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Performance Indicators in the NHS - Just one example

Alice-nice-Alice

So I had a gp consultation a couple of months ago about my worsening allergies. She referred me on to a clinic in Liverpool. So the practice get tick in the performance indicators for closing my case quickly. White check mark

Prompt email reply from the allergy clinic saying the have triaged (considered) my case and determined Im not seriously enough at risk  to see them, sent some leaflets and closed my referral. Which means they can tick White check mark  their performance indicator for great speed of the case and done under the target waiting time. 

End result for me is a few leaflets and with still worsening allergies. End result for NHS is manipulated statistics to show them in a better light. 

So when the nhs and government say they have reduced waiting times have this weaze in mind, they can now effectively triage cases where one possible outcome is no action, yet this counts as a referral dealt with. I think this is fairly new as triage didn’t previously to my knowledge have “no action” as possible outcome, and that this counts positively towards waiting times averages going down which is deceitful in my opinion.

Parents

  • If waiting times are being manipulated in order to create a different impression from reality, I agree it’s deceitful and potentially harmful for patients.

    My GP referred me to mental health services over two years ago. I received a standardised response on partially headed paper and three leaflets. The letter heading showed the name of the Health Trust to which my GP had referred me, but no address or contact details and the letter wasn’t signed. The text was very blurry (a photocopy of a photocopy X multiple).

    The text said that I should contact one of the agencies named in the enclosed leaflets. These were voluntary agencies and charities. I contacted all three agencies. Two had closed several years earlier, but a very nice man at the third agency telephoned me and said they weren’t set up to deal with me as they dealt only with victims of certain types of trauma. He was furious with the Trust and he said that I and others in the past had been referred to him because the Trust couldn’t do its job and it couldn’t be bothered to deal politely and properly with people. The man hadn’t even received a courtesy call from the Trust.

    Some time later, my GP received a letter saying that I hadn’t engaged with the Health Trust service and that I had been discharged. That was untrue. I did my best to follow this up but everybody I spoke to passed the buck and told me different stories. It’s really shocking because it feels like an assault on my character, it’s lies and I’m powerless.

  • in reply to ArchaeC

    It sounds like by not putting down any contact details they pretty much guaranteed they could say you hadn't engaged with them, as they didn't give you any means to. Anywhere method of keeping the books clear, it wouldn't surprise me if the manager gets a bonus for that.

    I hope you have managed to find something since, support seems to be so thin on the ground.

  • in reply to Cinnabar_wing

    I contacted the clinic that my GP had referred me to but they said they didn’t know of anything about my referral or the letter.I suppose that could be, but somebody sent that letter.

    I received around 6 or 8 weeks counselling at the GP surgery.  The counsellor picked up that I could be ASD which ultimately lead to the GP’s referral and diagnosis, so that was a good result. I could really do with something further.

  • in reply to Cinnabar_wing
    Cinnabar_wing said:
    Anytime I've been to the doctors, they just make you feel you shouldn't have come, and I wouldn't trust talking to them about mental health issues. (I almost called them this week for something but didn't, I'm terrible at self care, much easier to look after everyone else!)

    I know what you mean about feeling you shouldn’t have gone to the doctor. Sometimes the “bedside manner” leaves a lot to be desired. The doctors in my GP surgery are generally good, but there is one who isn’t so I avoid them. I bet you are one of the least demanding patients a doctor could have. You are definitely very caring towards lots of people here but you deserve also to be caring toward yourself. I think they way the NHS is at the moment, patients need to be persistent when it comes to making their doctor realise what they are experiencing. 

    What the NHS says it offers and what happens in practice are two different things. 

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  • in reply to Cinnabar_wing
    Cinnabar_wing said:
    Anytime I've been to the doctors, they just make you feel you shouldn't have come, and I wouldn't trust talking to them about mental health issues. (I almost called them this week for something but didn't, I'm terrible at self care, much easier to look after everyone else!)

    I know what you mean about feeling you shouldn’t have gone to the doctor. Sometimes the “bedside manner” leaves a lot to be desired. The doctors in my GP surgery are generally good, but there is one who isn’t so I avoid them. I bet you are one of the least demanding patients a doctor could have. You are definitely very caring towards lots of people here but you deserve also to be caring toward yourself. I think they way the NHS is at the moment, patients need to be persistent when it comes to making their doctor realise what they are experiencing. 

    What the NHS says it offers and what happens in practice are two different things. 

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