Hospital to GP lack of communication

woodbon
woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
edited 24. Jan 2009, 08:13 in Living with Arthritis archive
Last summer I went to the local hospital as I had carpel tunnel syndrome. The rheumatologist sent me for nerve tests and an MRI scan as I had neck and shoulder pain and stiffness. I was also sent for a set of blood tests. When I had the injections I asked the results and was told wear and tear, osteo arthritis, given a peace of paper with oa and cts written to give to my doctor. Since then I have heard nothing and my GP has not had any notes. Yesterday, I saw her as I've been having a lot of pain. I told her about my hospital treatment and she wanted to know when I had to go back. I said I didn't know and had no appointment, so she said she would ring them. At lunch time I had an abrupt call from the registrars sec and told I was discharged from the hospital in August last year and asked why I'd phoned that morning. I told her that my GP had phoned not me. Anyway, the point of this long story is that the hospital discharged me before treatment and tests, didn't send any notes to my GP and failed to tell me. I know it wasn't me misunderstanding, as my husband was in the room all the time! Its being sorted now, thanks to my GP (who was very annoyed with the hospital), she said she would re-refer me if that was necessery as she thought I needed to see a rhuemmy again. But I do feel a slight loss of faith. After all its important that records are accurate and compleate.:( Sue

Comments

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,344
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Sue
    This is not good :(
    Poor you :!:
    Good job your GP was on the case.
    I hope you get it all sorted soon so something can be done
    Take care
    Toni x
  • kazpaz
    kazpaz Bots Posts: 103
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Is that the N+N?
  • petmad
    petmad Member Posts: 252
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hope you get a better deal this time Sue. Linda
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi Kazpaz
    Yes, it is the N&N. Sue
  • kazpaz
    kazpaz Bots Posts: 103
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Unfortunately that is not uncommon there I believe. Have heard loads of complaints from Gps, families and indeed don't always get reciprocal information for our patients at the hospital I'm at.

    Medicine is poor without good communication. It adds insult to injury when they have a go at you about it!
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I absolutly agree! When it comes to medicine its vital. I'm lucky, in that I can see and hear and even understand some of whats going on in order to question things, if i think they are wrong, but lots of people can't through age (the group I work with) or disability and I wonder what happens to them? :( :?
  • kazpaz
    kazpaz Bots Posts: 103
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I work with the elderly too and many have dementia. They can rarely remember what they have been told to tell me and I don't have any psychic powers to guess. Even a really short summary would help a lot.
  • noeltone
    noeltone Member Posts: 878
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Hi to you both I do not believe that the good old N and N is having a bad name again of course I do he he have you seen the article from Prof Scot in local paper about appointment times ????
  • kazpaz
    kazpaz Bots Posts: 103
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    How many reports have to be done and at what cost, to tell us what we already know???

    At least in the EDP there was a link to our new website!

    To be fair though, unlike a few of the people who complained at the meeting he came to, I phoned today for advice and got a call back promptly. I couldn't fault the response.

    Kaz
  • noeltone
    noeltone Member Posts: 878
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    My rheumy nurse has alwayys been alright with me and as for apptmnts i have been well looked after except for the one coming up when I got the wrong date seems strange that they get differnt money for new patients and older ones so money based and that meeting was awhile ago now I wonder why it has now made the press???
  • kazpaz
    kazpaz Bots Posts: 103
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I think it is all a bit of a game. The press goes around the same old stories in rotation. Cancer drugs, arthritis, Alzheimer's...... They probably sit there and think, what haven't we done for a few weeks?

    I don't remember the last time I saw any medical article that was fresh, inspiring and looked like it might make a real difference to our day to day life. Its just same old, same old.

    I'm beginning to sound cynical again. Stop that, Kaz! :roll:
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I do know that its hard if they have to work under pressure of government guidlines. But the problems that I've had both in the past at a different hospital many miles away, where due to misdiagnosis in an emergency setting and led to me being sent home with a perforated duodenal ulcer. By the time I was re-addmitted, I was very,very ill and had 5 hours of surgery, a month in hospital, and nearly died. This was not local and nothing to do with arthritis and I have been better for years. The only arthritis linked effect is that I can't have anti-inflamitories. Anyway, thats enough of that its in the past. My feelings are that in all walks of life, not just medicine, communication is vital and we should point out to anyone when poor communication leads to serious problems. I don't wamt to blame one hospital or public service. I too worked with people who had dementia and mental problems, and know that the problems of poor medical communication can lead to serious mis-understandings. Rant Over, sorry. Suexx

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