Hi Guys. Im new here today. I had a band with WGA on 11th April. I have just submitted my formal complaint to the healthcare commission - here's a copy of my letter. Should any be considering using this company - I would strongly advise against it....:cursing:

Dear Sirs,

Re: Complaint/WGA GASTRIC BAND FRIDAY 11TH APRIL

I am writing to inform you of my complete disappointment with the overall level of service I have recently received from The Hospital Group under their Why Go Abroad Company regarding a gastric band procedure.

I visited the offices of The Hospital Group in Manchester earlier this year to discuss having a Gastric Band fitted. The consultation went ok and the staff were very helpful and friendly. I was provided with all the information regarding the two different packages I could choose from, the first being with The Hospital Group, and costing £8000, which included a year’s worth of aftercare and band fills

.

The second package was the ‘Why Go Abroad’ offer. I was advised that WGA was an economy package which cost £4950 and that the only difference with this package was that it the aftercare was only for 5 weeks, and didn’t include any band fills, just an X ray, and a final consultation to be discharged.

I was advised at the initial attendance by a lady named Lisa that anytime I had any queries regarding the procedure, I could contact her, (even if I decided to go onto the Why Go Abroad package) and she would assist me as best possible. I was even given a mobile number to call her on should I require.

I didn’t book for the procedure initially as I was still very apprehensive given the fact that it was such a huge decision. Lisa, rang several times to discuss the operation and any queries I may have, and on some occasions, to see whether I was ready to book, however, I was still very unsure at this time.

After a lot of thought and discussions, I eventually decided to go ahead and I rang and booked my place. My surgery was booked for April 11th in Birmingham with WGA.

Not very long after I had booked and paid for my operation, I thought of a few questions I hadn’t previously asked and decided to make use of the mobile number I had been given for Lisa. She seemed very surprised that I had rang and seemed reluctant to speak to me as I was (and I quote) “only on the economy package” (I don’t think a helpline was included in this option). Obviously I was shocked by this remark and felt very let down by it. She did eventually answer my questions, albeit very hurriedly, and made it abundantly clear she was very busy and didn’t seem to have the time for me anymore.

My operation came and went very quickly. I was barley in hospital 24 hours for the entire procedure and I felt very rushed – like I was on a conveyor belt. The following morning, I was obviously in pain from the operation, however, was told at 6:15am that I was being discharged as my bed was needed for someone else. My Husband wasn’t due until 7am and I wasn’t even offered as much as a drink whilst I waited, despite previously being nil by mouth for 36 hours.

Before I left, I was however provided with my ‘aftercare package’ which to my surprise was just a letter merely advising that there were 2 follow up appointments and pain relief included in the aftercare pack. There were no follow up appointments arranged, and no pain relief provided. My husband had to go and specifically ask for pain relief for me so that I had some for when I got home.

A week or so after the procedure, I decided to contact WGA myself to arrange an appointment for my x ray to check that the band was ok – which I arranged without any problems – Only complaint here was that I had to travel back down to Birmingham, when I was previously led to believe that only my operation would be carried out in Birmingham – all following appointments would be in Manchester. Following my X ray appointment I rang WGA several times to try and book an appointment to be discharged but with no success. I was met with a number of reasons for this namely either that my surgeon was on summer leave, that I had to go to Birmingham (even though I was assured my follow ups would be in Manchester), or that I had to wait to be called back. My calls were never returned, and I was not offered a discharge appointment.

I finally decided enough was enough after several attempts of trying to arrange a discharge so I contacted WGA complaints dept and spoke to Sarah with a view to advising her of my situation and attempting to speed matters up to obtain a discharge appointment as I hadn’t had any joy at all from the appointments department. She seemed to have a “couldn’t care less attitude” and was very blasé about the entire thing. She wasn’t interested in anything I had to say and merely stated that ‘they only accepted complaints in writing’. At this point I wasn’t even making my feelings about the matter official and it made me feel like she had simply switched off from listening to what I had to say and switched on to ‘auto pilot’ mode giving me an answer that didn’t even relate to my query.

I finally seemed to make some headway this week and was offered a telephone discharge on Friday? How can I be properly discharged over the telephone? My wounds/scars are supposed to be checked, and my band felt to ensure it is the right position. I was desperate to be discharged as I am unable to have my band filled until this step is complete and at the moment, it is doing nothing for me at all. I didn’t need to worry however as I never received the “telephone discharge” call. I waited in all evening, by the phone but no call came.

After this telephone call was arranged I was told I could go ahead and book my band fill with Obesity Care – which I did for Monday 16th June 2008 at a further cost of £125 which had to be paid for at the time of booking. My situation now is that I won’t be able to have my band filled as I have not been discharged – and I will probably be £125 more out of pocket.

I felt that as soon as I made the decision to go ahead with the procedure, especially on the WGA package, no-one seemed to feel the need to make any further effort with me whatsoever as I had already been ‘reeled in’, and unfortunately this situation continued after my operation.

I have received no customer service or after care at all with my so called ‘package’, despite it apparently including 5 weeks after care, and a further consultation in Manchester which, not surprisingly, has not even been provided to me.

I am disgusted that I paid the sum of £ and received literally nothing more than a ‘no frills package’. I specifically chose to go private for this procedure as I was under the impression that paying privately got you not only a quicker all-round time scale, but a little peace of mind that things would run more smoothly, and that I would be taken care of in a more personal and professional way. I was sadly mistaken.

I am aware that I opted for the ‘cheaper’ of the two packages; however, it shouldn’t mean that I have to sacrifice my right to decent customer service and after care. I honestly expected to receive the basic element that I paid for and I feel utterly appalled that this is not the case.

I am disgusted by the entire experience I have encountered with this procedure at the hands of The Hospital Group/Why Go Abroad and in some ways, feel that I have wasted money that I could not afford to throw away.

I paid an extremely large sum of money for a product that I have not received. Had this money, for example, been used to purchase a car that turned out to be faulty, or, a new bathroom/kitchen suite that did not meet the advertised requirements, I can assure you that such products would have been returned immediately and a refund demanded. Unfortunately however, in these circumstances, this is not the case as the ‘product’ I have purchased cannot be returned and I feel I am simply expected to ‘shut up and put up’.

I feel completely let down and cheated by everyone concerned in this matter.

I would therefore be obliged to receive any advice/feedback from you in response to all of the above, within the next 14 days.

Yours sincerely,

Hi There

I have read your letter and to be honest it made me feel really sick.

I am currently 10 days out of surgery through WGA/Hospital group and currently waiting for my appointments for Xray etc that i was told would come through the post, as now i am wondering if i will ever receive them.

I am really scared now...!!!

Debbie

Hi Debbie,

First, well done on your surgery - it is a huge step to take.

Second - dont be "scared"! My complaints arn't about any matter's that DIRECTLY can cause me ill health, but about having paid for something I was promised but have not receieved. THG/WGA have not kept to their end of the "contract" I signed up for and paid £5k for. Hence why I am taking the matter further.

My advise to you would be to get on the phone and book your appointments yourself. I got an X ray appointment fine, it was the discharge I couldnt get.

I am due to go for a band fill today - with Obesity Care (also owned by THA I think?) at the same office in Manchester where I had my first consultation. So it will be interesting to see how they proceed with this!! Baring in mind that they havn't given me the "telephone discharge" appointment they should have!

Please don't worry about things - your experience could be completley different to mine, and there are a lot of people on here who have had good experiences with WGA/THG. Just chase and chase for your appointments - keep a log of all your calls (times/dates/who you spoke to/outcome of the call) should you need it for future reference.

Good Luck!

Sara XXXX

Oh God!!!! I am so so sorry for you. It must be awful. I am due to have my band operation this friday in Bromsgrove with WGA and already befor my op I get the feeling that now I am all paid up they are not interested in me!!! Befor I paid they were so helpful. I had a few chats on the phone with one lady.. Philipa.. she told me she was looking forward to meeting me at consultation and going through everything with me as she had a band herself but when I arrived they said Oh No Sorry she is no longer working for us... Id only spoken to her about 3 days befor. I havent recieved any info from the hospital re nil by mouth or time to be admitted so I called the number I had been given to call with any questions at all no matter how small and was rushed off the phone and put through to someone else who at first told me I wasnt even booked in for friday!!!! She eventually came back and said yes I was but its that sort of stress that really knocks your confidence especially when you are getting all worried and nervous about having the op anyway.

I really feel for you and hope that despite their lack of care that the band will be everything that you hoped it would be.. Good luck and keep me posted at how your getting on.

How is the weight loss going??

We are lucky to have this forum so we can help each other as much as we can and hope that makes up for some of their lack of aftercare.

Good luck to you again

Georgina xx