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"Couldn't offer an appointment update"

About: Devon Access and Referral Team (DART) North Devon District Hospital / Trauma and orthopaedics

(as a relative),

I recently posted about my experience trying to book an appointment for my son to see an orthopaedic clinic through DART.

Well I did get an appointment through the post but it was at a hospital we wouldn't normally choose to go to. When I queried this with our Dr he agreed that he wouldn't have expected us to be sent there either and believed we would be going to our local hospital in Exeter.

His secretary contacted DART on my behalf who had the audacity to tell her that I had been told at the time of my original phone call that we were being put onto that hospital's waiting list. I most certainly was not told that, if I had been I would have catagorically stated that I did not want to go to that hospital. They said because I had agreed to go onto that waiting list (I did not) that the Dr would have to start the referral process from the beginning which has resulted in my son's appointment being delayed even further.

I am disgusted with the employees of this firm and I would dearly love to have the transcript of my original phone call to find out just where I was told I would be on a waiting list for NDDH.

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Responses

Response from Susan Pearce, Project Support Manager, DART (Devon Access & Referral Team), NHS Devon 12 years ago
Susan Pearce
Project Support Manager, DART (Devon Access & Referral Team),
NHS Devon

Information support, communications and patient involvement for DART

Submitted on 13/01/2012 at 14:45
Published on Care Opinion at 15:34


Dear ‘vellma’,

I am very sorry that you are unhappy with the way your son’s referral was dealt with. Without being able to look into the details, I’m afraid that I cannot offer an explanation as I cannot imagine what has led to this occurring, and am quite confused as to how this has happened.

If you are willing, I would be very grateful if you would phone me so that I can take your son’s details and look into the matter further. I can be reached on 01626 883888 from 8am until 4pm Monday to Friday. Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide a transcript of the conversation as we do not routinely record calls.

Whether or not you decide to call, please accept my apologies for any distress that we have caused.

Kind regards,

Susan

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