Adam’s mum outraged over cancelled hospital appointment

Adam ready for surgery

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, has expressed her outrage after an out-patients appointment at the Rochdale Infirmary was cancelled at short notice after she had booked a day off work.

Rachel Kutereba, who works at Rochdale Leisure Centre, told Rochdale Online: “Adam was set to have his appointment this Thursday, 20 December. I had booked the day off work and my employer had arranged cover for me. At 6pm on Wednesday, I was astounded when a letter from Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust was hand- delivered to my house telling me that the appointment had been cancelled.

“The letter explained that they were putting a new system in place which they say aims to provide more choice of appointments to patients and reduces the number that need to be changed by the hospital. It went on to say that our details will be added to the waiting list and they will write to us approximately six weeks before the next appointment is due.

“This is like a sick joke. Why didn’t they get the new system in place after they had honoured their existing appointments? They don’t seem to realise the effect on peoples’ lives and the arrangements many of us have to go to in order to arrange transport, time off work, etc.”

Mrs Kutereba said that she had contacted the Patient Advice and Liaison Service, (PALS) 11 times regarding the issue but had not received a response. The PALS service was set up to provide a timely and effective response to patients’ concerns and bring about a speedy resolution in order to improve the service and reduce the number of complaints.

Mrs Kutereba now says that she will be taking the matter further.

Adam suffers from tetraplegic cerebral palsy and his surgery has enabled him to stand up for the first time in his life. He suffered two lung and brain haemorrhages shortly after being born and was originally given only a 10 per cent chance of survival. He attends Littleborough Community School.

We have contacted the Trust on this issue and are awaiting a response.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/72758/plucky-9-year-old-has-surgery-in-us