NHS Waiting Lists

[jackie j]

My OH is waiting for an op on his foot, he had an MRI scan about 18 months ago, they lost his notes. He had a letter for an appointment for his pre op medical, he had a phone call offering him a place in a private hospital so his pre op med was cancelled. He has since found out that too many paitents were transferred over so now he is back on the waiting list and its likely to be June before he will be called for his pre op med then he will have to wait for the op.
All this has done is to make the NHS look like their waiting list for operations has been reduced within the recomended guide lines.
Be aware if you are offered a private hospital appointment.

[SarzWix]

What a nightmare jackie
I guess I've been lucky in a way, all mine has been emergency, no waiting!
In fact our local hospital is pretty good, and I don't think they have big waiting lists for many things.

[bluemoon]

When I worked in the NHS it was in maternity, so an 18 month waiting list wouldn't have been practical! I did do a stint in Neurology though when they were short staffed and it was unbelievable. A friend in orthopedics says it's bad there too. But I think for most departments things are OK. It largely depends on the luck of the draw, what's wrong with you and where you are in the country.

[slabbit]

I was told I was to big to have my op they didn't want me to snuff it under anaesthetic, then I was diagnosed with sleep apnoea, then on my second appointment after losing some weight (but not enough) the anethstatist said after he took a sharp intake of breath and shook his head don,t like it when patients have sleep apnoea in case they snuff it under anaesthetic......... ssssssssstriiiiiiike 2........ never mind says Dr Bigboss we will give you some physio that could help? appointment came this morning 28th August can you believe it?, guess what I,m on holiday,,mmmmm I wonder if the Isle of Man would postpone the motorcycle racing a couple of weeks? well you never know unless you ask....

[jackie j]

When I worked in the NHS it was in maternity, so an 18 month waiting list wouldn't have been practical! I did do a stint in Neurology though when they were short staffed and it was unbelievable. A friend in orthopedics says it's bad there too. But I think for most departments things are OK. It largely depends on the luck of the draw, what's wrong with you and where you are in the country.

Its my Husband that is waiting for a foot operation I think its Meta something or other ??? he had it done a while ago and I am confused now as to weather its the same foot or the other one lol. Its Torbay hospital he will go to. I had an operation on my hand in February, I went to the doctors in November and had it done in February result.
Its not the luck of the draw in his case cos they lost his notes and have messed him about by offering him a private appointment and they cancelled his pre op appointment without knowing if he would be considered for private. Its a complete shambles. He has complained to the man at the top.

[TonyF]

I get apologies from doctors and specialists here if I have to wait a fortnight for an appointment, a month for a recent MRI caused consternation and anything longer causes real problems here.

J had a problem with her ankle and went to the local GP here. He phoned the cardialogist because the GP thought it was a thrombosis. Dreadfully sorry, he was busy, could we wait for day after tomorrow. Before we left, the doctor gave her an injection to ease the pain and to help the circulation in her leg.

Within 48 hours we had seen the first specialist and she had an appointment for the following Monday (this was on Friday) for all the tests she needed at the hospital.

OK, this is a fairly rural area and big cities may not be the same always but the medical profession here are horrified when we tell them about treatment in the Uk and my oncologist just looks bewildered when I tell him about my lack of treatment for my leukaemia thingy.

Blood tests - not a problem, phone the nurse, she comes to the house, probably the next day, drops the sample at the pharmacie and then you can either have the results posted to you or pick them up at the pharmacie the next day. None of the crap you have to go through in the UK - and that's for EVERYBODY, not just for the elderly or ill.

[allotmentlady]

Same happened to me chuck, HAD mri November 06 went for results in January LOST results and notes, had anothert MRI lost those aswell. Had another Mri LOL, got results to be told they were inconclusive, this was December 07.........

They do a good job when they do it but make a real hash when they do lol.

[NOG]

I went to one hospital and they first said they had sent my notes to the GP. The GP phone them and asked where the notes were and they said they had sent a letter out but couldn't say who to.
I never receivec the letter but some poor sod choked on his cornflakes when he got told he had had a heart attack...that he knew nothing about.

[spennysaint]

Given the circumstances I would write a letter of complaint to ask them to explain their actions more clearly and to find out if you go back onto the waiting list in the same place that you were when they took you off to send you privately. Also if they have admitted to losing your notes they should be prioritising your case. Make sure you write to the trusts complaint department and not the department involved that m
way it will be logged more quickly and they will need to follow the trust complaint procedure ( should be able to find this on the trust website). Also ask about department of health 18 week targets - if it applies to this department they are definately not reaching it and therefore breeching- the trust won't look favourably on this.

[jackie j]

Given the circumstances I would write a letter of complaint to ask them to explain their actions more clearly and to find out if you go back onto the waiting list in the same place that you were when they took you off to send you privately. Also if they have admitted to losing your notes they should be prioritising your case. Make sure you write to the trusts complaint department and not the department involved that m
way it will be logged more quickly and they will need to follow the trust complaint procedure ( should be able to find this on the trust website). Also ask about department of health 18 week targets - if it applies to this department they are definately not reaching it and therefore breeching- the trust won't look favourably on this.

Thanks will tell the OH