Fun at Nottingham - and I don't mean Goose Fair

Last Thursday I emailed PALS. They are supposed to respond with an acknowledgement within two working days. As today is now the fourth working day on and nothing, I had another hunt on the web. It's rather confusing, with very little information on making a complaint, so I telephoned the City Hospital. Wait in queue and ask for Complaints Department. "I'll just put you through." After seven minutes of silence I concluded that the only place she had put me through to was Limbo-land. I tried again. This time I was directed to the other hospital. I rang again, at which point the woman explained that this is where complaints are dealt with for both sites. I left a message on the answerphone explaining that I didn't want to have recourse to solicitors so would someone please ring me. Then I posted my story on "Patients' Opinion" website for Nottingham. Well, with the following, I feel I lought to get it Out There, and the time for feeling sympathy and understanding for people making mistakes is over: (1) Oct 2006 Misdiagnosis of Stage 2 instead of Stage 4 (2) Dec 2006 Failure of consultant to come back immediately or make earlier appointment once he had realised the mistake. (3) Jan 2007 No verbal apology for mistake. (4) Mar 2007 Sent to back of queue for radiotherapy to lymph nodes, when he could have arranged appointments when he discovered the mistake. (5) Very emotional scene at first radio session caused by a different doctor having put down I should be having chemo - something I noticed on my card because I asked to see where the radiation would affect my skin. Doctor appeared and said actually Dr C had said I was doing so well, didn't need chemo. She however would advise chemo. I asked her direct if these were secondary cancers, and she said yes (this had not been explained at the Mistake Appointment). She DID apologise profusely for the misdiagnosis, and was such a lovely uplifting person I felt sympathy for her. If I had chemo, Radio would have been had to be postponed again as that had to be started first. I elected for the radio alone as I had suffered so much under the chemo, and she had just told me honestly that a cure was not possible, so I could opt for "Quality of Life". (6) May 2007 Given "3-4 months" to live. Not given another appointment as they do not monitor terminal patients, just as and when.. (7) Went home and paid for very expensive funeral, relatives flew over that weekend on extremely expensive flight as we believed I'd be too ill in another month. Lost my job. et cetera (8) One year later , May 2008, I dropped off a card for the old team telling them I was still alive, and not doing too badly. This generated a letter from Dr C mentioning that yes, certainly, 10% of my sort did last a bit longer. First I had heard of this! (9) Asked gp to help me get referred to Royal Marsden. (that obstacle race blogged on here) (10) Early July, Professor Gore and his team request my old scans . (11) 26th August attended at Marsden to hear what changes there were between the new scan I had just had done at the Marsden with the old ones from Nottingham. Scans had not arrived. (12) 28th August rang Nottingham and woman promised to send scans immediately. (13) 22nd Sept rang Marsden to check that scans had arrived. They had received nothing. Rang Nottingham and left message. (14) 25th Sept Rang Cancer MacMillan nurse who rang Dr C's Suppoert secretary. This time she did ring back and promised to sort it out herself. Rang back to say woman who puts scans on discs on holiday until Monday, but she had left an urgent message as she understood that I had to buy my train ticket Monday at latest to get cheaper price. (15) 7th Octopber, attend at Marsden. Professor Gore's Registrar discovers that no scans have been received. She rings Nottingham, but on answerphone. (16) 9th October email sent to PALS. (17) Today, 15th October, left message on answerphone for Nottingham Complaints Manager to get back to me. I just thought anyone having to go through this proceedure would like to follow my "journey"! Lots of love to you all xxxx Penny (a non-person, probably without a file)