Carers UK Forum

Hi

I would be grateful for your thoughts.I have been asked to participate in a discharge meeting about my father - with representatives from the hospital and CCG. Some really important issues will be discussed including Continuing Health Care Funding etc . With social distancing they want to hold the meeting remotely through an application called Microsoft Teams (a bit like FaceTime or Skype). I am a bit concerned that this will mean I won't have a record of the meeting , of what is discussed and agreed, but they will.

Why does this matter? We have had a lot of problems with them agreeing one thing and then either not doing it and/or or denying they agreed to do it. At the last meeting we had in January, for example, it was agreed that I would be sent a copy of minutes of the meeting. This has simply never happened - despite lots of chasing. When I have completed my own minutes of what was agreed they have simply refused to recognise them. I have also take to tape recording meetings/phonecalls (letting g people know I am doing this from the outset )but the CCG have objected to this and said it is not legal without their permission. I don't agree with this interpretation.

Ideally I think the meeting would be done by phone so I can record it (and then share with other family members who cant attend/are elderly and unable to use the internet). Am I being unreasonable? How do other people go about recording key meetings/decisions? Thank you once again for all your advice and sharing your experience. I hope you are all keeping as well and safe as you can.

You can record Microsoft teams meetings and they should give you a copy of this for you to refer to after the meeting.

I attended a complaints meeting and it was recorded, similar to the Police tape recorders you see, but digital I was given a copy of the meeting.

Have you contacted PALs? have you gone through complaints? I was assigned a complaints lady to help through the process.

You can get an advocate through NHS complaints to help and support you, they can advice about your rights recording.

Healthwatch can advise as well, it is worth contacting them about your continual issues with the NHS.

Faye, it's perfectly reasonable, you can't trust them an inch. Insist it is held in a way it can be recorded.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/micros ... -recording

Info on recording Teams meeting and automatic transcription. Apparently, users need to have permissions set in the Teams meeting program (by meeting host???) in order to record.

I have never used that program for video meetings.

Do you plan on using your cell phone? Wishing you well. XXX

Faye,

No you are not being unreasonable by any stretch of the imagination, THEY on the other hand are being obtuse because the fact of the matter is they know their way means it becomes "your word versus theirs" when they backtrack on any commitments, or assurances made during that meeting.

Honestly its a very reasonable (and sensible) request to make we are after all talking about discussions and decision making in relation to a very vulnerable person and there must be due process and accountability to hold them to whatever is agreed - not just to safeguard loved one but also yourself as their representative.

Best wishes and good luck

Londonbound's suggestion of contacting PALS ( Patient Liaison Service) is a good one. You can find their contact for your Hospital through the web.
PALS have always been extremely helpful to me AND very prompt in replying. Suggest you give it a try. Hope you get on well.

I have never recorded a teams meeting but have recorded a discharge meeting on my phone. I would also suggest taking your own minutes and sending them afterwards by email, asking for any amendments etc. A written record is always good and could be taken to a solicitor after the event if necessary.

Good luck,
Anne

I'm glad that Amble found their PALS people very helpful. My experience was anything but helpful. They were sarcastic and unhelpful. I'm trying to be polite. I suppose it's another postcode lottery!

Hi Faye,

Unfortunately, as with any service provider, you get 'good ones and bad ones'!

But PALS is the place you need to start, then if you do not get any action/resolution from them, you can make a complaint to NHS England or your local CCG.

If you are not already doing this, then I highly recommend starting a record sheet or database, with details of all phone calls, meetings etc. even if they are not formally recorded. It is so much easier to refer to that when writing a letter of complaint which provides the exact details you want them to take action on. Just recording day, date, time, who was involved and an outline of what was discussed and most important, any outcomes or actions and who was responsible for completing them.

Here are a couple of useful links about PALS and making a complaint about the NHS. I hope you get this resolved Faye.

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about- ... o-the-nhs/

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questi ... n-service/

I have repeatedly had problems relating to discharges and PALS I'm afraid.
Sadly, Faye has had the most dreadful experiences trying to support her dad.