonographer to undertake the scan. Regarding the sonographer’s comments that the notes were required, if she had felt this necessary then the clerical staff would have ordered the records to be brought to the department immediately, however, this was not highlighted to the clerical staff. I have spoken with the sonographer and informed her to liaise with the clerical staff in these situations.

May I thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention and affording us the opportunity to review our system. May I offer our sincere apologies to you both for our failings. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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