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Care Opinion

Apology

Posted By So sorry

"Apology"

About: Angliss Hospital Box Hill Hospital

(as the patient),

Dear Sir/Madam

I would like to apologise for my awful behaviour on a visit to Box Hill Hospital last year. Before arriving for my appointment I had received a very distressing telephone call and was a bit rankled and out of sorts. As a result, my behaviour was less than stellar. I do not know the name of the attending physician but if memory serves, he presented as slender in build with either black or brown wavy to curly hair.

The person in attendance obviously picked up on the fact that I was a bit out of sorts and tried his best to put me at my ease but I was curt and still highly distracted by the call. As a result I rather appallingly dismissed and failed or perhaps refused to acknowledge his attempts at conducting a professional conversation to book me for a total hysterectomy with ovary preservation to be performed at Angliss Hospital by Dr Simon.

I was upset and not in the mood to talk much nor was I paying attention to what was being said, as a result I presented as being rude. When the descending red misty haze had finally settled, remorse set in. I regret deeply if I had offended this person and caused them to perform their duties to other patients in a non satisfactory manner. I had wanted to hand in a written apology when I was called in for a post operative check, but Dr Simon who had performed the procedure had already done a post operative check and dismissed me from his care.

Like I had stated before, I do not know the name of the person who works under the doctor I saw at Box Hill Hospital. If you have any idea as to who the unfortunate recipient of my bout of bad manners was, could you please forward my most sincere apologies to him.

Thanking you in this regard.

Apologetically yours.

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Responses

Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health

Submitted on 10/03/2016 at 7:56 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 11/03/2016 at 8:53 AM

picture of Alan Lilly

Dear So sorry

Thank you so much for sharing your story on Patient Opinion and I do hope that you are feeling better for having communicated your apology to us. Please be reassured that we understand how these things happen and I hope that you have relieved a burden which I imagine you have been carrying for a while.

Please be reassured that I will do my best to identify the person working with Dr Simon at Box Hill Hospital and be sure to send on your apology to him.

Look after yourself and thanks again for getting in touch - no doubt, if I can identify who this person is, your apology will make his day.

Kind regards and take care, Alan Lilly.

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Update posted by So sorry (the patient)

Dear Mr Lilly,

I have shared further details with Patient Opinion to pass on to you in order for you to find the appropriate staff member.

Could you please notify me if you are successful in the delivery of said apology. I believe that the added information provided for this purpose would be more than adequate.

Having worked in the field of health sciences in my own country and being subjected to such behaviour or often worse myself on numerous occasions, I can truthfully say that I will only really be relieved when this unfortunate soul gets the apology.

Thanking you in this regard and most appreciative of your efforts.

Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health

Submitted on 15/03/2016 at 5:59 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 11:25 AM

picture of Alan Lilly

Dear So Sorry

Patient Opinion has indeed sent the information to me and so I will happily follow-up for you.

I also understand the need for you to know so please be reassured that I will be using my best endeavours to get this outcome as soon as possible and then we will be in touch again.

Kind regards and thank you for the follow-up too, Alan Lilly

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Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health

Submitted on 21/03/2016 at 11:57 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 2:46 PM

picture of Alan Lilly

Dear So Sorry

Thanks again for sending us this additional information. We have reviewed your file and matched the dates and times which you had kindly provided and we have also discussed again with Dr Simon. However, I am really sorry to say that we have not been able to conclusively identify the staff member in question. It is highly likely that this was a medical student or trainee working under the supervision of one of our Specialists and the notes in your file were indeed signed off by Dr Simon on that day.

I realise that you will be disappointed (and I am too) that we have not been able to get right to where we wanted to be, but I also want you to know just how much your own story has moved so many of our staff. Your story has been a great reminder to us all about considering what's going on in everyone's world when we interact with them and that their reaction may be for all sorts of different reasons - so your story has made a difference and I have no doubt, will make a difference for others into the future.

Thanks again for sharing your apology with us and I do hope that you can experience some relief now in knowing that your story has made that difference. It has already been read almost 200 times so you can tell just how much interest there has been from both public and staff users of this information.

Take care and kind regards, Alan Lilly

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Update posted by So sorry (the patient)

Dear Mr Lilly,

Thank you so very much for trying to locate the person concerned. Knowing that my story has been read and has perhaps made a difference to some is a reward in itself.

Gratefully yours

So sorry.

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