An amputee under the West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre has alleged that hundreds of patients with severe physical disabilities have been left waiting months for replacement sockets for prosthetic limbs, causing a 'great deal of suffering'. Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has apologised and pledged to improve waiting times.
Patient's 40-year experience
David Sellers, 63, has attended the Selly Oak centre in Oak Tree Lane for 40 years after his right leg was amputated below the knee following a motorcycle crash in July 1981. He said he had never experienced such 'incompetence' or 'service failure' until this year, when the centre switched from using a third-party provider for artificial limbs to an NHS in-house model in January. Two other centres were also closed, consolidating patients into Selly Oak.
Mr Sellers told BirminghamLive: 'I have been an amputee for 45 years and have attended the centre for 40 years. In all that time I have never seen such a service failure. The service looks after around 3,500 amputees from across the region. This move has gone disastrously wrong and has resulted in large numbers of patients receiving sub-standard care for some six months. In my estimate, several hundred patients who have severe physical disabilities have been unable to receive replacement sockets for their prosthetic limbs resulting in a great deal of suffering.'
Failed appointments and complaint
Mr Sellers said he had repeatedly tried to secure new appointments but was ultimately 'refused a new socket'. He contacted his MP, Saqib Bhatti, and lodged a complaint with Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which manages the centre. 'The Trust's response was apologetic and full of excuses but, as of today, I am no closer to getting a new socket,' said Mr Sellers. At a user group meeting at Selly Oak at the end of May, all four below-knee amputees in attendance were in the same position.
He stressed his criticism was not directed at 'the fabulous' staff who worked at the centre but the Trust itself.
Trust response
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust apologised for delays and said it was 'taking action' to improve waiting times following 'significant operational pressures'. A spokesperson told BirminghamLive: 'The service has experienced significant operational pressures following the end of the previous third-party provider contract, the move to an in-house model, and the transfer of additional patient activity into the service. We recognise some patients have waited longer than we would want for appointments or prosthetic work, including replacement sockets. We're sorry for the impact this has had on them.'
During this period, prosthetic activity has been clinically prioritised so available capacity is focused on patients with the highest clinical need, including patients requiring a primary limb, children, patients with skin breakdown or safety concerns, and those with urgent changes in mobility. 'Routine replacement socket work and non-urgent review activity has therefore been affected, but patients continue to be clinically triaged and those with urgent clinical or safety concerns are prioritised. We're taking action to improve waiting times, including additional clinical and workshop activity, recruitment to prosthetics posts, and working with commissioners and regional partners on the future delivery model.'
Any patient experiencing pain, skin problems, safety concerns or a significant change in mobility should contact the service so their clinical priority can be reviewed. Patients with other queries or questions are also urged to get in touch.
