"Boxing Day Visit"

I attended Stroud Minor Injuries on Boxing Day with a suspected sprain/fracture to my ankle.

I was seen fairly quickly by very nice staff and was on my way within an hour and a half (including having had an x-ray).

Before leaving I was informed that I would receive a phone call regarding follow up treatment and if I didn't receive a call after 4 days to phone the number given.

All fairly straight forward to far.

No phone call came but I appreciate there could be a back log due to 2 bank holidays and a bout of snow. I therefore tried the number given, on 2 January, to find it was (not unexpectedly) engaged all day. On the advice of a family member (who is also a nurse) I called Stroud Minor Injuries to ask for the results of the x-ray report - so I would at least have confirmation of a fracture or sprain.

The nurse who answered the phone explained that they were very busy (no problem) but took my contact details and said she would have a look at the report and call me with in an hour or 2.

Four hours later I called again to be told, again, that they were still busy and I would be contacted later that evening.........I was not contacted!!

Today I got through to the Trauma department in Gloucester and was informed that the reason I hadn't been called was because I wasn't in their system! It transpired that Stroud Minor Injuries had NOT sent my x-ray off so it hadn't been looked at and no further appointment could be made until they had done so. The lady was very helpful and said she would contact Stroud and request the x-ray!

I fully understand that as human beings we don't always get things right and sometimes jobs can be overlooked or assumed to have been done by someone else.

My problem with Stroud Minor Injuries isn't that this job hadn't been done when it should have been, it is that had they of taken the time to follow up either of my phone calls yesterday they would have seen that the x-ray had not been sent off and could therefore have rectified the situation. I can't imagine this would have taken more than 5 or 10 minutes to do.

I have still not had a phone call from them!!