Do I have the right to know my mother's medical arrangements?

The confusion starts with POA: there are two distinct types - financial and medical or personal and each decision depends on whether the POA has been 'activated'. Activation of an existing legal POA arrangement is usually determined by Best Interest Assessment. A person who is apparently confused maybe assessed as not having mental capacity for decisions relating to financial matters but does have the capacity to choose who should manage this for them. A person is always assumed to have capacity to make decisions about their personal lives (eg. medical matters) unless proved otherwise for each particular decision. The lady in question must have chosen her daughter to in her best interests in financial matters but remains independent with personal care choices. Please Google Court of Protection for the legal position.

so how come so many patients fail to turn

Lots of reasons Callistemon! As MissA said, often the time between appointments is so long that people forget. In some cases, if the patient is elderly or infirm, they can't physically get to their appointment on their own and don't realise that they can ask for assisted transport. Sometimes patients book and go on holiday, completely forgetting that they had an appointment already scheduled. And some just don't turn up! But it costs the NHS a great deal of money to have doctors, consultants and ancillary staff on standby and then no patient. Especially if that patient is booked for a routine day care surgery operation.
The reason you've had multiple reminders, in different formats, is because the NHS Trust can choose an array of communications that best suit the patient receiving the reminder. For example, some elderly people, or the visually impaired, cannot see a text message very well, so sending them a reminder by SMS messaging wouldn't be appropriate. Nor might an email if they don't have access to a computer. But research has shown that when a "real live person" calls to speak to the patient personally and reminds them of the date, time and department of their appointment (no other details are known), the appointment failure rate drops dramatically. The reminders can be 24 or 48 or 72 hours before an appointment, hence you'll have recieved at least a couple!

I can laugh now, but it was a long hard day..

Were you with me? That day at The Heath in Cardiff? There were about five of us waiting patiently until we saw them leaving; they did come back and see us all!

We once sat in a hospital waiting room, being very polite - taking heed of the notices telling us that they did know we were there, and to wait our turn.

The day wore on, until the consultant came out with the rest of the staff, all ready to go home!

When DH queried the long wait he found the consultant had forgotten to put him on the list.

Because some had no idea about an appointment at all until they queried the year long wait?
It happened to my mum.

This is interesting as I assumed the appointments department of the hospital sent out the reminders.
Having had an appointment completely messed up a couple of years ago (by the appointments clerk on the phone) I now find I receive not one but about 3 texts, 2 or more emails and a letter through the post.
Belt and braces approach - so how come so many patients fail to turn up?

I understand NotSpaghetti; and if I could help with your query I would.

As for I wonder how many are consenting to stuff inadvertently.... Well, we've learnt a bit more about that here on GN this weekend haven't we!

No, sorry again Chewbacca, just expressing my frustration!

I know you said it wasn't in your role to know this. The truth is, it really doesn't matter for me, but like the original post by Doodledog, it's the principle.
I wonder how many are consenting to stuff inadvertently?

And as I know from my earlier life working with people fleeing abuse, this sort of thing does matter to some people.

I'm sorry NotSpaghetti, as I say, that bit isn't in my job remit and I honestly can't answer your question. But if you have any concerns about your data safety, you must do what makes you feel safe and protected.

Yes, I know, Chewbacca, but it’s all very well saying people gave consent when nothing on the “yes I’d like reminders” form says your data is going externally.

This is what I meant. It’s not really the same as being rung from the hospital. I think it should be explicit. I have checked with my hospital and they do the same as Derby (i.e. they don’t tell you but DO outsource). I think it’s wrong. And yes, PALS didn’t know.
I was advised that if I didn’t want my data going to a 3rd party then I could always say “no reminders”!
?

but I bet, like Derby, they don't ask for your consent to pass info to an outside agency in order for you to get the reminders

I honestly couldn't say NotSpaghetti because it's not a part of my role remit but I'd be surprised if, on the form of consent that patients are given, that there wasn't something that referred to the reminder service being done by an external agency. If you have any doubts, you can always contact the PALs team at your local hospital and ask the question.

Chewbacca - I know you said when they initially attend the hospital, they're asked if they would like to opt in to recieve appointment reminders but I bet, like Derby, they don't ask for your consent to pass info to an outside agency in order for you to get the reminders.

That's what I was actually trying to ask.

Does your service point out that this data is going outside the NHS?

Evie64 is right this was a breach of confidentiality under the rules. If she is concerned contacting PALS ( patient advice and liaison service ) at the hospital registers concerns but not a full blown complaint. It is a matter for clinical governance and training of the receptionist

Wow!
Something being done right.

That's why they factor them out to data protection specialist companies FarNorth Setting it up is a very long legal process, for obvious reasons, and rather than have hospital staff seconded to doing it, it makes sense to utilise established and accredited companies who already have everything in place.

quizqueen

If you don't want to 'accidentally' or otherwise hear any details about anyone else then don't give your contact details!!!

This is similar to the 'logic' that suggests that if you don't like the way your NOK role has been misinterpreted you should stop being NOK.

When my contact details were given , it was on the assumption that they would be used as intended (which I am more than happy that they should be) - ie in the event that I needed to be told critical information about my mother - not that it could be used however the receptionist saw fit.

The NOK role does not imply a right to be given any and all information about someone. I am not in loco parentis, my mother is not in need of an interpreter or carer, and she does have a right to make appointments without others knowing that she has done so.

Anyway, I have no intention of taking this further, or twisting my knickers over it. I was just a bit disconcerted at the time, and asked on here to see if I was right to be concerned.

Where is the Zen smiley when I need one?

That sounds good Chewbacca.

I had been assuming something like that would be too complicated for NHS admin depts which, in my experience, are very badly organised and make many mistakes.

FarNorth at the time that the hospital asks you if you would like to receive appointment reminders, you will be asked by what method you would like to recieve them. You will also be asked what "key words" you would like as your personal security check before the call can proceed. That key word is known only to you, the hospital and the person who is phoning you.
If you have any qualms or doubts about it, you're under no pressure to accept the appointment reminders service, it's purely a personal choice. But it is a service that is proven to save the NHS many ££££££ in failed appointments.

doodledog asked: Why was the GP disgusted?

I answer: because I'd been told by the hospital doc that I didn't have a fractured shoulder when actually I did. I presume he was thinking they hadn't looked carefully enough at the xrays.

I googled my fracture and it seems that its being missed is not uncommon.

If you don't want to 'accidentally' or otherwise hear any details about anyone else then don't give your contact details!!!

Chewbacca If the person who answers the call identifies as the patient, they are asked a number of personal identification questions and they must answer them all correctly before the call can proceed further

This is a little worrying as we are always being told not to give personal info to people who call up.
How are we to know it's really the NHS on the phone?

I don't have a solution, all the same.

Poppyred do you drive recklessly, get away with it and think it's fine because no harm was done?

But that is the point isn’t it....No harm was done!
Move on enjoy life while you can and don’t sweat over the small things.