Going in for first BCG treatment tomorrow. Had two "mechanical" removal sessions , or TRBTs as they're known, last year, and now it's time to get chemical....
I don't have any major qualms about the treatment or the procedure to administer it, but am rather spitting teeth over the administrative incompetence I have encountered along the way. I'm a fairly determined , coherent , articulate chap (even if I say so myself), and I've spent a whole month trying to track down the particular specialist nurse who, I had been told, would be contacting me to schedule this treatment "in early January".
After about 15-20 phone calls, over 5 weeks, to 2 different hospitals, goodness knows how many departments, and umpteen staff (some were at least polite, if not exactly effective..though the standard of English spoken by many hospital staff in London is frighteningly poor - if people aren't dying over misunderstandings amongst London hospital staff , I'd be very surprised..), I managed to weedle out the nurse's mobile phone number, called her and she knew nothing of my situation (February 5th), despite having a letter written by my supervising doctor on the 17th December (only got posted on the 7th January!!!) asking her to schedule me for treatment.
Goodness knows what would (or would not) happen if I was a meek and mild soul, who didn't want to make a fuss ! I'd probably still be waiting next Christmas.
I appreciate that workloads can be high, and some staff can be stretched, but where it impacts on patient care, and delays are artificially introduced, there's something far wrong with the system.
I work in a commercial business, and I'd be sacked if I said "I'm so busy that I haven't got round to reading my letters and emails from the past 4 weeks....".
Someone's going to get a rocket at the end of this.
In terms of actual care on wards, operating theatres etc, I've been pleasantly surprised by most aspects of NHS care at the coal face (Haven't touched the thing in 25 years....) but in terms of admin and organisation, I think that quite a few of the staff would be sacked within days in the outside world, for lethargic attitude, poor procedures, and appaling customer service.
I've realised that despite one or two notable exceptions, pretty much no-one inside the NHS is actively promoting my treatment, so I have to do that myself, constantly chasing who has sent what to who, what results have come back, when the next phase of treatment can begin etc.....
Good job I'm not ill !
