minidvr
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 52
- Location
- Kent
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
- Dislikes
- Politics, Celebrity Life Styles being pushed as the ideal.
After my initial diagnosis in March 2014, I was advised that I would be referred for Retinal Screening, and could expect to hear within a couple of months as there was a waiting list of about that long. In June (three months) I tried to contact the DN to find out what had happened to the referral because my inquiry with the local Retinal Screening service highlighted that they hadn't received it.
After a lot of toeing and throeing between myself, the surgery, receptionists and DN, it emerged that they had forgotten to do the referral, but I was assured that it had been done. In the meantime, my optician (who also holds the contract for the screening service locally) tried to get me on the list so that they could do it at the same time as my annual eyesight check, for my myopia, without success. I decided to wait another two months and see what happened. In the event, I left it until the end of September, by which time I'd had my routine annual eye check, but had heard nothing about the screening.
I again tried to speak to the DN, but she never got back to me. I spoke to the screening service again, who said that they till hadn't had the referral, and offered to speak to the DN on my behalf. She was adamant that the referral had been sent in June, but would send on a copy, enabling the service to get me on the list. Great, and I was offered an appointment for 2 days later. However, on arriving at the Opticians, they were unable to do the scan as someone had forgotten to put the details onto the central database?? Being patient, I accepted the assurance that it would be done overnight and to come back the following day at 4 pm. A Friday, which was quite inconvenient as I had to change arrangements I had to go to see a friend about to retire. However, the following morning the screening service rang to cancel that appointment and to offer me one on the 30th October?? Which I have reluctantly accepted. They have gave me an apology, but I don't really blame them, as it was the surgeries failure to do the original referral that caused the delay in the first place.
I have now complained officially to NHS England about the surgery, who have also not called me back for the six month check up, and I forced the issue when I was called in for a flue jab for my 65th Birthday, but not for my T2 Diabetes. So, today I have had the necessary blood tests to go back for a proper 6 month review, albeit 8 months (it will be) from the original diagnosis.
My question is really about, how common is my experience? And how many people don't get called back for routine review, and go on to suffer further consequence for their condition due to such inefficiency?
Any thoughts?
After a lot of toeing and throeing between myself, the surgery, receptionists and DN, it emerged that they had forgotten to do the referral, but I was assured that it had been done. In the meantime, my optician (who also holds the contract for the screening service locally) tried to get me on the list so that they could do it at the same time as my annual eyesight check, for my myopia, without success. I decided to wait another two months and see what happened. In the event, I left it until the end of September, by which time I'd had my routine annual eye check, but had heard nothing about the screening.
I again tried to speak to the DN, but she never got back to me. I spoke to the screening service again, who said that they till hadn't had the referral, and offered to speak to the DN on my behalf. She was adamant that the referral had been sent in June, but would send on a copy, enabling the service to get me on the list. Great, and I was offered an appointment for 2 days later. However, on arriving at the Opticians, they were unable to do the scan as someone had forgotten to put the details onto the central database?? Being patient, I accepted the assurance that it would be done overnight and to come back the following day at 4 pm. A Friday, which was quite inconvenient as I had to change arrangements I had to go to see a friend about to retire. However, the following morning the screening service rang to cancel that appointment and to offer me one on the 30th October?? Which I have reluctantly accepted. They have gave me an apology, but I don't really blame them, as it was the surgeries failure to do the original referral that caused the delay in the first place.
I have now complained officially to NHS England about the surgery, who have also not called me back for the six month check up, and I forced the issue when I was called in for a flue jab for my 65th Birthday, but not for my T2 Diabetes. So, today I have had the necessary blood tests to go back for a proper 6 month review, albeit 8 months (it will be) from the original diagnosis.
My question is really about, how common is my experience? And how many people don't get called back for routine review, and go on to suffer further consequence for their condition due to such inefficiency?
Any thoughts?