complaint

- New Living Traditions -

I have been a type 1 (insulin dependant) diabetic for over 40 years. I am aware of the risks and complications of my condition, but I will not put up with being nagged.

This letter started as a letter of questions and complaint about the way Bradford's retinopathy service functions; but is now also a general complaint because I am unhappy with every aspect of diabetic care in Bradford, and most aspects of health provision here full stop. My care, especially critical eye care, is an absolute shambles, and I doubt it is good for many.

I went to have by eyes screened at a subcontracted optician. The internet was not working. I had no screening and the only way to rebook was through the retinopathy bureaucracy. I could not rebook at the opticians. I have three question I want answered above all else:

Questions

Who is responsible for creating a screening system based on internet connection; with no back-up or system for coping with internet failure?

What percentage of retinopathy appointments are missed? How many fail because of system failure; and how does that compare to the national average, or to neighbouring authorities?

If there has to be a internet connection for there to be an eye screening, then why can I not rebook at the optician? They are on the same database the bureaucracy is?

General Complaint

Confused authority

It is almost impossible to find out who to complain to about almost anything. The Bradford Health Authority website is a mess, and the dogs breakfast of providers is impossible to pick apart. This letter is going to several individuals and bodies because I have no faith in any one of the bodies.

Bad 'community' provision replacing good central care

I have to have regular reviews of general health, eyes and feet. I used to get all 3, plus less important reviews, at the Bradford Royal Infirmary in one afternoon.

Now my GP has 'general' responsibility but has no ability to contract eyes or feet. They are controlled by bureaucracies which subcontract. I get an endless, badly written, letters from them booking appointments, or demanding I phone them to do so. Including my General Practice (which is also now sending out random appointments, and only ringing only a few days before to confirm) I have to waste over one and a half days to do what took an half day before; and I have waste over because the provision is scattered, at random, across Bradford.

Responsibility for care.

I believe in patient responsibility, but I forget things, so obviously there is a need for records and reminders. When I went to the BRI I would get a letter telling me to go, and if I could not I would ring to change it. That was fine, but if I had to ring someone in Manchester, who then had to ring the BRI to change the appointment, then send me a letter that would be stupid.

Sub Contracting

I have to ring a bureaucracy to get an appointment for my eyes, and my feet. They have noting to do with eyes, feet, or me. They subcontract. Who gains? The whole shabby myth of community care and provision falls apart if the powers that contact provision, and the providers of care, are separated from the community by either faceless agency or distance.

What I want

I want to have all my diabetic needs met in one place at one time (like I did at BRI) rather than have to find different times and places for each part.

If that is impossible, I would like to book all appointments through one agency, like my GP.

I do not mind being reminded, and I do not mind a bureau being paid for that seeks to remind me (if it actually works, and I still doubt it would work better than the GP), but if I am to take responsibility for my own provision, I should be able to book directly with an optician.

The present retinopathy screening system is not only not working, it is working against diabetics; and what I have said about the retinal service also applies to to the podiatry service. The issue of poor, or not working, communication also seems endemic. If if the problems are particular to Bradford (and it seems much worse than provision in other areas my relatives for my diabetic relatives) it it needs to change, or be forced to change.

Glyn Watkins