How to change consultant

[BlightyFiveStar]

Good morning

After some upsetting appointments with the consultant where he literally laughs at what I say, and continues even when I ask why he’s laughing because for me it’s not funny (I think it’s a nervous thing) I have asked the head nurse how I change consultant. It’s also because I don’t trust him to put my interests first as he always dismisses what I say so I have stopped reporting my symptoms to him because it seems pointless. I realise this is not good for me in the long run.

The RA nurse says I need to write a letter to the nurse formally stating I want to change consultant and he will then start a process. I am not clear what this involves or what my letter should say.

Any advice please? Many thanks

[AgedCrone]

Think it might be simpler to ask your GP to refer you to a different Rheumatologist...people do it all the time.

Don’t worry about it ....a lot of patient Dr relationships don’t work-I had a horror GP a few years ago.... I’m still with the same practice I just don’t see him anymore

I hope you get settled with somebody more empathetic soon.

[Hidden]

I have changed my rheumy consultant recently after a couple of awful appointments where I wasn’t listened to at all and the follow up letter was full of inaccuracies. I spoke to someone in the clinic and they put me through to someone who then put it in my notes that I didn’t want to see him again. They were quite sniffy about it but I haven’t seen him again and now have a consultant who takes note of what I say.

You don’t have to put up with treatment like this. Good luck 😊

[BlightyFiveStar]

Thanks, that’s helpful. I did contact PALS last year after a disastrous appointment but never heard back.

[SmileyMum]

I switched hospitals for my appointments about 2 years ago. My previous consultant would not listen to me when I told him my medication was affecting me very badly and insisted I continue taking it, added to which there were a couple of nurses who seemed to have it in for me (very unprofessional). My lovely GP wrote a letter of referral to a hospital much nearer to my home and I was taken on as a new patient. This has saved me much grief and worry. Good luck to you. xx

[bpeal1]

If you want to change hospitals I think you will need to ask GP to refer you. However if you just want to change rheumatologist at the same hospital you should just be able to write to the department.

When I wanted to change rheumatologist I just emailed the secretary of the one I wanted to change to asking if she would be willing to transfer me to her list. I had an email back a few minutes later saying she’d done it and that she’d cancelled my existing appointment with the old one and a new appointment was in the post.

[Mmrr in reply to bpeal1]

very interesting !

[BlightyFiveStar]

Wow how helpful. How did you know which one you wanted to transfer to?

[bpeal1 in reply to BlightyFiveStar]

I was lucky because she was my daughter’s rheumatologist (my daughter has JIA) and I’d also seen her when she was a registrar in the department several years earlier so I already knew we’d get on well.

[cathie]

Are you in uk? I did some research among people on this app and identified a consultant with a good reputation. Asked my GP and she referred me to his private clinic. I explained my problem, he took me on his nhs list. Despite my asking he’s never billed me for that appointment. And the change in consultant has me back in something approaching remission.

[sule in reply to cathie]

Like you, I went to Spire to see the Consultant of my choice and he offered to take me on to his NHS list. It has been life changing!

[Angels54]

See your GP and ask him to refer you , you are allowed to go through the choose and book system, also it’s a about the quality of care we receive .

[Hidden]

When I wanted to change the rheumy I was seeing, I just asked my GP if he would refer me to a different one, which he did. He said he was not at all surprised that I wanted to change after seeing what the rheumy had written in her letter.

I had taken along a neatly typed list or just four questions I needed answers to. I had waited for an appointment for five months and then waited for an hour past my appointment time. She pushed the list to one side and said she hadn't got time to read it as she was running late. She had written in the follow up letter; Mrs. ........ bought along a list of questions for me but I didn't have time to answer them. My GP thought it was awful and told me that she was just fobbing me off.

I reported her to PALS and they rang me back a few weeks later to say that she was retiring and had asked to stay on in a part time basis but had been refused so that says it all really.

[Shelly1969]

You need to contact his/her Management or contact the CEO of the hospital and make a Formal complaint as this is certainly not professional conduct and is disgusting behaviour to find out who the (CEO) "Chief executive officer" is just ask the switch board at the hospital where he/she works at and ask to speak directly to him/her also ask for the direct number. I Never bother with complaints through PAL as they are a total waste of time as nothing ever gets resolved through them.

Hope this helps x