Hospital Trust responds to mother's outrage

Adam Kutereba in recovery after his operation

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has responded to the outrage of Rachel Kutereba, the mother of Adam Kutereba, the plucky 10-year old who flew to the USA earlier this year for major surgery to help him to mobilise, after an out-patients appointment at the Rochdale Infirmary was cancelled at short notice after she had booked a day off work.

A spokesman said: “An outpatient clinic had to be cancelled at Rochdale Infirmary at short notice due to a bereavement in the consultant’s family. As the booking and scheduling department were unable to contact the patient and family by telephone to alert them to the cancellation, all efforts were made to ensure that a cancellation letter was sent in person directly to the patient’s home on 18 December, for the appointment on 19 December. Due to the nature of the cancellation of the clinic, the circumstances could not have been foreseen.

“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience that the cancellation of the appointment has caused Mrs Kutereba and her family.

“In relation to the calls made to our PALS office, the PALS service experiences a high volume of calls. There is a recorded message for patients or their families who are unable to speak to a PALS officer when they telephone which explains that due to a high volume of calls it is not always possible to answer their call, but if they would like to leave a message together with contact details someone will contact them. Messages will always be returned, but not always immediately.

"In this particular case we have looked into this complaint and the PALS service has been unable to trace that any messages have been left.

"We are again sorry that Mrs Kutereba was unable to contact and speak with one of our PALS staff directly about their cancelled appointment.”

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news/76388/adams-mum-outraged-over-cancelled-hospital-appointment