A WOMAN from Conwy has said she felt “outsourced and ostracised” after waiting more than 10 months for the result of her MRI scan.

The patient, who asked to be referred to as Mrs Evans, 74, was referred by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon for the scan on the right ankle and foot, which took place in a mobile unit at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan on May 26, 2023.

She said she received a printout of the results last week, but added that, “as a lay person, they don’t mean a great deal to me”.

READ MORE:

Woman who died at Glan Clwyd was victim of ‘clear breach of duty’

Family to sue health board after baby’s ‘preventable’ Glan Clwyd death

Mrs Evans said: “I’m now paying to see a wonderful physio, who said that, if I send them to her, she’ll have a look at them and tell me what’s going on.

“It’s impacted my life quite badly, really - at first, I didn’t know what I should be doing or how much effort I should put into doing anything, not knowing what the problem was.

“I spent hours trying to chase up what was happening one day, and was run around in circles.”

Mrs Evans said she required the scan after falling and fracturing her ankle.

She contacted her MS, Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy), after feeling she was “getting nowhere” with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

The secretary to the clinic, she claimed, told her that the scan results were not available because they were held by the private outsource company overseeing the scans at the “mobile unit” at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

Mrs Finch-Saunders added: “As the chairman of the health board, Dyfed Edwards has stated to me in writing that the situation is unacceptable.

“This case highlights that, whilst we have a kind and empathetic chairman, the executive team seem completely unable to resolve cases effectively.

“Only a few weeks ago, I spoke out about delays in breast MRI scan results being sent to patients.

“It is therefore, reasonable, to assume that there is a widespread problem with MRI scans and casework management that the health board need to urgently tackle.

“I thank Mrs Evans for speaking out about her case and having the courage to stand up for all left waiting by Betsi Cadwaladr for results and treatment.”

In response, Dr Nick Lyons, the health’s boards executive medical director, said: “Firstly, I would like to apologise for this patient’s long delay in receiving their results.

“The health board is working hard to reduce the numbers of people waiting to be seen for outpatient appointments and any follow-up treatment.

“In some specialties, this has included working with private sector partners to help us see more patients, more quickly.

“We are aware some experienced delays in their transfer back to the NHS from our private sector partners and we are looking into why this has happened.

“We are very sorry for those delays and are prioritising appointments for these patients.

“We would ask anyone waiting not to get in touch with us, as we will be contacting all those affected within the next four weeks.”