National Health Service

[born2run]

Terse message on my Voicemail.

'Message for Mr Fester, because you refused surgery last week, you have now been removed from the list'

I took great pleasure in phoning up to explain that the truth was slightly different.

I can't believe they are calling you Mr Fester. Cheek of them 

[DaveR]

Terse message on my Voicemail.

'Message for Mr Fester, because you refused surgery last week, you have now been removed from the list'

I took great pleasure in phoning up to explain that the truth was slightly different.

I can't believe they are calling you Mr Fester. Cheek of them 

His fame (notoriety?) has spread even within the confines of the NHS... 

[Fester]

When I worked in a Management role, no matter how well any dept performed or how well targets were met... it seemed that the Board of Directors simply saw it as 'you have too many people', and pressure to make cuts always followed.

Therefore, contrary to the Govt advice to stay away from Hospital A&E departments, I would everyone to go there, as much as possible, for ANY reason.
If you create massive pressure, they are likely to throw some additional resource at it.

If pressure slackens off, they will see at as a sure fire statistical reason to make MORE cuts.

[SteveH]

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board admit they have no idea how many or what type of drugs have been stolen

Health board has no system for accounting for losses or theft of medication including controlled drugs
Health bosses have come under fire after suggesting they have no detailed records of how many drugs - including controlled drugs - are missing or stolen from its hospitals.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) told the Daily Post it also doesn’t record how much lost or stolen drugs are costing the health board.
BCUHB said the way records were compiled was up to the “interpretation” of the member of staff who noticed items were missing.
Today, politicians said they were concerned it appeared there was no proper record of where controlled drugs were ending up.
Medications including morphine, pethidine and methadone are classed as controlled drugs.
The situation came to light after the Daily Post submitted a Freedom of Information request to BCUHB asking if it had records of how many drugs had been lost or stolen over the last four years.
It responded: “The Health Board’s pharmacy system contains a drug catalogue which includes costs, quantities and issue points of all individual medicines.
“Whilst we record the costs of items we issue, we don’t record the cost against individual losses apart from returned medicines from wards and expired medicines.”
When a spreadsheet was provided to the Daily Post, the document recorded no specific dates, names of drugs or quantities.
No details of the circumstances in which drugs vanished were recorded either, and the health board has not explained why it does not insist on detailed recording.

A spokesman for BCUHB said: “The Health Board’s pharmacy system contains a drug catalogue which includes costs, quantities and issue points of all individual medicines.

“Whilst we record the costs of items we issue, we don’t record the cost against individual losses apart from returned medicines from wards and expired medicines.”

“The categorisation of incidents is subject to interpretation by the person reporting the incident or inputting the data.”
"Suggests there is a problem with stock taking and safety"
Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru’s North Wales AM, said: “If it’s the case that Betsi Cadwaladr doesn’t know which controlled drugs have gone missing and in what quantity, then it suggests there is a problem with stock taking and safety.
“Staff are under huge pressures in many areas of the health service at the moment and a tightening up of the drugs control procedures would help frontline nurses and doctors as well as reduce theft from the NHS.”
A spokesman for the Welsh Government said: “In this instance it is an operational matter for the health board.
“Each health board has a controlled drug accountable officer who investigates these matters.”
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/betsi-cadwaladr-university-health-board-9397907

[Blongb]

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board really isn't fit for purpose at the moment.

I was scheduled to have an operation on the 29th of April but at the very last moment just before going into Theatre it had to be cancelled due to a lack of available beds. I had the operation in Ysbyty Gwynedd on the 12th May. The treatment I received from Surgeons and Nurses during my stay was second to none. There the good news ends.

"We might not have the results of your Biopsy in two weeks so come in and get your results in 3 weeks time"

The day before I'm due to go to Bangor, " Sorry Mr B, we haven't got the results of your Biopsy from Glan Clwyd yet can, you come in next Tuesday?"

Today another phone call from Bangor " Sorry Mr B, we still haven't got the results of your Biopsy". Not a problem say I, how do I make an official complaint about the Pathology Department at Glan Clwyd for not doing their job?

40 days lost so far and I still don't know the result of my Biopsy. If the prognosis is bad, that's going to mean a total of 8 weeks lost, which can be the difference between life and death.

I'd say the N.H.S. in Wales isn't working and our Health in their hands is far from safe.

[alw]

Everyone has the same experience.

Urgent referral to Glan Clwyd's coronary and chest clinics in April 2014.

Chest clinic appointment and initial tests in December 2014, referred same day for lung function tests.

Had full set of lung function tests on 12th March, 2015 and staff there said the results were immediately available for Chest clinic consultants to read.

5th June, contact hospital regarding results and learned it will be at least another 2 months before I have an appointment to discuss results.

A friend was referred to a Chest consultant as a private patient in early may, 2015. was seen privately at Glan Clwyd during an outpatients clinic  2 weeks later. Lung function tests done within days and results the same week.

Clearly there is no actual shortage of staff, equipment and facilities available at Glan Clwyd, just they are being made available for private patients who are prepared to pay to queue jump. 

The special measures introduced today should include stopping all private use of staff and facilities until the waiting lists have been totally eradicated.

Won't happen of course; too much money to be made from NHS queues.

[Fester]

BlongB,
As a person who has suffered badly at the hands of the NHS this year, my heart goes out to you.

I can only imagine how frightening and frustrating it must be, as you say this delay could be a life-or-death situation and it is simply not good enough.
I sincerely hope you get the results quickly and there are no ill effects from this monstrous delay.

I too am considering my situation, as my much delayed operation has left me in a worse situation than before I had it.
At my follow up meeting with the surgeon, his laid-back approach didn't really help very much as he stated... 'it's just one of those sh$t happens moments'

[DaveR]

BCUHB has been taken into 'Special Measures'. This sounds a bit like detention at school, but it actually means that the Welsh Government is taking direct control of the organisation to try and sort it out.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/betsi-cadwaladr-university-health-board-9413621

[Nemesis]

Where do I start?

I went to the GP on Nov. 11th expecting anti-biotics for a wheezy chest. I have been asthmatic for the last 30years, so know when the usual on-going treatments need extra help.

To cut a long story short I am going in tomorrow for an angiogram, after months of 'mucking about' between one hospital and another. After a CT scan in Bangor and no word,  I rang after a fortnight to be told that it took 3 weeks to type up the results !!!!! 3 weeks later I rang again to be told to see my GP.............another fortnight to wait for the appointment.

I must say that when I eventually visited both hospitals at Glan Clwyd and Bangor I was impressed by the surroundings and 'service' so I shall see what happens tomorrow.

Strikes me if I had had anything wrong with my heart I would have keeled over by now !

[Nemesis]

Well here I am...a few bruises, but fine. I have to say that I was impressed by the care and kindness to the small group of us who had angiograms today in Glan Clwyd We were all pretty nervous, but every step was explained and all questions answered with patience. I was a lucky one, my problem doesn't need surgery, but those who did had everything fully explained.
Full marks from me.

[Ian]

What interested me were the comments by a previous BCUHB chair who commented on a culture of bullying and aggressive management within the organisation.  It's not the first time this sort of comment has been made about an institution in North Wales; the first I can remember was about the Chair of the Snowdonia National Park authority in the early '90s, and related to the 'bullying and cavalier' attitudes displayed then.

I suspect this is a peculiarly North Wales issue. The denizens of this area are, on the whole pleasant, easy-going and, above all, non confrontational. That last has often meant that people are reluctant to speak out about what they really believe and, instead, mutter about it in dark corners.

That approach, however, means that leaders or heads of institutions can not only remain in post for much longer than they perhaps should, but that the tendency to bully those they work with can emerge, since few seem compelled to bite back. I could be very wrong about that, but I've seen it operating over many years, in both charitable groups and businesses.

[DaveR]

I think you may well be right, Ian.

[bigbadhenry]

What interested me were the comments by a previous BCUHB chair who commented on a culture of bullying and aggressive management within the organisation.  It's not the first time this sort of comment has been made about an institution in North Wales; the first I can remember was about the Chair of the Snowdonia National Park authority in the early '90s, and related to the 'bullying and cavalier' attitudes displayed then.

I suspect this is a peculiarly North Wales issue. The denizens of this area are, on the whole pleasant, easy-going and, above all, non confrontational. That last has often meant that people are reluctant to speak out about what they really believe and, instead, mutter about it in dark corners.

That approach, however, means that leaders or heads of institutions can not only remain in post for much longer than they perhaps should, but that the tendency to bully those they work with can emerge, since few seem compelled to bite back. I could be very wrong about that, but I've seen it operating over many years, in both charitable groups and businesses.

I first heard about bullying at Glan Clwyd about 20 years ago. Three friends who worked there left due to bullying and harassment. Your face had to fit and if not you knew about it.

Management knew what was going on but never put a stop to it. Pleased to see that things may be changing, long overdue.

[Michael]

  Nemesis, I am not making fun about a serious matter. But I suppose you have to laugh. Did that Saturday walk in the Extravaganza do it any good?  It did.nt for me, I'm still recovering.

[Nemesis]

No Mike, my knees took some while to recover, but I don't think that walking in the pouring rain like we did, did any other damage . My problem pretty much sounds like an age related thing..................I'm giving doctors a wide berth for a while whilst I recover from being scared witless.