Dentits and NHS

Cpu2007

I hope I'm using the right section for this type of topic.
I have been to my dentist over a year ago asking him what to do as my wisdom teeth needed to be removed; he suggested that they will be removed through a surgery as they are a bit curved and the dentist couldn't do it himself.
So he referred me to the NHS; I asked him how long it will take to get an appointment from them; he replied it can take up to 6 weeks.
After two months I didn't receive a reply so contacted my dentist again,who told me they sent the referral already; I asked contact details of where they sent the referral and contacted there; nsh replied that they haven't received anything; from here a long painful situation started as every two weeks I was contacting each sides, my dentist receptionist claiming they sent it and the NSH claiming they haven't received anything.
I wasn't working at the time and was entitled to surgery but nearly after 8 months the dentist called me again and said that they will check me again and refer me again, I had to pay for that as I was working and will have to pay for the surgery but the most annoying thing is that the same problem is still there, I contact both sides and they claim the same thing they've done in the past.

How can I deal with this issue ?

Toothsmith

Which issue in particular?

If they've re-referred you, then hopefully that will go through all right this time and you'll be seen.

I know that in some areas there are 'issues' with referring people to specialist centres. The process is very bureaucratic, and referrals get bounced for all sorts of silly reasons, and the original referrer doesn't always find out that the referral hasn't gone through.

Just keep badgering them (both places) until it gets sorted is my best advice.

Cpu2007

yeah but how can it be acceptable that I have been waiting for a year and still have to wait?
are they waiting for the teeth to come out themselves?

Toothsmith

It's completely unacceptable. But it's how they're choosing to manage the NHS these days.

The dentists are caught in the middle of this too. They don't listen to us though, it needs patients to complain and kick up a fuss.

Cpu2007

so what else do you think I could do other than just keep calling them?
I am asking this because I had infections a few times because of my wisdom teeth; I'm fortunate that these infections weren't very bad and only lasted a week maximum every time they occurred but I don't want this problem to get worse as well.

Quentin

You have been too patient.

You have grounds to complain to both parties (they will each have complaints procedures), so get them sent in and show a diary of events and the contradictory replies each side have given you.

If their replies are unsatisfactory you will be able to escalate the complaints, and this wull all be set out in their complaints procedure.

Cpu2007

How can I complain to both sides? I mean is it there a single body that will deal with the complains for both parties or do I have to contact or simply contact the nhs complain department and mention the two parties?

Cpu2007

I'm sorry,I guess you explained that already, you're saying that they will have complaints procedure;
when you say to show a diary of "events and the contradictory replies each side have given you." , is this something that I have to provide?
I'm asking this because I called them, God knows how many times but I don't have records of it. I can get the logs of the phone until a certain amount of period if that helps.

welshdent

You COULD complain to both sides however if the Dentist has referred you and then re referred, logging all their letters then I am not sure what else the dentist CAN do. We can not speed up a referral, we can not get people moved up a list. Once that letter goes in thats us out of the loop unless the hospital has some bizarre list of extra information they suddenly want. The best you could hope for from the dentist is a "we are sorry to hear you are unhappy with the situation however we have sent 2 referral letters for your treatment and have no powers to control the situation beyond that". They could send ANOTHER letter but it wont change anything. The best thing to do is ask for copies of their letters and take THOSE to the hospital and say, my dentist has sent 2 letters, here is the proof. Get your act together and get me an appointment./

Quentin

Cpu2007 wrote: »

I'm sorry,I guess you explained that already, you're saying that they will have complaints procedure;
when you say to show a diary of "events and the contradictory replies each side have given you." , is this something that I have to provide?
I'm asking this because I called them, God knows how many times but I don't have records of it. I can get the logs of the phone until a certain amount of period if that helps.

You will have approximate dates, that will do. Maybe your dentist will give you the dates on the letters. See if your dentist will give you dates or copies.

Point out your dentist told you 6 weeks max, and a year has now passed!

(Notice the dentists coming here saying nothing more they could do, but dentists do get things wrong, and clearly this has been allowed to linger!)

welshdent

Quentin what do you think the dentists has got wrong? If they have referred then re referred and can demonstrate this then what else do you think they should have done? The system in place for dentistry and hospital referrals and its medical counterpart are totally different. ALL dental practices are independent. That means that we are not connected to the hospitals and we are paid very much lip service with referrals. Also we can not literally check up on every singe referral we do and make sure its gone through.