Shy

Today’s challenge is ‘shy’ and these little Winter Aconites are certainly shy this year, they are normally in bloom before the snowdrops; not this year.

Today I shall have a rant, I shall probably rant on Twitter and FaceBook. If you are a doctor’s receptionist you might want to look away now, for others, no need to read unless you wish too; I need to document this for future reference.


As many of you know the GOG, my husband, has a long-term medical condition, which is being treated. Last June he trapped a nerve in his back and for many weeks was able to either stand or lay down only, meals were eaten standing up. He was prescribed morphine and his own GP suggested that he sign a ‘Do Not Resuscitate order (DNR); he did not. Again as many know, his bowel burst at the end of September and he had peritonitis; he was not expected to survive. His surgeon and the assistant surgeon in Addenbrookes were brilliant; he was told that the bowel had burst as a direct result of the morphine, prescribed in large doses by his GP; morphine does not work well on back pain! We waited four months to see the pain clinic specialist at Addenbrookes regarding the trapped nerve and saw the consultant on Monday 2 December; he suggested a change of medication. When we returned to the pain clinic on Friday 17 December we were asked if the new medication was working; his medication had not yet been changed. They also suggested that the only way forward was the new medication and some physiotherapy; we do not yet have an appointment for any extra physiotherapy. Since Christmas I have been chasing the change of medication prescribed on Monday 2 December 2013, ringing our surgery many times, they claimed not to have received anything from Addenbrookes. Whilst in Addenbrookes on Wednesday 8 January I visited the pain clinic and was assured that they would sort it out. I chased the pain clinic again last week, they assured me that the letter had gone ‘first class’. On Monday this week the GOG had a blood test appointment at our local surgery and I asked about the letter; not here they said. I rang the pain clinic again and the consultant’s secretary assured me that she would telephone our surgery and fax through the information. I telephoned the surgery on Tuesday, the receptionist told me that nothing had come through. I rang the pain clinic again and the consultant’s secretary was on a training day until 1600 hours, I left a message. The surgery telephoned me at 1610 hours to say that they did not know why I had been told that the letter had not arrived; it was there, but had not been acted upon. Clearly the consultants’ secretary had chased them for me. Today I telephoned the surgery to ask where in the system the prescription was; not here they said. I explained that it was there as someone had telephoned me, I was speaking to the same person as before; she put the telephone down on me. Then the post arrived, in it was a copy of the letter from the consultant to the surgery, which gave details of the two new medications; it was posted to us from the surgery on Wednesday this week. I then had a thought and rang our local pharmacy where we have to get our prescription, yes, it was there and made up ready for collection, but only one new medication, not two. I ‘power walked’ from the pharmacy to the surgery, good for the weight loss and spoke to a different receptionist who told me that the other prescription had just been sent to the GP for signature. She also said she had no idea why I was told the information had not been received. I then remembered that there was another change of medication from a different Addenbrookes clinic; I knew they had received that one. That had arrived at the surgery two weeks ago; nothing had been done about it; it was processed while I was there and the efficient receptionist has already telephone the GOG about it. End of rant – for today.


If you have read this far you will know that it is not necessarily anyone’s fault, but a combination of events. One of the receptionists clearly did not know where to look and gave out duff information; maybe this is a lack of training, no doubt lack of funds will be the excuse. The receptionist I spoke to in person was clearly better than the one I spoke to on the telephone; I have both names and I will be writing to the practice manager. I did ask to be put through to the practice manager this morning, but was told on the telephone that she would not be able to do anything and this is when the telephone was disconnected. Clearly they are paying their receptionists too much or maybe too little to the practice manager.

The next appointment for the GOG with the neurosurgeon is Monday 17 February then we are going for a second opinion; he does not like to make a fuss; take note GOG it will be out of your hands!