BEEN ADVISED TO CONTACT.....PALS!

[sugga]

Hi all, i went to see my doctor this morning and he asked me if i had heard anything from the hospital about my date for wls. I told him that my surgery had been cancelled again for the 3rd time.

He said that this is not on, and even though its understandable because of the flu epidemic, cancer patients, and elective surgery, this is to much for me to handle.

He suggested i get in touch with PALS, i dont even know what it stands for but the doc explained that they would support me in getting a date and whether that be in Feb, March or April it cannot be cancelled.

I told him that i didnt want to seem to be complaining and he said that when i ring them to say this to them, tell them you just want a date and you want the date to be final.

The doctor said the PALS are really good and will do all this for me.

I am just wondering has anyone had to use PALS before and would you recommend that i ring them.

The doctor said it wont go through as a complaint but they will just simply get me a date and it will be final so then i can sort things out and it will give me a date to focus on.

I dont want to upset the surgeon. haha

Thanks everyone xx

 

[Bev]

Hello Angel,
I don't think it will do any harm to have a chat with PALS.
It's not an escalated complaint, but you may get a bit more support from them to help you along with your wait and it's hard when you are starting and stopping pre op diets....

I'm expecting the same with the weather and flu issues.... but please take this as a positive move and it's someone else to feedback how your admission prosects may be looking and I wouldn't view it negatively.

Good luck precious.

Love and hugs xxx

 

[Mixman]

Home

xx

 

[dottychic]

Andrea I went to PALS because all my paperwork went "missing" for 3months! I waited and waited for a letter from the hospital and every time I rang I was told my file must be "in a room somewhere" My daughter said thats not good enough! We researched what we could do and found PALS> I phoned and spoke to a lovely lady and she took all my history and said she would look into it and ring me back a day later, she did and she was absolutely brilliant. She found my missing file, it had been put into the wrong place by Mr Ammoris secretary and left there untouched! She followed the trail on the computer and found what had happened. Whats more she got me a formal apology from the Trust and my psych appointment that Mr Ammoris secretary told me would take another 3 months was miraculously changed to the following Wednesday! I told her from the start that I didnt want to appear moany and complaining and she said its your right to know whats happening when appointments dont arrive when expected etc. I would deffinately give it a try....its highly unlikely the surgeon would even get to know about it....they are above all of that! Lol.....you have nothing to loose and everything to gain XX

 

[Wendy1]

Have a go at PALS, i went to them about a doctor who was not very nice to me, he came and apoligised and put me through early not for the wls but something else. They have to respond and it works. Good Luck x

 

[sugga]

Thanks Mixxy for the link

Thanks jac and bev maybe i will give em a ring

I went to the travel agents today to cancell the holiday that we have booked for September as at this rate i wont have lost enough weight to feel like going..when i first booked it i was allowing more than a year to lose weight and the holiday was a new me holiday..at this rate the old me will still be here. xxx

 

[sugga]

Thanks Wendy, does anyone know what pals stands for x

 

[Bev]

Hello love, it's a Patient and Liaison service xxx

 

[lisa x]

Patient advice and liaison services I think Andrea..

i would definaltly be in contact with PALS...they are there to help you hun..that is why the service is in place to help people lost in the giant NHS service.
please ring then soon hun x x x

 

[sugga]

Thanks for the ladies xx

 

[phatmomma]

PALS Patient Advice and Liasion Service. The aim of pals is to liaise on your behalf with whichever service of the nhs is not working for you! Don't always expect to get a decision when you complain, but, if like you Andrea you have a very valid complaint they can help to reach a satisfactory conclusion....

You ring your PALS and get the date you deserve xx

 

[sugga]

Thank you Julie im going too xxx

 

[midnight-star]

I rang PALS at Walsall Manor when my op was cancelled and then re-scheduled for 17th March, I felt waiting another 12 weeks was a bit much when I have already waited a yr. and the op was cancelled by them and no fault of mine.
I was told by the woman I spoke to that they didn't get involved in the waiting lists but she would make a note that I had called. She said the only other thing I could do was put a written formal complaint in. I must admit I felt fobbed off yet again

Sue

 

[sugga]

Oh that wasnt very good for you.
Did your Dr advise you to do this.
I will ring them and see what they say, thats all i can do isnt it. xxx

 

[DaisyMaesy]

Don't forget to tell them you are ringing on your doctors advice! good luck

 

[Bridgit]

hi sugga, i am under mr patel also and have been cancelled for a 3rd time today i was supposed to have surgery tomorrow at the northern i have spoken to patients services they are looking into the bed situation would you let me know how you get on with pals as i may go down that route if i don't get any joy x i know just how your feeling and every time i do the diet it gets harder x

 

[Grace]

There is obviously problems at Sheffield if this is happening but it's totally unfair on the poor people being put through this.
Sugga i do hope you ring PALS and that you get a good outcome.
All this waiting around and wondering must really get you down.
Hugs, Grace xxx

 

[phatmomma]

Grace it's not just Sheffield. It's 'winter pressure' time again in hospitals, that combined with the flu and staff sickness is causing problems nationwide.... It will get better but it does happen every year, although last year we didn't get the flu we were expecting xx

 

[sugga]

Hi everyone, i rang the hospital today, it was the number i found from the link that Mixxy kindly put on here for me.

I asked if i was through to pals and the lady said that Sheffield no longer have pals but i was in the right place. Its called patients representative now.

I explained everything that had happen with my cancellations and she said she was going to send an email to the service manager and they should get back to me this afternoon.

She also said that she had received a call from someone else yesterday who is under the same surgeon as i am and they had been cancelled 3 times too. So it seems im not alone.

She is not putting this through the complains procedure but she agreed that they will look carefully at my case and will take it from there.

Maybe there is nothing they can do, who knows...or maybe they will give me a date and promise me that it wont be change...i dont know, but at least i have tryed.

Would have thought my doctor would have known that there is no pals in Sheffield anymore dont you think.

Anyway ill let you know if and when i hear something.

Sorry Bridget to here that you are being cancelled too lovey its not nice is it...let me know if i can be of any help to you love...we will through this xx

 

[Bev]

Good luck and hoping for good news Angel... I think they are called various things in different areas, but are basically Patient Liaison and Representation... it's stressful enough sometimes dealing with hospitals so I'm really hoping it eases your journey precious... keep us posted and all the very best of everything is wished, as always xxx