Care Opinion

Consideration please when times are given to remote area pat...

Posted By Uranus

"Consideration please when times are given to remote area patients"

About: Crosshouse Hospital

(as the patient),

Crosshouse Hospital handles many appointments for patients on the Island of Arran.

I have recently requested a postponement of an outpatient appointment there.

An appointment had been made for 8. 30 am.

As a resident of Arran, I need to travel by ferry. The first ferry off the island leaves at 8. 20 am. and takes an hour. Therefore any appointment at Crosshouse before 10. 00 am, would mean an overnight stay.

Could consideration be given to offering Arran residents appointments after 10. 00 am?

This winter has seen an unprecedented number of ferry cancellations and for non urgent appointments, I'm sure all Arran residents would welcome the option of a summer appointment.

Indeed in the last few years the ferry company has increased the number of sailings in high summer offering even greater flexibility to travellers.

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Responses

Response from Kate MacDonald, Business Manager, Nurse Directorate, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 11 years ago
Kate MacDonald
Business Manager, Nurse Directorate, NHS Ayrshire and Arran,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 28/02/2014 at 22:03
Published on Care Opinion on 01/03/2014 at 15:52

picture of Kate MacDonald

Dear Uranus

Your story has flagged a very important question and I am sure your fellow islanders will understand your predicament as well.

I am going to pass your story onto our Referral Management Service Manager to look into this for you.

Thank you for raising this, Uranus.

Kind regards

Kate

Kate Macdonald

Patient Opinion Coordinator

NHS Ayrshire and Arran

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Response from Kate MacDonald, Business Manager, Nurse Directorate, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 11 years ago
Kate MacDonald
Business Manager, Nurse Directorate, NHS Ayrshire and Arran,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 14/03/2014 at 12:13
Published on Care Opinion at 15:04

picture of Kate MacDonald

Dear Uranus

I have received an update to your posting from our Referral Management Service Manager:

"Thank you for your posting.

We make every effort to arrange later appointments for patients from outlying areas, like the Isle of Arran, where you live. However, when filling a clinic from a waiting list the patient’s address is not immediately apparent on our Patient Management System, so unfortunately there are occasions when this is missed.

Matters can also be complicated by the set-up of the clinic requested by the clinician e.g. all new patient slots at the start of the clinic, with review patient slots later on.

We do however endeavour to appoint patients who live on the islands to later slots where possible and we are happy to re-arrange appointments with no detriment to yourself and other patients if you give my team a call within 7 days."

Thank you and Kind regards

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