"Local out of Hours service"

 Onward referral from WMAS

After having significant worsening of symptoms relating to Upper Abdominal Pain with feelings of nausea upon Light Pressure, I have previously had significant liver function / pain management issue alongside having MRI scan which showed no significant abnormalities, I contacted West Midlands Ambulance Service with regards to the level of pain with ability to affect daily living.

I appreciate the local  Out of Hours service experiences fluctuating high levels of demand with regards to call back for clinical advice after telephone triage with NHS 111 or the ambulance service. I have noticed very particularly that this service is constantly failing to make contact with patients within the allocated disposition time given to have discussion, explore clinical history and decide on appropriate action required.

I have experienced significant delays with call back  sometimes offering appointment at different centre outside of area or having advice to attend as walk-in patient or being offered appointment very late at night almost to the end of day, this contradictory of having telephone consultation with experienced GP first before being offered appointments at local centre.

I feel that the disposition time given after consultation with ambulance service senior clinician is making safe assumptions that the GP Out of Hours will call back within time frame or thereabouts. I have observed some significant delays in service delivery which is not acceptable and I feel that the perspective of the service being delivered safely from clinical perspective has gone out of the window and could in severe deterioration of symptoms that could have been avoided.

I feel that this service appears to be not the most desirable service to utilise after calling NHS 111 majority of time, as the general attitude seems to be that the staff or clinicians have as long as they want to make contact with patients. I feel that the service is not fit for purpose, they simply told me to call ambulance service back as the person calling me was a dispatcher, non clinical.

I found the service very unhelpful, and was shouted at during telephone call as I was distressed, significantly in pain and was telling me to that nothing more potent than cocodamol, this is not the right service for myself as they told me to go somewhere else.