‘Frustration’ is another name for the NHS at the moment. Why? Because I have been trying for nearly a month, to get some statistics out of the NHS system.
Wolverhampton City Council is supposed to be a partner in the NHS working through Public Health with CCG and the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Trust. So when I receive a request from a constituent which relates to a problem he has with a hip, and his expectations relating to the hip surgery. I thought it would be a ‘piece of cake’ find this information.
Question to Public Health – “ I have been in contact with HealthWatch recently about a constituents complaint. This has led to my constituent being informed that the hip replacement that he requires will not be carried out before Christmas.
Can you inform me how many Wolverhampton citizens are waiting for this treatment?
- How long patients are waiting on average for the operation.
- How these figures compare with the Regional Average
- How they compare with the National Average
Is the resources for this type of surgery is reducing or expanding at New Cross? I look forward to receiving your response.”
Public Health a partner with the National Health Service
Now I submitted that request on the 21st May 2015….. I was told by the Public Health Director that they would have to ask the Clinical Commissioning Group, as the PH team did not have access to that information which they duly did.
Today on the 23 June I find out that CCG have not yet responded as they do not keep the information either, and that they have to wait for the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital Trusts to supply them with the statistics!
Now I think this delay in response is simply shocking. It started with my constituents complaint to Healthwatch carried through to Public Health, slipped through to the Clinical Commissioning Group, and is with the Royal Wolverhampton Hospital with no response as yet to the question. A month has gone by now, with out a response which is simply shocking.
How long should it be before questions like this get an answer? The Governments top down reorganisation of the Health Service is looking like a ‘dog breakfast to’ me. Now I am unhappy about this delayed and laborious response to a set of simple question answered. I think I have been more than patient waiting for a reply. My constituent who raised his pain, and his delays with me, thinks I am a donkey! Now I can inform you that I am not a donkey – but I am mad that the NHS organisation appears to be so bad, and is poor in working with each other.
I shall be contacting all three organisations and asking them if they are satisfied with their arrangements, and more to the point. When will I be getting my response?!
