Hi all
Several of you contacted us last week about on going problems you have been experiencing with Healthcare at Home. They have asked us to share a statement about the recent disruptions in their delivery service.
Please find a link to their latest statement :
nras.org.uk/news_events/imp...
Regards,
Sally
(NRAS Helpline )
My response to this would be very negative as the last time they assured you and sent a message via here that anyone with 50mg Enbrel would be contacted individually did not occur, nor did they respond to emails sent to the dedicated email line at the time. Therefore I am not holding my breath for any reply from HCH.
It's a shame as they were always so good before. But just before Christmas my deliveries got totally messed up and I was on hold for 30 minutes at a time with no answer. Hopefully the IT glitches are fixed and the normal service will resume soon. I work on IT projects so I know how it goes - it's just not great being on the other end of the problems!
Things were very bad over Christmas due, I believe, to the company being taken over or something. However, as far as i am concerned, things are back to normal. I have had no further problems.
Never had any delivery issues until january .but seems they stilll are having problems ..deliveries arriving unarranged and when arranged not arriving .
I have now been contacted 3 times, they are trying to delivery a drug I no longer take. My specialist does not know why as they have not had a prescription from him since last year. They have had 3 emails from me plus I have told the 3 callers I no longer take this drug. Everyone has stated they are going to update the computer then I receive another call.
To say I don't believe their statement would be a polite way of putting it. I had problems before Xmas and then the next delivery arrived 2 days after my injection was due.(After 3 failed to turn up!) I had a call yesterday to say they would be delivering Monday week. A week after the last injection is due to be done. I will be interested to see if they actually turn up this time!
This strikes me as another empty response. The reviews being posted on the NHS website are truly alarming. If this is the face of private sector efficiency in healthcare provision then the future is bleak. For three months my Enbrel delivery has been delayed. I have been extremely stressed trying to contact them. Each time they say they don't have a prescription and blame my hospital (Addenbrookes). I have spoken to the senior pharmacist at Addenbrookes, who is equally exasperated, and she confirmed this to be untrue. I was meant to have been given an eight week supply, and only received four syringes. Now HaH say they have no prescription when I know for a fact that they do have it. They keep giving the same feeble excuses, and won't deliver unless pressured. I don't have the time or energy to chase them up every month. They seem to have more resources cutting and pasting meaningless drivel on the NHS website, in response to extremely heavy criticism, than they have manning their phones!
If I was paranoid I would say that they are deliberately withholding medication to cut costs, knowing the energy required to get them to perform their duties. I really don't care for these blase statements, which are only made after pressure has been brought to bear by concerned groups such as NRAS. This organisation is a complete sham, and the NHS ought to send them packing.
I'm still completely exasperated with this company, one week on. I spent every day last week attempting to contact them. I spent all of yesterday waiting for a delivery that 'wasn't loaded on the van'. I have lodged a further official complaint, and still have no medication. I have raised this issue with Healthwatch, who are looking into it. I have copied my hospital into my emails to inform them of the shambolic failure of their chosen contractor. I've even contacted the Guardian. I am furious about this.
How did you lodge an official complaint? I would like to this as I have been waiting a month for my delivery!
Hello Rhiannon23 - I emailed hahenquiries@hah.co.uk with 'official complaint' in the subject line. Marked it highest priority too. I still haven't had any response, as the person who arranges delivery says it's not their department, but someone will get back to me. I've been paying close attention to this company since they failed to deliver my enbrel, resulting in my being in agony and unable to walk. The Guardian published this story recently
theguardian.com/society/201...
So, at least patients like me have made their failings public knowledge.
People are furious about this, and the company has just been investigated:
pharmacyregulation.org/gphc...
Just today they replaced their CEO:
hah.co.uk/media-centre/late...
Perhaps you could write to Natalie Douglas, and give her something to do?
Their new support website is
and the new number is 0333 103 9858.
Hope this helps!
Thank you Roy, this is very helpful. I am very sorry to hear that you are unable to walk as a result. The last time I called about my delivery they gave me the number for the Enbrel team and I am on Cimzia!! I will write to them as I have been stressed and frustrated with their "service". I read the Guardian article earlier, there's one in the independent too. It goes to show that people are aware at least.
Thanks again for your help.
The system is way out of anyone's control. The waste our time and precious monies on drug that have been discountinued. They deliver then tell you to throw them in the sharps bin.
Inadequate is too Good a word for this company and it's inept workers, who show Little knowledge of the cost of these drugs, that the tell us to dispose of because of their personal mistakes.
I say the contract should be withdrawn until they reach competitient and satisfactory levels.
Carole
im afraid I join the don't believe them camp as I am currently recovering from a really bad flare up as they failed to deliver my meds on 4 occasions, resulting in me going 2 weeks without and having a full blown relapse. I spent every day on the phone and spoke to lovely polite people who promised me all sorts of things which never happened. Is this information being passed on to the nhs as they Commission this service and should know that they aren't getting what they are paying for
Aww that is disgusting, northern gal (another northern gal here!!) How can they let someone go without meds like this and then you suffer a flare/relapse. I hope you have told your rheumatologist and GP. If you haven't done so please write to HaH management as this is totally unacceptable. My waiting and being delivered wrong days and on spec and all the carryings-on aren't as bad at all as being left without. 
Hope you are feeling alright soon. xx
Forgive me if I'm being Tim dim here but do you have to use this clown of a company? Firstly, I apologise to anyone working there under difficult circumstances but it appears to me they are letting people down to such a degree it is seriously effecting lives & contributing through stress to exacerbating their symptoms on top of what is a goddam awful disease. Again, forgive me if I've got this wrong as I don't know the ins & outs of using a meds delivery service as I just collect my prescriptions from my surgery, take it to my chemist & they dispense them. MTX usually has to ordered but if I go in the morning they have it for me by the afternoon & will deliver if I'm not able to collect. My GP practice also has the option of an on-line prescription service & we can nominate a chemist who will then collect on my behalf & deliver my meds direct to my home. I choose not to do this as I am on the whole able to get out & about.
Is it that the hospitals arrange to use this type of service on your behalf & it's out of your control?
Another missed delivery by Healthcare at home - spent from 0800-1800 yesterday waiting as that was my "slot" - today when I rang waited 25 minutes on the line to get through. They then had no idea what was going on or where my drugs might be. A rerun of last months debacle. They then said drugs would be with me tomorrow - the van would deliver- as I live on an island I doubt that!!! So I have the stress of all this, the physical impact of having run out of the meds I need and a company that seems to be unable to deliver a basic service. How much more are patients expected to suffer at the hands of this company - we didn't "choose" them and there seems to be no accountability to users for the level of service.
NRAS needs to understand just how much people are suffering because of HatH and provide strong advocacy and support and drive some action. Please.
I work in e NHS and I'm truly shocked and appalled by the service HAH provide. I arranged for my cimzia to be delivered on Wednesday to my work address, I waited in vain because it didn't arrive. I tried ringing the "help" line and gave up after 40 minutes on hold. Whilst I was waiting I checked out how to complain and found out the only way to do so was to....... Ring the help line! I then emailed instead and the day after got a phone call from the call centre telling me that the delivery had been made and signed for by....me! I explained that I thought I would remember having done that and having checked with reception (who even checked the CCTV to be sure no delivery had arrived) I told them clearly there was a mistake. It took another day for them to get the delivery company to finally admit the driver signed for it himself!
They then agreed to make a further delivery the day after (three days late) and again I waited in vain until late on Friday afternoon when I tried in vain to get threw on the phone because I was about to miss my require dose of cimzia.
I eventually got through on the Saturday to be informed again that the delivery had been made which was patently untrue. So here I am sat having missed my meds, with no further delivery scheduled (they can't authorise it until the delivery company accepts they didn't make the delivery Friday) waiting for the flare in symptoms I know will inevitably follow.
If this was any other part of the NHS I would understand how to complain and the fact that a staff member is blatantly lying about the issue of drugs would be recorded as a serious untoward incident. But in the current increasingly privatised NHS. Clinical risk and clinical management appear to be second to cost.
Healthcare at home have again failed to deliver my medication today. Currently have been hanging on the phone line now for over 35 minutes with no answer to try and find out what is going on. The "service" offered by this company is utterly appalling.
Oh noooo .. how are people expected to pay for these long phone calls holding on for ages? I haven't had to stay on hold as I had meds in advance and HaH evetually phoned me back when I phoned and could not face being 47th in the queue etc. Last time I phoned I got through immediately. On the MTX line.
****their new number is 03331039499 ********** its suppose to be cheaper if you're using a mobile. I gave up and the trip to the hospital is easier even though its miles away and I have to pay for parking.
I tried that 0333 number yesterday and it just kept ringing, no pick up not even a menu option. Tried another number from the drop down list on their web site - none of the above- as there wasn't a number for Simponi. That number gave me a menu chose a number, told I was 3rd in the que. It gradually got to my turn and promptly sent me back to the menu again. This time it said 3rd in que but waiting time 26 minutes! It just kept on playing that crappy music. It's enough to drive you up the wall. After half an hour I gave up.
Sent an message via their online enquiry form with details that I needed answering. Just before 1pm I got a call from HaH on my mobile regarding my message. She was very polite but insisted that my delivery would be Thursday. When last week I was told it would be Friday. Last months delivery was on a Wednesday but the booking date was for Thursday. The driver said that they didn't do Thursdays. Who do you believe?
I said that there wasn't a dedicated phone number on their website for Simponi users. So she has given me 0808 168 0157 as the number I should use. But why can't they just update their website so we all have the right phone numbers.
This will be my 5th delivery and only the 1st delivery arrived as they said it would.
yeah Neonkitty59 cost me bundles in phone calls sorting out authorities glad that's behind me for now ...Until that is they decide to change things then its more forms more phone calls that a permanently busy. and we British put up with it so well bless you all ....
I have sat in all day today waiting for my AM delivery that never arrived, I sent an email to them as they had an incorrect address for me and an incorrect name for me, how on earth would I get the right medication if they didn't even have my basic info right. 3 emails later and by 6 pm still waiting for my am delivery of meds. Ok spent too much time on the phone and emailing so sent a final email and told them to shove their service up their Ars** and I have now given up on them and have decided to go to my local hospital for urgent meds. There so incompetent, how on earth did they get the contract. poor shabby service, if they get to you, make sure you not taking my medication!!! totally piss*ed off, shower of shisters.
Dear POWHaH ... think you need to write a very well thought out letter to their management and tell them of your experiences. I actually said when I couldn't get anyone to give me a date for Enbrel initial delivery last year when I was bedbound and in agony waiting to start it... I will have to tell my rheumy I don't want this med as I can't get you to approve it or deliver it. Then I got a phone call back and a delivery date. They also had me down with a wrong name on one of my two meds with HaH. Hope you can get your meds very soon. Yes, Oxytic . .we seem to put up with a lot!! I won't hold though .. refuse to do that.
I have to say when I was on Cimzia up until March of this year I never once had a problem with them always on time always polite on the phone and never once put me on hold... Once my cimza was stopped I did get three calls asking to deliver but that was the hospitals fault for not informing them I was no longer on the injections... Maybe things have changed since March
I've just sent a complaint to the Care Quality Commission about the extremely poor service this company provides. I would suggest that everyone does the same. You can do this by phone or via their website. If enough people complain perhaps HAH will get their act together.
I have had it with these people. The service used to be superb but since they were taken over it's gone to the dogs. I stopped taking Cimzia last November because of some serious side effects. Since then I have received 8 phone calls a few weeks apart arranging delivery of Cimzia. I told them on all 8 occasions I no longer take this drug. I have also emailed them telling them I no longer take this drug. On every occasion they have said the same thing. " ermmm we will amend our records " I received another call yesterday again about a delivery, I pointed out I was actually in Bulgaria. He then went on to say he would confirm with the hospital I no longer took Cimzia. Because apparently my word is not good enough. My specialist is very clear he does not know why they are phoning because they do not have a prescription. The last one expired in December.
Shazbat
Have just posted this link in response to another query, showing how HaH has literally hit the headlines in The Guardian. Might be an idea to write to all the national newspaper too as private companies hate adverse publicity!
Why has my contribution of 5/6/14 been removed?
This was a response to Rhiannon23 regarding complaints to Healthcare at Home.
I supplied her with the most up to date information, and recent media coverage links.
How can NRAS be complicit in moderating this information?
Roy, your comments haven't been removed. For some reason they are about half way up.
There will be no resolution by complaining to HAH, they do not respond to complaints and probably dont even record them. Also complaining to your rheumatology team can not address the main issue which is essentially a breach of contract. It needs to be sorted out at a higher level with a thorough investigation into their incompetent practice and breach of contract with the NHS. Please complain to the Care Quality Commission and if you are really up to it send a written letter to your MP asking for their assistance in pressing for a full investigation into this company whose appalling practice is affecting our lives and well being. If we lived in the USA lawyers would be knocking on our doors to get us to pursue HAH for personal damages in court.
Healthcare at Home!!!!
Healthcare at Home- great service!
Staying at home... still and Tocilizumab arriving on Friday
