Advice on how to proceed with complaint to hospital????

[bertsmum123]

I have been reading all the posts on this website since I came out of hospital in May following my SAH. I am one of the very lucky ones and have recovered well and am looking forward to going back to work next week. I have been moved and inspired by how people manage following their injuries and have been touched by the support given by members of this site.

My question is - I was not diagnosed following my "mother of all headaches" by the first hospital and became more and more unwell the following week and another hospital did the CT scan and I was then transferred to the specialist neuro hospital where I had my coils fitted, lumbar drain etc etc. I have written to the first hospital regarding my treatment but I feel that I did not receive a satisfactory explanation. My reason for raising the complaint was to raise awareness of SAH and to stop this happening to anyone else.

Do members have any thoughts or experience of raising complaints with hospitals and if all the added worry and stress is worth it?

Many thanks to you all

[cat3]

Hospital complaints - Patient choice - NHS Choices

Hi bertsmum. Hopefully the attached link will tell you everything you need to know about the complaints procedure.

I was very fortunate to have received swift and excellent care and I'm sorry to hear of your frightening experience, which could so easily have cost you your life.

Good luck with this, but do beware of getting entangled in a highly stressful situation. Raising awareness is commendable but you would be 'taking on' a group with a very united front and enormous backing . If it were me I would struggle to decide because, for the sake of my family, I wouldn't want to endanger my health further. It's a difficult one.

Please let us know what transpires. Best wishes, cat x

nhs.uk/.../Yourchoices/hosp...

[bertsmum123]

Dear Cat, thank you for taking the time to reply. I am inclined to think that you are right about the added stress that this might bring, I have contacted an advocacy organisation and will wait to hear from them. My thought is just one more letter from me in response to the enquiry they conducted with copies of my notes from the neuro hospital.

I feel that as I was so lucky, I should do something to help others who might not be quite as lucky.

Kind regards

[cat3 in reply to bertsmum123]

I'm glad to hear you're using an advocate to approach the matter & I hope that, between you, it will be resolved in a way which gives you peace of mind. Good luck m'dear & keep us posted. xx