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Health Authority refusing to make me an appointment

kazam401

Active Member
Messages
28
This is my rant against the Health Authorities who guide over Blackpool Victoria Teaching Hospital. Being a type 1 diabetic since 17 (now 55) I have been seen by consultants as regular as 3 times a year up till 2 years ago - this changed to once a year in 2017. Since then I have only seen my consultant once! My appointment for this year was on the 29th April - this never happened, I received a letter in January informing me that there would not be a doctor to see me & my appointment was cancelled. I have since called regularly but have got absolutely no where regarding seeing anyone at the Vic. I visited my doctor as I have been having issues & he tried to demand an appointment at the hospital 5 weeks ago - this STILL hasn't happened all I received was another letter informing me that unfortunately demand is high & as such I may have to visit another hospital if they find me an appointment. This letter was 4 weeks ago & I still haven't heard anything. I am now looking to lodge an official complaint against my treatment (or lack of it) by the Blackpool Victoria Hospital Trust but am unsure how to go about this, so does anyone know which way I should go with this?
 
I'm sorry to hear that you are having such problems in getting an appointment, I think PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison) is also a good place to start.

We've done such a fantastic job of frightening off our best source of medical personnel that I'm afraid this is a sign of the times and it isn't going to get any better in the near future. I know that as many as 10% of doctors, 7% of nurses and 6% of therapeutic and technical staff are from the EU. These figures were 20% higher in 2016. (Source: Parliamentary Research Briefings).

If you look at what EU nationals have to do to gain Settled Status I can see the more mobile individuals just going back home as so many have done already. My greatest fear is that the NHS will disappear, especially when countries like the US are already complaining that we have free health and that makes an uneven playing field. I see that Trump wants to make the NHS pay more for drugs rather than make the US pay less.
 
I've got to say that googling that hospital name does not fill you with confidence

A&E patient dies of DKA after they forget to give him insulin?
https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/...tal-after-death-of-diabetic-grandad-1-8354119

watchdog slams A&E
https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/...toria-hospital-emergency-department-1-9749120

and some very unhappy patient reviews
https://www.nhs.uk/Services/hospitals/Services/Service/DefaultView.aspx?id=92723

Look, I agree this appointment treatment is awful, but are there geographically any other hospitals you can attend?
This hospital sounds awful.
Can you contact your MP????
 
I'm afraid that staff leave, go off sick, have maternity leave, etc. and sometimes they are not replaced (for reasons mentioned above). Recruitment only works if people apply and pass the interview criteria, which may not happen, especially in a hospital with a less than stellar reputation.

If that is the case, then no amount of complaining is going to get an appointment.

I suggest that you do what @EllieM suggested - ask your doc to refer you elsewhere.
 
Complaining about poor health care is very important, even if you choose to change hospitals. I complained about my own diabetes clinic because I waited such a long time for a consultant review after diagnosis, with the encouragement of my DSN who was also fed up with the problems they were having. Changes aren't often made to NHS services without direct patient complaints. My complaint actually got me an appointment very quickly but that's beside the point, making the complaint, if you feel able to, is really important. I went through PALS by the way.
 
BVH is my local, I am in Fleetwood. I am currently seeing a neurologist at Preston Royal and count myself very lucky. BVH does not inspire confidence.
 
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