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I did not feel that my voice was important

Posted By MoMcCar61

"I did not feel that my voice was important"

About: Scottish Ambulance Service / Emergency Ambulance University Hospital Monklands / Emergency Department University Hospital Wishaw / Trauma & orthopaedics

(as a service user),

My story is about having a fall and having to have a full hip replacement.

In May 2024, it was raining and I didn’t see the 5-inch pothole in the road that I was crossing, my foot went in and I ended up with a broken hip and being told that I would need to have a full hip replacement.

I started that journey in Airdrie, the paramedics came within 10 minutes of a colleague calling them, I told the paramedic that I thought I had broken my leg as I couldn’t stand on it and when I did finally get upright, I couldn’t put any pressure on it and couldn’t feel a thing.

The paramedic insisted on taking me to Monklands hospital, even when their colleague suggested that Wishaw would deal with breaks and bones! So off I was taken to Monklands A&E, only to be told after the x-ray they took that I would need to be transferred to Wishaw General for the operation for the hip.

So I had a 12-hour wait to get transferred to Wishaw. Monklands hospital doctors and staff I could not fault at all, they were very efficient and looked after me until I was transferred. I did not feel that my voice was important and the paramedic did not listen to me at all or their colleague.

2 days later I was taken to the operating theatre for the replacement and the Wishaw nursing, clinical staff and surgeon again were great, the physiotherapist and OT that came to give me advice on how to get walking again for the 3 days that was there after the operation were very good. I was told it would be a year recovery due to the hip being a trauma and not an elective surgery. It has been almost 10 months, and I am almost back to normal, 3 months after surgery I was back driving short journeys and back at work full time. 

My only gripe would be the paramedic that insisted on taking me to Monklands and not Wishaw, as they delayed my surgery by 3 days as I would have been taken in the same day if I had been transferred before 3pm that day. And you only get physio at the hospital, I am a very independent woman and wanted my life back, so I got physio every day and did small amounts of Yoga to assist in my recovery ( before the accident I practised Yoga daily).  I think a pamphlet could be made with for those who have had surgery to sign post them as to where they can get help or talk to people who have gone through the similar surgery and what might the expect on recovery.

Google became my friend for what I should be doing on different stages of my recovery and I don’t think the internet should really be used this way, health profession should be better for this I really did feel at time like I was on my own.

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Responses

Response from Mark Hannan, Head of Corporate Affairs and Engagement, Scottish Ambulance Service last month
Mark Hannan
Head of Corporate Affairs and Engagement,
Scottish Ambulance Service

Submitted on 03/03/2025 at 10:14
Published on Care Opinion at 10:14

Hi MoMcCar61,

I'm really sorry to hear about your accident and subsequent hip replacement. It sounds like you've been through a long journey in your recovery but it's good to see that you are almost back to normal again. I'll leave my colleagues in NHS Lanarkshire to come back to you on your wider comments and your pamphlet suggestion.

However, I just wanted to apologise from a Scottish Ambulance Service perspective that you weren't happy with certain aspects of your care from us and that you didn't feel your voice was heard. We don't always get things right and are always very sorry when that does happen. We'd obviously have to look into the background of your particular case to investigate further to see if there was anything we could have done better or whether there were any other reasons for certain decisions on the day but our staff work very hard to try and make the right decisions in the best interests of patients. I'm sorry if you feel that didn't happen in this instance. We'd be happy to look into your case further if you would like us to do so. If so, could you send some further details (such as name, address, date of incident, location of incident and brief details of what your complaint is in relation to) to sas.feedback@nhs.scot.

Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences via Care Opinion, it is much appreciated.

I wish you all the very best for the rest of your recovery.

Mark

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Response from Laura Walker, Physiotherapy Lead UHW, Physiotherapy, NHSL last month
Laura Walker
Physiotherapy Lead UHW, Physiotherapy,
NHSL

Submitted on 04/03/2025 at 17:11
Published on Care Opinion on 05/03/2025 at 08:26

Hi MoMcCar61,

Thank you for your feedback.

I am glad to hear the physiotherapist gave you advice on how to get walking again for the 3 days that you were in hospital.

As a physiotherapy team we aim to identified goals with individuals and if the goals cannot be achieved independently with advice/prescribed exercises, the team would explore referring to a team that would help individuals achieve goals. I am sorry to hear this did not happen on this occasion.

Our Orthopaedic team have recognised there is an area of improvement and are in the progress of developing a website to help provide advice, information, exercises and signpost patients to services after hip surgery - this website would hopefully be beneficial to all patients, including high functioning patients.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your experiences on Care Opinion.

Laura Walker

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Response from Jennifer Montgomery, Improvement Coordinator, Quality Directorate, NHS Lanarkshire last month
Jennifer Montgomery
Improvement Coordinator, Quality Directorate,
NHS Lanarkshire

Operational Lead for Care Opinion in NHS Lanarkshire

Submitted on 06/03/2025 at 16:06
Published on Care Opinion at 16:06

picture of Jennifer Montgomery

Dear MoMcCar61,

Thank you for sharing your experience of University Hospital Monklands, Emergency Department.

I am sorry to hear of the problems you had getting to Wishaw for your operation, however am I delighted to hear that the staff in Monklands looked after you well and were efficient in their care until you were transferred.

I will ensure your kind feedback is passed on to the Emergency Department team in University Hospital Monklands and I am sure they will get a real boost in hearing your feedback.

I hope you have recovered well and are able to get back to your daily yoga.

Best Wishes,

Jenni

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