TOPIC:

Okay read it all...holy hell. Sending a virtual hug. Waiting for your updates now I am back on here after a little drama too. Sorry for the lapse. This is absolute rubbish. All hail the bloody Queen eh. Woah LG this is just rubbish, whack that big blue book over the chooks bum mouth path peoples heads. I am fuming even reading this it has hit my grumpy nerve and I am very placid girl but this is RUBBISH
I actually dunno what to say except I send you love and light and peace. Love from me xoxoox

Hi, LG sending you good wishes for a better outcome this time in obtaining your labs
Hopefully smooth sailing without any BS attitude and a good phlebotomist
Hope you are feeling better from your recent illness
Cyber hugs (( )) from across the pond

Queen Jobsworth

I love it!

I see you got some big guns on your side this time LG. Good for you.
It's soooo regrettable that it has been necessary.

dt

Thank-you Ariel, After the upset end of last week, I had a few days out as I didn't want my BP to soar (it's a bit high).
Today however, I am ready to fight and so is the the patient advocate who I met online and who works in that hospital. They have officially addressed this situation. Would you believe, the excuse that nasty medic gave for sending me away rudely with a chest infection on treatment etc etc was that although I had all the correct forms for bloods signed by GP etc, He hadn't written an actual letter - Unreal!

Why take it out on the patient? A simple request to GP to fax said letter would have done it. Apparently it seems I am entitled to these bloods with or without letter, it also appears that it is a rule she has made up herself - Disgusting.

Her manner is what got to me, when I asked incredulously was she refusing to take my bloods, she barked 'Yes' and then loudly 'Next' to the next person in the queue in an aggressive manner. Remember I had got out of bed with a fever to get there and paid for a taxi so as not to walk in wind and rain with a chest infection - Jeez, what is wrong with these people You know?!
Now I wont get blood test results until next week, by which time I will be due for more!

Some people say we shoukdn't feel 'entitled ' to NHS care, I disagree. We, the public, have paid into the NHS out of our wages for years! Free at point if entry is what it's supposed to be and until that changes, that should be what it is!
Fuming. If anyone is reading this from the south of England, I bet you know just which hospital I am talking about. I will go through the correct complaints procedures, but will not hold back on naming and shaming one way or another.

LG xxx

thank you CC2B & DT - Will keep you updated.
I have an appointment for tomorrow, lovely patient advocate has arranged, we shall see where it goes from there .
Yes, very regrettable.

You were spot on here DT. Can't write too much, just thought I'd let you know

Yay - Bloods done by very nice staff who totally know what they're doing and even better I can ring through all the dates I need for the future and they will do them all for me

Thanks to a patient advocate / specialist nurse who helped me. God bless him.

Glad it's all worked out
Deb xxx

How fantastic is that! Bloods done at last and results soon on their way. You must be very relieved. It's no joke when you are in the dark about what might be happening in your body after starting the meds.

I do hope it goes smoothly for you from now on. Well, you have that patient advocate now if it doesn't. I didn't even know there were such people but I'm happy to learn about it.

This whole saga that you've been through makes me thing once more about all those who maybe don't have the where-with-all to make it through the system and get what they need. Maybe they are not so smart. Maybe they can't express themselves so well. Maybe they don't have the confidence, or the persistence. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I'd lay bets that for every one that makes it through there's a whole lot more littered by the wayside who got lost or gave up. I don't even wonder what happens to them because I know. They simply don't get the medical care that they need. That's one way to save money. So much for a civilized society protecting the vulnerable. Quite the opposite. You better be really strong or have somebody really strong on your side, or you'll be trampled underfoot.

dt

Yes, it is a relief, I don't know how strong you can keep being when these things keep happening though, you know? especially when you're feeling ill.

There are patients advocates around within hospitals, my one (as I call him) is very pro-active on behalf of patients, but as he says, he is just following the code of conduct.

I also thought about others DT as when I was first diagnosed I was a weepy, fragile and helpless one and didn't know how to address things, it's amazing what I have learned throughtout all this, much on forums, so I feel it's good to share these experiences for others to read. I said I wanted to help others by becoming an advocate when I was better and was told 'you already are'. It is true that you have to really fight your corner as a patient in many hospitals these days it seems, whereas other hospitals have patient centred care at their heart. It is not by accident though, there is usually a medic at the heart if that working hard to ensure this happens, I hsve seen the excellent results of this in another hospital and always respond with a positive review if I've had good treatment, I think this is important and something we can all do easily online. Just as important, or rather more, is raising concerns with PALS, how can things improve if you don't report them? I hsd never heard if PALS until the diabolical treatment I have experienced sinced I was diagnosed with HepC, I bet it's right up there at the top of complaints in the UK, sadly. The PALS lady was very nice and I didn't find it stressful at all. Patients need to know PALS exists, that info needs to be made very available and info in all waiting rooms clearly in view.

Yes, you need to be strong, I ignored it all weekend as I didn't want my BP to go up, I didn't feel strong at all when that jobsworth treated me like she did in her little world of powertripping, just upset, tearful and exhausted by it. I think there is a patient advocate in most hospitals, patients should be told how to seek them out.

(edit) The other thing I 've learned, is it's helpful to lear some 'medic speak' - A few handy phrases from the code of conduct can go a long way .

I didn't feel strong at all when that jobsworth treated me like she did in her little world of powertripping, just upset, tearful and exhausted by it.

Nobody does. I have also been left stressed to the max and at my wits end at times, especially when I was trying to protect my sick mother from what felt like a very big unstoppable steamroller coming straight for her. It was really like 'High Noon'. But I knew that it was only getting to her over my dead body. Luckily it didn't come to that, but it did take me 2 years of osteopathic unwinding afterwards to get my shoulders back down from touching my ears.

None of that should have happened to me and my mother, any more than it should have happened to you. It only could have happened because a lot of people along the way turned a blind eye. I remember each one of those people who turned away when I asked them to intervene, as was their professional duty. Toadies all. So it's not just the perpetrators, it's the ones in collusion too, who by their silence let it keep on happening.

So this information about PALS and the Patient Advocate is incredibly useful.

how can things improve if you don't report them?

Right on!

dt

Happy to hear you've got that sorted
Hope you start feeling better soon. Spring will be on the way soon, and you will be reborn along with all the greenery.

Affirming and bringing your own intelligence into this circus can defs evoke the look we Aussies call "chooks bum mouth" LG
now to wait for the results and I am hoping for the best for you
What a flippin debacle
In case any of us aren't anxious already they chuck arrogance and convoluted red tape into the mix just to slow everything down
You deserve a good result babe
Splashes of love girl
Ariel xxx

Jesus, you went through so much trouble!

I hope you feel better with cold / infection. The antibiotic should take effect.
Glad you solved the problem of blood tests. Keep fingers crossed for UND soon!

When I had a flu, with watery nose and eyes and my nose was burning every inhalation and exhalation. It helped me inhale vapors from hot water in which I added salt and baking soda alternated with oils for inhalations. Of course after inhalation necessarily have to stay in bed.
Maybe it helps you too !

chooks bum mouth

- Love it !