A Caithness patient who is waiting a year to see an orthopaedic consultant has branded the delays “totally unacceptable”.
Malcolm Clark, of Dunnet near Thurso, was referred to a specialist in July last year to be treated for a condition affecting the tendon in his hand which causes the fingers to close up.
But last week, after growing tired of waiting for an appointment, he was told by the consultant’s secretary at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, that the earliest he can expect to be seen is July of this year.
The 63-year-old has now written an open letter highlighting the problem, and called on the Scottish Government to find a way to resolve the situation by adopting a better staffing strategy.
Yesterday, Health Secretary Shona Robison said it was “extremely important” that patients waiting for treatment or consultation were seen “as quickly as possible,” but stressed the government seeks to provide support to individual health boards when they require it.
However Mr Clark, who is semi-retired and works as an educational support officer at North Highland College, said the situation is “totally unacceptable,” adding: “The fact there is a year-long waiting list that basically affects everyone with bone and muscoloskeletal problems, shows the scale of the problem.”
In his letter, Mr Clark said the situation raises a number of questions to those allowing “this absurdity in our health care to exist”.
He highlighted the pain, discomfort and anxiety for people waiting to see a consultant, the effect on families, the worsening of conditions leading to higher costs of surgery, and the pressure on staff managing these waiting lists.
Mr Clark was first diagnosed with Dupuytren’s Contracture 10 years ago and was seen by a consultant within three months before undergoing surgery on his hand.
But last year the condition returned, affecting two other fingers in his hand, and the symptoms have worsened in the time since.
His smallest finger, and the one beside it, have curled inwards to an angle of 90 degrees from an initial 45 degrees.
He does not take medication or painkillers but still suffers from “shooting pains” in his hand and fingers.
Yesterday, an NHS Highland spokeswoman apologised for the wait but stressed orthopaedics waiting times were down from 46.9 weeks to 41 weeks between November and January, following a downward trend since April, despite growing demand.
She added that recent improvements were a result of appointing two additional consultants and utilising extra capacity for 300 more patients a year by a visiting team from the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank.
Yesterday Gail Ross MSP (SNP) for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross-shire, said: “I have been concerned over the last few months at the number of constituents who have contacted me to express their concerns that waiting list times are extremely long in the NHS Highland area.”
“I have written to NHS Highland on several occasions, who cite staffing issues as being responsible for delays in many cases. I will continue to press the Scottish Government and NHS Highland for a proactive and sensible approach to solving these issues.”
