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Care Opinion

Chemotherapy- Day Unit YPU

Posted By oktrln123

"Chemotherapy- Day Unit YPU"

About: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham / Clinical oncology

(as the patient),

The final treatment of my chemotherapy I waited for 5 1/2 hours before being told that although my drugs had been ready, they weren't brought up and had expired. They then informed me that I would not be able to have chemotherapy on that day. The pharmacy had not sent them up. They told me I would have to have it the next day but I was planning on returning home to see my mum and friends as I only transferred to Birmingham as I am a student.

I was very upset and the nurses were extremely understanding and helpful making sure that the pharmacy stayed open so my drugs could be made. I arrived at the hospital at 11am and left 11. 30pm. At my previous hospital in Kent I was in and out in 2 1/2 hours without fail. I would like to note that at every hospital I have attended it seems to me that the pharmacy are severely understaffed unable to cope with the high volume of patient demand.

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Responses

Response from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust 11 years ago
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 18/10/2012 at 18:27
Published on Care Opinion on 19/10/2012 at 16:46

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your experience of the Clinical Oncology Department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

We welcome all feedback and would like to assure you that all comments are taken seriously and acted upon as part of our ongoing commitment to improving patient experience.

We were very concerned to hear about the problems you experienced when you attended for your final Chemotherapy treatment. This is certainly not the type of experience we would want anyone to have as a patient under our care. We strive to provide the highest standard of care possible and we are very sorry that we have not achieved this on this occasion.

Your comments were forwarded to the relevant senior managers responsible for your treatment. They have provided a response:

We are very sorry that you experienced delays in your treatment and for the impact this had on your experience.

The Trust has recently become aware of instances where we have not managed to deliver the high quality of care expected by patients within the oncology environment. It is an area which we are seeking to rectify in the very near future and it is to be a topic of discussion at the Chief Executives Advisory Group, with a view to secure additional investment into the service. It is our aim that no patient experiences the delays described by you.

We would be very grateful if you would contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) to discuss your experience further. This will enable us to fully investigate the concerns you have raised. This will help us in taking appropriate action to make improvements that will benefit patients in the future.

You can contact PALS by phone 0121 371 3280, by email PALS@uhb. nhs. uk, via the hospital website http: //www. uhb. nhs. uk/pals-form. htm or in person by dropping in between 10-4pm (Mon-Fri) to the PALS office located to the left of the Information Desk in the main entrance of the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

Thank you again for taking the trouble to post your comments on the Patient Opinion website.

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