Comments on: Richard Smith’s Miltonic torment - calling the NHS

By: O STUART

O STUART — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:48:27 +0000

I rang Edinburgh sick kid’s yesterday- was put straight through to a secretary- left a message. She rang back at 8.30am and sorted through my muddled appointments saving me a wasted trip this afternoon! Thankyou.

By: Leonard Peter

Leonard Peter — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:37:13 +0000

Why didn’t you just write enclosing your mum’s written consent to letting the hospital release her information?

That will save everbody’s time and protect your mum’s privacy

By: Dr Stefan Slater

Dr Stefan Slater — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:36:39 +0000

Hello, Richard. You’ll remember our joint short story compt at the RCPSG. Poor Giles Gordon died ca 5 yrs ago of a head injury at home. I nearly had a MI reading your account which you should send to the SoS for Health. I had horrendous problems with my own, now almost 97-year-old, father re a broken neck femur. But what can be done about all this ? It’s ironic when the importance of good communication is being emphasised. What you must do is ring your mother’s GP, get the consultant’s name and call him. Don’t hesitate to mention who you are, even if the need to do so is uncomfortable and wrankles. I wish you luck and hope you yourself keep well. I now live in lovely Edinburgh and am still working even thoug suposed to be retired. I note the recent GMC decision to cease exemption from the annual retention fee for doctors over 65 on the grounds of age discrimination !!! Stefan.

By: Dr John Nottingham

Dr John Nottingham — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:42:28 +0000

Richard,

it is not only the NHS. I have had a similar experience recently with a major (private) bank, a (mutual) building society and countless other (private) organisations. My wife was recently passed from one operator to another by a (privatised) water company. The latter still has not responed to our complaint after a week.

They all claim our calls are important to them but evidently NOT important enough to employ enough staff to man the telephones.

So please do not single out the NHS, this sort of customer service applies across the board.

By: Anna Donald

Anna Donald — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 05:06:34 +0000

Poor Richard! Since having a chronic illness I’ve spent countless idle hours listening to muzak while switchboards live up to their name, switching you from one black hole to the next. How you fare is so operator-dependent, literally. Patients must be patient, not. I hope your mother gets her op soon.