Bloody-minded British bank



It matches my experience of British banks. Brits of all sorts seem to LOVE bureaucracy and the tiny bits of the power it gives them over other people -- power that they regularly use to hurt and frustrate. It's why the word "jobsworth" is unique to Britain. It refers to a person who engages in just such petty behaviour.

I contrasted British and American banks long ago (See here under the heading BUSINESS) and clearly nothing has changed



They call themselves the helpful bank. But bosses made a mockery of their advertising slogan by their treatment of a woman with terminal cancer.

Dorothy Southernwood, 61, had flown to Germany for life-prolonging treatment - after first making sure she had enough cash in her account to meet the £27,000 bill. Once abroad however the retired dinner lady found that NatWest refused to transfer the money to the clinic treating her.

Five days of phone calls and pleas could not persuade the bank to relax their security procedures and let her have the money. Even though Mrs Southernwood and her husband Victor, 65, have banked with NatWest for 30 years their branch manager refused to use her discretionary powers to allow the wire transfer. Instead she insisted the couple post written authorisation from Germany.

The bank backed down last night only after being contacted by the Daily Mail.



Mr Southernwood, a mechanic from Huddersfield, and his wife's daughter Sarah Gash, 38, also travelled to the St George Clinic in Bad Aibling, near Munich, and have spent much of their time there pleading with the bank.

Louise Morgan, 40, the eldest of Mrs Southernwood's three daughters, said the incident had reduced her mother to tears. 'I can't believe NatWest were being so unsympathetic when they have banked with them for so long,' she said. 'People shouldn't believe the adverts on TV, they are not the friendly face of banking. It's disgraceful what they have done. 'I can't believe in this day and age a problem like this can't be quickly resolved with the press of a button.'

Mr Southernwood managed to keep the German hospital authorities happy by taking out 860 pounds from cash machines until NatWest stopped his card.

His wife discovered she had cancer following tests in the spring. Further scans showed the disease had spread and Mrs Southernwood was told the condition was terminal and she had only months to live. The German clinic uses heat treatment in an attempt to destroy cancer cells. Patients also follow a strict diet and receive oxygen and magnetic therapy. The treatment is supposed to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

A NatWest spokesman said: 'We sincerely apologise for any stress and inconvenience caused to Mr and Mrs Southernwood. 'We have now arranged for the funds to be transferred electronically to them and will be reimbursing them for out of pocket expenses they have incurred.'

SOURCE

No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments containing Chinese characters will not be published as I do not understand them