A Farmhill resident has labelled waiting times at Noble’s Hospital ‘ridiculous’ after having to wait five months to have a tooth removed.
Eleanor Bannan, aged 43, was first referred to Noble’s Hospital by her dentist in late August as she had to have her tooth removed and the procedure could not take place at the surgery due to a high risk of bleeding.
Following a letter being sent from Noble’s on August 30 informing her that she was on the waiting list, Eleanor was seen at the hospital on September 21 where she was told the tooth did need to be removed and she would be seen in six to eight weeks.
Eleanor, who is visually impaired and is a wheelchair user, then received a letter informing her that she had an appointment on February 14, meaning that she would have to wait around five months.
She said: ‘I can’t eat on that side because it hurts. The temporary filling is only about half there now because it’s not designed to stay in. I have got a hole in my tooth now and the filling is not going to last until February.’
‘The waiting time needs to be improved or the communication. He said it would be six to eight weeks and I thought “That’s not too bad”, but now it’s in February I’m thinking “Wow, really?”. It’s not good. The waiting time is ridiculous just to have a tooth out.’
However, following the Manx Independent’s request for information on waiting times, Eleanor has now received an appointment on December 8 at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital’s outpatient department.
A statement made by the Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘The department would not wish anyone awaiting a procedure to be in serious pain or discomfort. In this case, it may be aware that the relevant clinician is not aware that this patient’s pain has increased, and the impact it is having, following initial referral.
‘The current waiting time for oral surgery at Noble’s Hospital is approximately five months from the date that a decision is made that treatment is required.
‘There are two consultant oral surgeons at Noble’s Hospital, and their workload is prioritised based on clinical need and covers all forms of oral surgery such as cancer, trauma etc., not just complex dental referrals.
‘It is a common misconception that the referring clinician – such as a GP or dentist – determines the urgency of a case; they do not.
‘It is, quite rightly, determined by the appropriate consultant at Noble’s Hospital who reviews and grades all incoming referrals based on the clinical information in the referral letter. Referring clinicians are free, and encouraged, to express a professional opinion on urgency when making a referral – and this is always taken into account – but it is, ultimately, the consultant’s decision. This is because the hospital consultant has a responsibility to prioritise cases taking into account the entire list of patients awaiting treatment whose clinical needs will vary greatly.’