MY mother has an annual ear procedure carried out by the ENT (ear, nose and throat) nurse at the ENT department of the Royal Gwent.
She has been having the procedure for around 20 years with no problems. But when May 2013 came around and still no appointment letter had been received, we called the bookings number and were told that the nurse was off on maternity leave and to try again in a few weeks. This was early June.
Now, mid July, I called again and was told that the ENT nurse had been off on maternity leave for months and was not due back until July 22. I was also told that while she’s been off, they had employed another nurse, but that she too has been off sick for months after breaking a bone in an accident. You couldn’t make it up, could you.
I was told that there is a massive backlog of appointments and the best thing to do is call when the nurse is back, but that we should not expect to get an appointment for months and months.
No doubt both nurses are on full pay, yet patients needing treatment are just put on hold. Surely this can’t be right.
It is mind-blowing to learn that the ENT department is run by just one nurse and that if she is off, the whole department effectively shuts down. Why should we all suffer just because one nurse is having a baby?
While my mother’s procedure is not a matter of life and death, it is important to the health of her ear and it must be done. I would appreciate a comment from the RGH about this as well as an appointment for my mother.
Sarah J Symonds, Bassaleg, Newport
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