Patients slow to react

BELINDA FEEK | 28th November 2006

NINETEEN people have contacted Wanganui Hospital concerned their cases were among the 633 missed in a booking botch-up.

And after its investigation yesterday into the "systems error", 393 were found to have been affected.

It was revealed on Sunday that 633 gastroscopy, colonoscopy, urology, oncology and neurology referrals and appointments between October 2003 and October 26 this year were not processed correctly.

The error was a clerical one, discovered when another person had to work in the department concerned. The Chronicle understands nobody has died as a result, and the person responsible has resigned.

Yesterday, 19 people contacted the hospital, while 240 out of the 633 patients affected by the booking botch-up have already been assessed by hospital specialists, placed on waiting lists, or have had appointments booked.

Thirty people requiring urgent or semi-urgent specialist appointments were also personally contacted yesterday.

WDHB chief executive Memo Musa said out of the 633 patients affected by the systems error, 58 have already attended an appointment, while a further 14 have already had appointments scheduled. A further 91 patients had been seen and discharged back to their GPs for ongoing care, however their documentation was not processed correctly.

The majority of letters sent to these patients and the 393 patients who are still waiting to have appointments scheduled, or reassessments carried out, were sent yesterday, to either explain that their referral had been part of the systems error, or to notify them that a new appointment will be made shortly or redirect them to their GPs for reassessment. The rest of the letters will be sent today.

Patients with urgent referrals will receive an appointment within the next month. Patients with conditions regarded as semi-urgent will receive an appointment between one and three months.

"We take this very seriously," Mr Musa said. "Although contact is being made with affected patients, if anyone has any concerns they should contact their GP or alternatively call the Wanganui Hospital on 0800-222-390."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health's manager of quality and safety and the senior adviser of quality and safety are in Wanganui to help determine the cause of the reported mismanagement of specialist referrals.

This assessment will also determine the adequacy and appropriateness of the management of this event.