NHS three weeks to type up a letter

SteveJW

Appointment to see a neurologist
Saw my doctor in January and the outcome of my appointment was to refer me to a neurologist (sciatica etc)
Received a letter from the neurology department today, which was a cc of the reply to my doctor
Letter is in reply to my doctors letter dated 16th January 2017
The letter was dictated 29th January 2017, and is marked "dictated but not signed to avoid delay"
The letter is then marked with the date typed 20th February 2017

So from my doctor sending a letter to a neurologist dictating a reply (two weeks), I think this is acceptable
Three weeks to type up the dictation, I don't think this is acceptable

Otherwise I cannot complain regarding the service from the NHS

Rant over

daytona0

I suspect that, if you went private and paid for your treatment, you'd get your letter much quicker....

daveyjp

From recent experience that is a very quick response.

Appointment in late June last year, letter dictated a day later. The letter was actually typed at the end of August.

DomRavioli

SteveJW wrote: »

Appointment to see a neurologist
Saw my doctor in January and the outcome of my appointment was to refer me to a neurologist (sciatica etc)
Received a letter from the neurology department today, which was a cc of the reply to my doctor
Letter is in reply to my doctors letter dated 16th January 2017
The letter was dictated 29th January 2017, and is marked "dictated but not signed to avoid delay"
The letter is then marked with the date typed 20th February 2017

So from my doctor sending a letter to a neurologist dictating a reply (two weeks), I think this is acceptable
Three weeks to type up the dictation, I don't think this is acceptable

Otherwise I cannot complain regarding the service from the NHS

Rant over

It doesn't really matter what you think is acceptable. When you have a clinic with possibly 4000 patients, you will wait your turn. There are those letters which are urgent (those who have cancer, suspected cancer and end of life care) which will always take priority. Everyone else goes in a date pile, and if a clinician sees 50 patients a day, that is a lot of letters to type and send with only one secretary who also has to update notes, chase notes, answer the phone and queries and a heck of a lot more admin.

Cut them some slack. You are a non-urgent patient (unless you have cancer, suspected cancer or end of life care, you are non-urgent, aka routine) and will be treated as such. NHS trusts have cut non-clinical staff and we are doing the best we can. Things like this just add to our workload; therefore pushing other letters even further back.

AnnieO1234

From personal experience the majority of NHS office support has little or no commercial experience. Gets to 4:30 why start another tape when you can get a cup of tea and your coat on so you can leave at 5. I swear I would halve NHS costs overnight by kicking their office staff up the backside. (Don't know so much about wars clerks this is purely about consultants secretaries and typing pools where applicable).

keithdc

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

From personal experience the majority of NHS office support has little or no commercial experience. Gets to 4:30 why start another tape when you can get a cup of tea and your coat on so you can leave at 5. I swear I would halve NHS costs overnight by kicking their office staff up the backside. (Don't know so much about wars clerks this is purely about consultants secretaries and typing pools where applicable).

Oh... How exciting ... Jeremy Hunt has joined the forum:
1) use of alternative 'facts'
2) criticise NHS staff, rather than engage with them
3) make ridiculous promises that arent deliverable
4) extrapolate from a single pseudo-experience to the whole NHS

Sicard

keithdc wrote: »

Oh... How exciting ... Jeremy Hunt has joined the forum:
1) use of alternative 'facts'
2) criticise NHS staff, rather than engage with them
3) make ridiculous promises that arent deliverable
4) extrapolate from a single pseudo-experience to the whole NHS

Oh dear, she seems to have touched a nerve (possibly sciatica)

OP, I always use osteopathy for back problems. It costs a bit but 2 sessions should put you back in shape: http://www.stkildaosteopathy.com.au/blog/sciatica-and-how-osteopathy-can-help

teddysmum

My neurologist's secretary only works part time and, with one other, has to cover his registrars, too.


It has taken 12 weeks to get the results of an EEG and I'm still waiting for MRI results, which used to take 8 weeks.


Attending clinics, shows how very busy the department is and these visits makes me feel grateful for being seen when I am, as there are people obviously in greater need than me.

ARandomMiser

Given that we are talking about the NHS do you mean the thread title as praise or vent?

ohreally

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

I swear I would halve NHS costs overnight by kicking their office staff up the backside.

I suspect their second words to you would be bring it on.

Hoof_Hearted

You just need to be seriously ill to appreciate how utterly brilliant the NHS is. I was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer on 20th December. Six weeks on, after extensive investigations and tests, the tumour was removed keyhole, bowel reconstructed (no bag) and I am pretty much back to normal today. In a couple of weeks I will meet the surgeon to see whether I need further treatment. The care I have had has been absolutely brilliant in a hospital that "requires improvement".