Our 'Wonderful' NHS

Are there any examples of excellent admin?

I suppose that every time we get to an appointment and we’re expected, get our texts to remind us of them, have our records updated, and receive information that’s pertinent and helpful, the admin is working well. I’ve been lucky, I’ve never had any of the problems others on here have had. It must be frustrating for those affected.

This kind of thing happened a few times with me and others in our Trust area and I think there must have been complaints because now I get several texts, a letter and two or three emails for just one appointment.

I did have to change an appointment myself recently by phone and got two letters, one cancelling my old appointment due to unforeseen circumstances and another in the same post, separate envelope, more postage, with my new appointment time.

My oncologist's secretary is great. I presume she's NHS.

I once received an envelope from our local NHS hospital containing two letters. One invited me for an appointment on a certain date and the second one cancelled it. Does nobody oversee these ridiculous communications?

People got really hyaterical about it. Saying that it meant that people who went to their GP with mental health issues would be targetted by social services etc

Lots of scare stories on social media: "ACT NOW TO STOP NHS SHARING YOUR DATA"

Yet when they tried to roll out a single linked up data system in my region people were up in arms about it and many opted out. It couldnt work unless it was the only system in use: that was the point!

People can be very reluctant to change whenever NHS systems try to update

My GP practice is an excellent example - is it hospitals that are poorer?

Are there any examples of excellent admin? I have examples of excellent medical care but have seen several examples of inefficiency and wastage in the admin.

So much of the admin, as well as the nursing staff, in the NHS has been outsourced to private agencies. Also it has all been split up into different areas (so not National any more) so one might be a lot better than another.

This happens so often.

My husband received a strongly worded letter admonishing him for failing to go to an appointment.

A list followed with how much money is wasted by missed appointments

Thing is, he'd been to the appointment!

I got one of those calls last night and I hadn't even received the letter with the changed date. I must have now had 6 different contacts about one appointment.

I also think it is a waste to send letters telling us they are sending a bowel cancer testing kit out. I understand doing it for a first timer or someone who has ignored the test but if you have always done it what is the point? When I mentioned it to a friend she said 'that's what they always do' as if there was nothing wrong with it. I think that our continually accepting the system without question is part of the problem

I always got a phone-call prior to an appointment making sure I was still attending.

I received a letter today saying that my appointment had been rearranged for 19th November (yesterday).I expect I will get a black mark for not attending !

You are right suzie and the software probably is there but the people using it are not accountable and it really feels as if they don't care. The person I spoke to was trying to tell me I was wrong! There most certainly was an attitude issue.

You’d think that with all the software available, this wouldn’t happen. Efficient admin systems are so important in all organisations but are often undervalued