I had a complaint about my specialist; I tried to resolve this within the department. After a month of nothing happening, I gave up and contacted the complaints service. They said they would investigate, but couldn't do so within the time span they gave, so kept moving the deadline back.
The intelligence-insulting response I received was not worth the cost of the paper and the postage.
This was not an isolated incident. I have previously been ridiculously messed around with access to appointments (I did get an unreserved apology and an assurance that the department concerned would try to learn from what happened). I have also been emailed detailed and confidential information that related to another patient. When I pointed this out, the response wasn't much more than an "oops" on the part of the staff member at fault.
I have been flagged as being a high suicide risk. I now have no access to specialist care.
Reading the responses to the negative comments on here, most look to me like a stock response from the complaints team. I feel the complaints team seem incapable of dealing with the volume of complaints they receive. I found it almost impossible to contact them on the phone, and when I left a message, they apparently did not make much of an effort to contact me. (For example, I left a message and after two days they returned the call by ringing my landline. They were told I was out, but then didn't bother calling my mobile, the number I was actually likely to be contacted on - I know the hospital has this number on file. When I tried to call them back, I spent half an hour trying to call in and not get an answerphone and failed).
"I now have no access to specialist care"
About: Southmead Hospital Southmead Hospital Bristol BS10 5NB
Posted by Despondent and unhappy (as ),
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Update posted by Despondent and unhappy (a service user) 5 years ago