Birmingham Treatment Centre

Yesterday I attended an appointment with my sister at Birmingham treatment centre city hospital. We were seen by a Dr. He came Into the room and greeted us both, I said hi and my sister just smiled to which he responded to ‘do you not have a voice’. My sister has social anxiety and I found this comment to be very inappropriate. He then proceeded to ask my sister what the problem was with her nose but I felt she wasn’t very clear so I interjected. The Dr said to me the patient is an adult and she can speak so I should not be speaking for her. This was utterly rude and disrespectful! I was there because she felt the doctors were not listening to her hence why her medical issues have not been resolved but are in fact getting worse. I asked him have you not been sent her medical records which state what procedure she had done and why? he said no. So I asked him how can you offer insight into a case that you have no background knowledge of? He said I am seeing her as a new patient which did not make sense as he was asked to see her as part of her grievance against the NHS in the case of her botched surgery. My sister went on to tell him that they missed the clipping of the muscle underneath the nose and a nose graft during her surgery and he responded to that with what clip what graft? I am pretty sure he was the surgeon in the room not us so he should have known what that was.

He said my sister did not get the right education before her surgery. He diagnosed her with allergy rhinitis and said surgery should not have been offered for such a diagnosis but this was the first time we had heard of such a diagnosis. He went on to say he would question the surgeon if he was in front of him as to why he performed the surgery and why he promised a cure. I then went on to ask him if he would arrange a meet up for me with the surgeon and he said I can ask but you can’t force someone to meet you. He looked at pictures of my sisters nose before the surgery. These were pictures of the outside and said this is a perfect nose to which I said anything can look perfect on the outside it’s about what’s wrong on the inside. He was adamant that my sisters nose was fine and that the situation had not worsened. Is he the patient? How does he know that? I live with her and she is awake all night and keeps others awake to with the constant clearing of her nose.

On the whole the Dr had no idea what procedure was done, why it was done and the impact it has had on my sister. He came across as very abrupt, he was constantly talking over me and tried to just fob us off by repeating the same thing again and again. He was very patronising because he said we did not understand what we were trying to say. At one point my sister did not feel comfortable so spoke to me in pashto our mother tongue. He asked what we were saying and if we continued he would have to leave the room. Never have I ever felt so insulted!

They are providing Sanitizer and masks but are not checking the temperature of everyone coming into the hospital. They should also provide gloves to everyone coming into the hospital to reduce the chances of infection.

Second visit, takes a long while to get treatment. I’ve been suffering with my feet for a long time now.

Got completely lost trying to find the X-Ray department. Things need to be signposted more clearly. Even hospital staff either didn’t know where to send me or sent me to the wrong place.

This is my second visit, I was here yesterday as well. Everything perfect - staff good, treatment explained well - no complaints.

I have attended BTC/CH a few times - I'm here today for a follow up appointment - I've never had any issues with staff or treatment, however, I have observed the staff be blunt with others.

Quick process from checking in to being seen. Helpful staff, clean hospital and no problems so far.

This is my third visit after treating my arm in October last year. I am impressed by the treatment centre and have no complains about it. I live in Sandwell and would if possible rather have treatment there as it costs me £20 in taxi fares and is difficult to get to on buses.

Very clean in treatment centre. Waiting times not good. Could be signposted better to find the department needed.

Clean easy to park and friendly staff. Not clearly marked for each department, which causes lots of confusion. Might make it easier if things were colour coded.