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"A long wait for one needle."

About: Box Hill Hospital

(as the patient),

I am currently receiving midwife care for my second pregnancy at Box Hill Hospital and today I was booked into to have a regular appointment and an injection. I have never had to wait for these appointments before so had not bothered to find a babysitter for my toddler who came with me.

The appointment with the midwife was on time and quick, then I was asked to sit in the waiting room so someone from the fetal monitoring clinic could give me the injection. After an hour my toddler was bored and tantruming, and I asked at reception how much longer the wait was. I was told I was next on the list. Another 30 minutes later my name was finally called, but I was then informed the injection was not ready and it would be another 30 minutes.

When the injection was finally ready it was administered in less than a minute. It seems ridiculous that this could not have been done by the midwife during my routine visit, as was done during my first pregnancy. It also seems crazy that a waiting room that commonly has young children in it does not have a basic box of toys.

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Responses

Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
We are preparing to make a change
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health
Submitted on 11/04/2016 at 12:32 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 1:07 PM


picture of Alan Lilly

Dear kapow43

Many thanks for sharing your story on Patient Opinion. I am sorry that you experienced this delay and fully understand how much more challenging this is when you have a toddler with you as well. Please accept my apologies for this and also be reassured that I will follow-up to see if we can do better. With regard to the injection, I am not sure of the nature of this so I will seek some advice and get back to you although I did note that this was not the same during your first pregnancy.

I like your idea too about a box of toys so I will follow-up on that as well - if that's possible, then that would be very easy to fix.

So, thank you again kapow43 for sharing your experience us and please be assured that I will be back in touch in the next couple of days.

Kind regards, Alan Lilly.

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Update posted by kapow43 (the patient)

Thanks for your response Alan.

I hope to see a few toys or kids books in the waiting room next time I'm there.

And hopefully changes can be made to procedure so that the fetal monitoring clinic is not being tied up doing things that a midwife could do more easily.

Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health
Submitted on 12/04/2016 at 7:38 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 13/04/2016 at 8:31 AM


picture of Alan Lilly

Thanks again kapow43

Still following up on the procedure and also reviewing the potential for a toy box. Will be in touch and please be reassured, I will follow-up.

Kind regards, Alan Lilly

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Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
We have made a change
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health
Submitted on 19/04/2016 at 10:01 PM
Published on Care Opinion on 20/04/2016 at 10:37 AM


picture of Alan Lilly

Dear kapow43

Following up on the above feedback kapow43, I am delighted to provide you with an update on how we are responding to this ....

Firstly, your feedback about the injection and waiting time has been invaluable and through your feedback, we have identified an issue (related to the monitoring of fridge temperatures where the injection substance is stored) which we are now working to amend ASAP. Once completed, the delay for injections will be eliminated. This is a great outcome.

Secondly, your feedback about the toys has been acted on. Having worked through infection control matters (related to toys which may be shared between toddlers), we have now come up with an alternative play toy panel which can be affixed in the area and which can be cleaned to meet the required cleaning standards.

These are great outcomes kapow43 and I am so pleased that Patient Opinion provides a platform for us to address this through your feedback.

Our Associate Director of the Women & Children program at Box Hill Hospital (Janet Horman) is leading this work and she confirmed the action plans for these two issues today. Janet also is very appreciative of your feedback and I am appreciative of Janet's commitment too.

So, thank you again for taking the time to write and I hope you can see that we have taken your feedback on board and this will make a difference for future patients and their children.

kind regards, Alan Lilly.

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Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
We have made a change
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health
Submitted on 27/05/2016 at 5:35 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 5:37 PM


picture of Alan Lilly

Dear kapow43

Delighted to report that the first of three Play Panels has been installed – this is great news and all because of your feedback – thank you! I am also pleased to report that the fridge monitoring equipment is due to arrive shortly and once sorted, we will have made those two improvements based on your feedback – a great example of why feedback really matters. I have also attached a photo for you to see how the play panels has been installed. I am told that it is very popular already!

Thanks again kapow43 for taking the time to make a difference.

Kind regards and thanks, Alan LillyImage title

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Response from Alan Lilly, Chief Executive, Eastern Health 8 years ago
We have made a change
Alan Lilly
Chief Executive,
Eastern Health
Submitted on 22/06/2016 at 5:27 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 9:04 AM


picture of Alan Lilly

Dear kapow43

Delighted now to be making this final posting based on your feedback and most pleased to confirm that the sensor to monitor the fridge in Clinic has been installed and the Anti D therapy is now being stored locally. This significantly reduces the waiting time for women and their young children (and also reduces the workload on staff having to collect from Pathology) and has streamlined the process considerably.

In conjunction with the play panels kapow43, this has been an excellent outcome which would not have been possible without you raising this as an issue in the first instance. So thanks again for helping us improve our service to our patients and their families. Mission complete!

I would like to extend a special thank you to Janet Horman (Associate Director of the Women & Children program at Box Hill Hospital) for overseeing these changes which we're very pleased and proud to see.

Kind regards and thanks, Alan Lilly.

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Update posted by kapow43 (the patient)

That's excellent to hear, thanks for making the changes!

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