Gransnet forums

Health

Foot saga (contin.)

(8 Posts)
Nonu Thu 01-May-14 19:59:38

Mishap I am a bit confused here , you talk about boat operator.

Is that how it all started, were you alone when you got off the boat or do you have witnesses .

This awful for you .

Aka Thu 01-May-14 15:44:04

Don't give up on this. Consultants command huge salaries which is supposed to reflect their level of expertise and competence.

Mishap Thu 01-May-14 14:44:54

And to rub salt in the wound, the solicitors dealing with my claim against the boat operator have had to let the claim go, as the boatman lied - he said he helped me off the boat, which is clearly nonsense as, if he had, I would not have fallen.

Ana Wed 30-Apr-14 19:33:58

I agree with deb as well, Mishap - it makes my blood boil how some of these people get away with 'explaining things away'. Covering his own backside is just about right, IMO!

I also know the feeling that to complain too much reflects badly on yourself and may have repercussions at some stage - I've kept my own counsel on those grounds recently and wish I hadn't...

Nonu Wed 30-Apr-14 19:26:52

Mishap , I concur with all DEB says.

Go for it girl, you have nothing to loose !!

If your resolve weakens , think of the pain you have been in !!

smile

DebnCreme Wed 30-Apr-14 19:13:32

I am afraid I would go for the jugular Mishap and make everything as formal as possible. With what that person has put you through he should not be allowed to practice certainly not without improving his skill levels.

Unfortunately the NHS exhausts us so much that we tend to go for the easier option because we lose the will to fight, and don't they just know it? I can't remember whether you have taken legal advice but it may be worth approaching a compensation company if only to see whether they believe there is a case to answer.

For your own peace of mind you need to write back to your consultant, who knows he may have got you muddled with another patient (tongue in cheek) if he didn't know of the fractures! angry

My daughter had to return to work (she also had a foot problem where one minute it was broken, the next it was not and the A&E made a complete pigs ear of things. Eventally it was decided her foot was not broken) Fortunately her company organised a visit to Occupational Health who said she should never have been plastered and it was this which caused most of her problems. he made more sense in one hour than everyone else did in five months.

Whatever you decide to do I hope all goes well for you flowers

Elegran Wed 30-Apr-14 18:38:32

I think I would mention it in a letter to the chief exec. If you have had enough of complaining (it is hard work!) you could start by thanking him for his lettter and saying that you do not want to continue making an issue of this, but that you do want to point out the discrepancies between what you were told at that consultation and the consultant's version. You feel that he should know about it.

Why he would have said there were no fractures, asked why you were using a crutch, and discharged you as OK if he had been considering the very treatments that you were later given for the two "non-existent" fractures.

Sounds as though the consultant is covering his backside. Do you have anything in writing? The discharge as OK paperwork should be clear written evidence.

Mishap Wed 30-Apr-14 18:25:20

Following a complaint to the hospital where I received such appalling treatment for my broken foot 18 months ago, I have received a letter from the chief exec. acknowledging that my treatment "has fallen short of our aims." Some changes have been made, including staff training sessions in A&E regarding assessing patient's needs when they leave the department.

They also recognised that some of the administrative and waiting times issues were being addressed.

He points out repeatedly that my injury is very rare and that they are unlikely to see such a case more than once year. I accept this and knew this from my own researches, but it does not excuse the registrar ignoring my concerns and wanting to discharge me.

However, I am now faced with a dilemma over the clinical issues, as the feedback in the letter from the consultant is, to my mind, simply not true. He is maintaining that the treatments that I have now had from a specialist hospital (and the surgery that is contemplated) had been considered by him - which seems very unlikely as at my last consultation with him he actually said that there were no fractures (there were 2!) and asked why I was using a crutch. There is a discrepancy here, and it is clear to me that there was a misdiagnosis which he is trying to cover up. He offers an apology for not conveying to me the long recovery time to be expected and the possible treatment options if it did not settle; when in fact he discharged me as being OK!

What would you do? - let sleeping dogs lie and assume that having been the subject of a complaint he will be more vigilant next time? Point out the discrepancy in a reply to the chief exec?