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Unsure

Posted By Rover

"Unsure"

About: University Hospital Hairmyres / General Surgery (Ward 5)

(as the patient),

A few weeks ago I attended an appointment for oesophageal manometry and since i have been home and pondered on it for a while. 

Firstly i would like to say that the staff were fantastic at there jobs and kept me calm.

The staff were excellent at there duties and seemed to read eachothers minds and had unspoken comunication with one and other.

The patient history was detailed and well executed and the questions explained.

The consent process was well explained and i was given time to ask questions.

Now before going for the test and since having the test i have done some reserch into it this is something i always do when ever i come across something new.

I would like to know the reason no numbing agent is offered, in my research i noted several times that a numbing agent can be provided but nhs  lanarkshire  does not sèem to have this protocol i feel that this would make the test easier and more bearable.

I also read that certain hospitals now carry out the BRAVO test instead of the ambulatory 24 hour PH and as this is done endoscopicly this can be done under sedation and the test can last 72 hours  which seems to be more beneficial is this test available in NHS lanarkshire and if so will it be rolled out to be the standard?

As i said the staff were lovely but I didn't feel that the "clinical" room was very clinical it seemed overloaded with posters and information on the walls and cabinets it all seemed to busy and distracting the layout also felt off some how i can't explain the feeling it just felt like something was in the wrong place like everything was trying to find its spot but not quite there it feels to me like a young department that has not found its feet yet.

The information leaflet was well designed and thought out but my only criticism about the leaflet is to move the important information to the front page fasting instructions, medication instructions etc. 

I hope that these coments will help and i hope that the staff know what a wonderful job the do and that they should continue to strive for excellence  

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Responses

Response from Michele Smith, Chief Clinical Physiologist, Oesophageal Lab, University Hospital Hairmyres, NHS Lanarkshire 5 years ago
Michele Smith
Chief Clinical Physiologist, Oesophageal Lab, University Hospital Hairmyres,
NHS Lanarkshire

Submitted on 10/09/2018 at 12:53
Published on Care Opinion at 14:48

picture of Michele Smith

Dear Rover,

Thanks for taking the time to provide such useful feedback about the investigation you underwent in the Oesophageal Lab. Firstly, let me say how glad I am that we were able to have such a positive impact on you. I’ve tried to answer some of the specific points you raise below;

No numbing spray offered: while the use of a numbing spray might make the test more comfortable for some patients it is not used in NHS Lanarkshire for two main reasons. Firstly, as part of the test involves administering bread and water for the patient to swallow, there is a risk that the numbing agent might cause the patient to aspirate. Secondly, one of the purposes of the test is to measure the patient’s swallow so we are keen to ensure that this swallow is as normal as possible and feel that the introduction of a numbing spray might impact upon this.

Bravo test: this is certainly an interesting development. As you say, this new means of testing appears to be broadly comparable to the current method of testing in terms of effectiveness but without the need for the patient to tolerate an oesophageal catheter for 24 hours. This is obviously more pleasant for the patient and also reduces the failure rate of the tests. As it is, tests we currently run have a very low failure rate but we will certainly keep this in mind as we seek to develop the service in future.

Layout and appearance of the room: we try to strike a balance between providing a welcoming environment for our patients and a functional clinical area. The posters on the wall all relate to oesophageal disorders and are used to inform and educate patients and colleagues. We also display patient feedback from this website as we really value the views of our patients.

Information leaflets: we have recently updated our patient information leaflet following feedback from patients. It is always difficult to make sure the leaflet is not too long but contains all important information and we are always looking for ways to improve. We will make a note of your suggestion and consider it when the time comes to update the leaflet again.

I hope the information above answers your question and thank you again for the lovely comments and helpful suggestions that you have posted.

Kind Regards,

Michele Smith

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