COMPLAINING ABOUT TREATMENT

grampyal
grampyal Member Posts: 81
edited 27. Feb 2011, 11:04 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi, Has anyone any experience of making a complaint to a Health Trust? I know the big fear is that if we complain we won't get treated as well.
In my case, I had a TKR in June 2008 and within six months was convinced that the knee was loose. In August 2010 when bone loss showed up on x-ray I asked for a scan. This was not done till October followed in January 6th 2011 by an Arthroscopy which showed that the knee was indeed loose. The consultant told me he would have to do a revision. i wa sgiven an appointment for Feb 18th in clinic where he told me the same thing again but added that I would hear very soon. The appointment for the revision has now come for March 10th. This means that I will have spent nine weeks pluis the previous 2 years struggling to get about on an extremely painful knee and I get the impression that nobody cares at the ABM health trust. I find the compensation culture repugnent but perhaps this is the only way to get their attention. Of course if I'd been a rugby or football player (even a not so good Welsh one)the whole problem would have been sorted ages ago. Al

Comments

  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Al,

    Its not something I know much about i am afraid but totally understand you being somewhat cheesed at how your treatment has gone.

    I did complain once, years ago, but that did actually make it worse and I should love to have my old gp's for neglect... and they did, but have the fear that once that goes on your notes you will be viewed differently. A mate said that though that might be true they also would know you are not going to take any nonsense......

    Its a hard one and maybe someone else wil have experience of it.

    I hope so much that the revision will help and really hope someone will know if it helps or not. hang in there. Cris x
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    Cant PALS or ICAS advise you? Im starting to complain about a consultant who wanted to take my kneecap out no questions ask - either his way or the highway and he wouldnt give me any info and was extremely negative towards me......
    With all youve been through dont be put off complaining, just cos its the NHS dont make them exempt you know.....You wouldnt stand for this kind of treatment in other professions would you?

    Good luck

    Elainex
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    There is no reason why you shouldn't complain. If you feel that your health has been mis-handled of course you should register your protest, otherwise how do services etc improve? Why do you think your treatment would be affected by complaining? Surely as soon as the powers-that-be know that you are discontented I would think they will try to put things right asap, in order to block any further negative comments/actions. I am sorry about your knee and that it has not gone well - let's hope the revision does make the expected difference and that things pick up for you. I wish you well. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,336
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh Al

    you have been mucked about badly haven't you? :sad: All that avoidable pain.

    Just out of interest has anyone apologised to you? I dont know if it would help, but it would have me when my mum was teated badly at the Stafford NHS trust.

    I too feared repercussions if I complained and left it until she had died to be honest to make my complaint.

    My complaint was totally upheld and the person in question given further training and subsequently left. A very good friend effected some very impressive changed too with her complaints about her husband's teatment with terminal cancer.

    My advice...put it in writing in chronological oder for yourself for now. You will know whether you have to complain when you are ready and everything will be theer for you if you choose to.

    Love

    toni xx
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Al

    I am so very sorry to read this. I remember well that you were having problems but had no idea it is still very much ongoing and soon to be getting on for three years.

    On hindsight I expect you regret not having started to complain much earlier than now. Others have suggested where you can get advice and I wondered if it would be worth calling the helpline as they may well be able to help you with this too

    I complained once about a midwife and I was promised that if I had another child I would never see that particular female again. I had another child and they kept to their word unless she had retired anyway as she must have been getting to that age.

    I complained in writing about my mother treatment because while in hospital for a TKR, her femur was broken. Put it this way, when she went into hospital her femur was not broken.She walked there. I received a reply saying that particular surgeon no longer worked at the NHS hospital. He made a very quick exit, obviously had something to cover up. I did actually speak with him and he told me in no uncertain terms that the operation had gone well. He was telling me that the broken femur had nothing to do with him. How can it be proved?

    I complained to the consultant, face to face, that performed my mum's other TKR on the other leg, privately at a cost of £11,000 to herself, because they sent her home although she was in pain and after a day we had to get her to A&E and the pain she was suffering was indescribable. I never wish to see anyone in that kind of pain ever again. She was hospitalised in a NHS hospital for months, including weeks in ICU and we nearly lost her many times. I spent so much of my time, caring for her in the hospital and chasing the medics to do something to help her.

    There seems to be a very fine line between gross negligence and them saying they did all they could but unfortunately these things happen. If I was you, I would most definitely fight your corner and I wish you well with it.

    Good luck,
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    This is such an awful story, but it is being repeated again and again, why is there such a difference between consultant and NHS trust.
    It really dose seem to be a lottery , like you I am scared of complaining , I always think what if they do my op or treatment.
    So good on you, I really do hope that everything works out well for you, please let us know how you get on.
    Love
    Barbara x
    Love
    Barbara
  • caterina57
    caterina57 Member Posts: 1,424
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Al
    Sorry you ar having such a load of problems and it does seem an unnecessary period of time for you to be "sorted out" I think that you have good cause to complain and of course this should be done in writing. All NHS services have a complaints procedur, so your first port of call might be asking for a copy, so that there is no dispute that you ar doing things in the right way.
    A few years ago my mother had a fall and sliced off part of her finger, she was attended to at hospital fairly swiftly, but then we were leftsat in a day ward my motehrs hand sutably bandaged for a very long time. eventually after an hour I had had enough and asked what eactly we were waiting for. Turned out she needed a tetanus injection and they had run out! I was absolutely furious, firstly that they had left us waiting with absolutely no communication and secondly that I believe that a tetanus injection should never have been allowed to "run out". I took my mother home, and returned to the GP the following morning for said injection and immediately penned a complaint.
    Within two weeks I had a letter apologising profusely and information that the procedures for maintenance of essential stocks of medications had been reviewed and those responsible had been disciplined.
    Cath