Currently up to 20% of our Clinician and Admin staff time every week is spent carrying out work that can and should be done by other NHS providers. This takes us away from the work at hand, looking after our patients’ day to day problems.
Examples of work we are having to do for other providers include: blood tests required by hospital; X-rays, scans and other investigations needed doing by hospital; medication initiation or changes required by hospital; missed appointment at hospital needing rearranging; dental issues; social services issues
In all such circumstances, we would advise you to contact your hospital consultant or team, dentist, social worker etc. in the first instance to arrange tests and follow up.
You can also contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) in hospital if you struggle to contact a service – contact your hospital switchboard and ask for the PALS team.