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Booked in for Endoscopy I cannot have

Posted By Poppyfield

"Booked in for Endoscopy I cannot have"

About: Crosshouse Hospital / Endoscopy

(as a service user),

Disappointed to have waited weeks for an Endoscopy appointment, then to be given an appointment for a Transnasal Endoscopy that has no option for sedation.

 This type of Endoscopy is no use for me, as l have an extreme fear of Endoscopy after a previous experience with no sedation. 

I am told now by the appointment secretary that l will have to wait up to another 14 weeks to be put on a list that does Transoral Endoscopy with the option of sedation.

I appreciate that Transnasal Endoscopy, with no sedation, means a faster conveyor belt system for getting as many patients in and out as possible. The idea l am sure should cut down on waiting list times and use less resources.  

However, if many people, like me, are not able to have it this way and not even given the option at the start, how is this going to cut waiting times when l now have to go back on the waiting list!!!! It would have been nice to be given the option at the start.

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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 6 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 08/02/2018 at 08:26
Published on Care Opinion at 09:20

picture of Eunice Goodwin

Dear Poppyfield,

Firstly, I would like to say how sorry I am that you have had a poor previous experience. This can shape so much of our views and fears for further tests.

From your post, I am not sure if your previous, poor experience was a transnasal or transoral endoscopy. I can appreciate how you may think that the lack of sedation is all about through put and speed but this is only part of the story. Speed is a benefit to both the service and to patients. I would like to take this opportunity to provide some more of the facts around this investigation.

Transnasal endoscopy uses a very fine endoscope, less than 6 mms. And studies show that it is a much more comfortable procedure for patients and is tolerated very well (better than transoral methods). This excerpt is from one of the medical research sites and it is talking about Transnasal endoscopy –

“ ... can be performed under local anesthesia and in the outpatient setting. The procedure can be performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It requires no sedation.”

The other centre in Scotland performing Transnasal endoscopy does so in an outpatient clinic and does not offer sedation either, as this is considered best practice for this test.

Having said all that, you may still have reservations. Charge nurse in endoscopy has suggested that she would be very happy to have a chat with you about it if you think it will be helpful.

Regarding the transoral investigation, I understand that you may be offered a short-notice appointment if one comes up. It may be worth contacting us to make sure you are ‘put down’ for this and that your up-to-date details are logged with the hospital.

The appointment letters should include a leaflet with a full explanation of Transoral endoscopy and it would be helpful to know if you did not receive this. Leaflets never can replace ‘the human’ touch though, so I do hope you can chat with Charge Nurse, Sister Inglis, and hopefully you will feel better about your upcoming test.

If you want to call Sister Inglis, please contact her on 01563 827713, she will be happy to chat with you about this.

Thank you for raising this with us on Care Opinion. I am sure this will be of interest to others too. I hope your next test is the best possible, along with the results.

Best wishes,

Eunice

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Update posted by Poppyfield (a service user)

Thanks Eunice, l appreciate your reply.

I have had many Endoscopies throughout my life. Always Transoral and always with sedation, with no problems.

However, my one previous bad experience was with a Transoral Endoscopy, where l was talked into having no sedation by a nurse.

It was during the preparation stage in the Endoscopy suite, just prior to having the cannula inserted. I was told Endoscopy, without sedation, was relatively easy.

I decided to try it.

It wasn't easy at all. Not for me. Maybe for others.

Where people are concerned, it's not a case of "one size fits all" and in fact, we are all different and unique individuals. We are not all made the same.

My Endoscopy experience without sedation was quite horrendous to me. I didn't just gag, l absolutely heaved. I heaved so much l was sure l would bring up my entire insides.

I wanted it to stop.

The tube, which may well be thin, to me, feels the size of a garden hose.

I tried to pull it out. I can only think this is a natural response to trying to preserve your life if you feel you are choking to death. I got shouted and balled at by staff for trying to pull the tube out. Not very nice at all.

Next day my abdominal muscles were so sore, obviously with the tremendous gagging l did.

With regard to the Transnasal procedure, l read the attached explanation booklet that came with my appointment letter.

I also read up on it via the Internet from NHS sources. That's something l always do.

So l know everything about it. Just exactly like you say. But it still doesn't help me!

I still have a tube going down my throat, just via my nose, instead of my mouth!

I have a mental block now about the whole Endoscopy experience.

I swore blind after that awful experience l would never have an Endoscopy again without sedation. I sincerely mean it. Nothing will ever change that.

I will just have to wait again for another appointment.

But next time, and there will be a next time, (with my history of gastric problems), l will make absolutely sure there is a note on the referral letter, so l dont get put on the wrong list at the very start.

But that was actually my original point!! lt would have been much better if l had the choice before l was put on the Transnasal list.

Thanks for the offer of a call and chat to Sister Inglis. That is very kind and l appreciate it very much. Thanks for your help, it is nice to know you care.

Response from Eunice Goodwin, Patient Feedback Manager for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Quality Improvement and Governance Team, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 6 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 12/02/2018 at 13:35
Published on Care Opinion at 15:01

picture of Eunice Goodwin

Dear Poppyfield,

This does sound rather horrible I have to admit. I can reassure you that this has been flagged to the team and if there is a change in this process, I will post here. In the short-term, I think you have the best plan.

Again, I am sorry you have had this delay, I sincerely hope you have the best experience possible next time with good results.

Best wishes,

Eunice

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