confusion about clinics/rheumatologists

[avocadothrower1]

I am getting increasingly frustrated over the lack of basic communication between GPs, rheumatology nurses and consultants. The problem seems to be that I am seen at a community hospital near my home in Brentwood Essex. The consultants come from either Romford or Ilford hospitals as do the rheum nurses. For some reason I have been assigned to an Ilford hospital run clinic. My nurses can't access my records from the clinic at Brentwood or see my blood tests on screen and neither can my GP. When I turned up for my last yearly meeting with the consultant, she had not read my notes and had no access to recent blood results. When I try to get a repeat prescription (the GP won't prescribe as he says its the hospital's responsibility, it takes weeks to get the pens to me at the Brentwood hospital.

It all seems a bit make do and mend and I feel that no one is really concerned at looking at the whole picture of my treatment.

Any solutions?

[allanah]

Write to the chair of the hospital and tell them the problems you have noticed.

Or the lead nurse of the department.

They often don't see the problems from a patient perspective as the set up seems normal to them and encourage constructive criticism.

Or they do see the problems and are grateful for a patient bringing the topic up with the management.

[AgedCrone]

I agree with Allanah...looks like you have got to take charge ....try talking to the PALS Office ( Paitient Liaion) I have found they are very useful,in cutting through the red tape.

[Gigi71]

I too am seen at the Brentwood clinic , run by King George's Hospital, blood test results go to them and I ring Pat the Rheumy nurse for the results, she gets back to me the same day, I will add she is not my assigned Rheumy nurse, in spite of requesting copies to my GP they don't go there. Had X-Ray's CT scans and ultra sound tests all requested by them, either done at King George's or Queens, it takes a while for copy letters to get to me and my GP in the last year, not ideal but have got used it now. Having been under the trust for over 30 years I chose to stay there. I would have to go to Orsett or Basildon for the computer system to be compatible with my GP. I have many other conditions so am under Broomfield and the The National Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, in Stanmore. Letters eventually get to my GP. I don't have mtx injection only tabs and my Humira is delivered by Healthcare at home. It takes forever to get an appointment with my own GP, so I ask for a phone call, write to him or leave a message. I wonder if you could have Healthcare at Home deliver your mtx injections. I am retired so have the time to do all this, it may not be the same for you. Wishing you luck. G X

[avocadothrower1 in reply to Gigi71]

Thank you. Yes, I think the nurses are v good but the systems let them down. Thank you for your suggestions.

[Gigi71]

I think it would be ideal to have a universal computor system, for the NHS but as its so cash strapped it's highly unlikely. I rang the single point of access for a blood test yesterday and the phone no had been changed yet again and I have to wait 3 weeks to have it done at Brentwood Community hospital. The physio is run by a company based in Birmingham, I recently completed a Falls Prevention class at Brentwood, I was originally referred by my GP and I still got lost on the system dispite it being the same trust, so I ended up chasing it. So none of it ideal. All the best. X

[margarete-72]

hi I live in brentwood as well iv not been put on anything iv had morphine and stuff but iv had dysphagia and can't swollow iv had lots tabs that dissolve but not strong enough I have ostio arthritus and fibro .iv been put on sure technology agsin to see if it helps tiny capsules which still choke me been on 3 lots antibiotics for a cough and chest can't get app with dr forever phoning them. my rheumatologist comes to community from queens and the neurological does I have bad head aches bad knees and ankles and wrist I'm so fed up I don't no where to turn x xx