FOUR-HOUR WAIT FOR DIALYSIS TREATMENT

[okarol]

FOUR-HOUR WAIT FOR DIALYSIS TREATMENT
Date : 09.11.07
 
People who need dialysis wait up to four hours for hospital transport, says a new report.

Its claims some resort to driving themselves in, risking an accident.

And vehicles have even been sent to pick up patients who have died.

The report investigated transport provided by East Midlands Ambulance Service for kidney patients at the City Hospital.

It was carried out by Nottingham University Hospitals Patient and Public Involvement Forum.

"Dialysis treatment is ongoing and predictable and transport booking should be relatively easy enough to plan for patients who attend very regularly," said the report, which also said patients were not supposed to wait more than 30 minutes.

"Some patients are now facing long inward and outward journey times, and in some cases they also have to wait for their dialysis appointment time when brought into the unit too early.

"Having had their treatment, they may wait anything from ten minutes to four hours for transport home. This makes it a very long and tiring day.

"Some patients even bring themselves in for treatment using their own cars and drive themselves back home from the unit after dialysis treatment.

"This gives cause for concern over the car insurance company's position if an accident should happen."

Another issue was the increased used of private taxis instead of EMAS drivers, an added cost to the NHS.

The forum said the problems were down to the system, not the drivers.

"There is no blame attached to any of the drivers providing the car service for the renal patients," it said.

John Simpson, director of estates and facilities at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We agree some patients are experiencing a service below standard and this is unacceptable.

"EMAS has gone through a restructuring process and, although it is not an excuse, this process did highlight that changes needed to be made.

"Although EMAS are still trying to implement all the changes they do have key personnel in place that will now allow day-to-day issues to be addressed.

"a href="mailto:clare.boyd@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk" class="lblue" clare.boyd@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk /a

[rose1999]

That's exactly why my Dad pays £100 a week in taxi fares!! But I can't understand why it says "Another issue was the increased used of private taxis instead of EMAS drivers, an added cost to the NHS." The NHS pays NOTHING towards Dad's taxi fares - we asked but were refused help - and no he's not rich, just a 79 year old pensioner!!

[KT0930]

It said that it was a problem if patients chose to drive themselves instead of waiting for the service. The few short months in my life when I've been on hemo, I've always driven myself, and only had to call my spouse for a ride once for low b/p. Why's it a problem for patients to drive their own cars?

[angela515]

KT- Not everyone deals with dialysis the same. Some people come off their treatmnt too dizzy or lightheaded to drive themsleves.. and it happens to them everytime, or almost everytime. I drove myself when I had a car, and when I didn't have a car, I rode the city bus.

[KT0930]

ok, thanks Anegla. Sorry, I just don't understand most of the hemo stuff.

[MyssAnne]

I drive myself, I drove myself last week, and this week, hoping this is my last week on hemo, and that I get back on pd!!! You just NEVER know how you're gonna be. There were times I had to literally grip the wheel and force myself to pay strict attention. Thank goodness I'm only about 4 blocks away, and it was LATE at night at that!