Recently I spent a lot of time in my local NHS hospital - Wiiliam Harvey in Ashford. Due to issues and complications last month I had to spend two weeks in Guy's Hospital in London. I could not believe the difference in the two hospitals and I'm guessing you'll be surprised by which I thought to be the better.
The thing that has struck me the most was the differences between the two hospitals when it comes to discharge.
With William Harvey my consultant wrote me a sick note signing me off work for an allotted amount of time. He said if I needed more I could go to my GP and get a continuation but that in his opinion I should be feeling well enough for work by the end of the sick note.
Upon discharge from Guy's hospital I asked for a doctors note. 'Oh no we don't do those here,' said the nurse. 'You need to go to your GP.'
I have been discharged from hospital on a bank holiday weekend. On Tuesday morning I need to get myself to the GPs surgery and sit amongst people with colds and other transmitable diseases just to get a sick note.
When I eventually get into see my GP I need to explain the surgery and ask for a sick note. I am not sure how she is supposed to know how long I need so I am guessing she will give me a note for a fortnight and then I will have to repeat the process in 14 days time, assuming I can get an appointment. Oh and I have to do all this having had part of my larynx removed and not being able to speak.
This is taking up my GP's time and exposing me to unnecessary risk of infection all within days of being discharged from hospital. I would love to know how at anyone at Guy's hospital can think this is a good use of NHS resources when a doctor could have written this note out for me during his rounds on the day of discharge.
One - nil to William Harvey I think, don't you?
Keep checking out the blog for further posts on how William Harvey know a thing or two about patient care.
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