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Concerns attending hospital

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mikeydt1

mikeydt1

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BBC is reporting that there has been a huge drop in people with cancer attending hospital during the pandemic.

just wondering how many more people with other medical conditions or falling ill have put off going to hospital.

i got a call when the pandemic started to attend Maxillo and refused to attend for obvious reasons, scared to death. it was in my mind that most covid deaths were in hospital and there was no way on planet earth i was attending.

it is like a catch 22, if you don't go then things could or can get worse and if you go then there is all ways that small risk of getting the virus.
 
Certainly at the start of the pandemic I can well understand people were apprehensive to attend and many were advised against it. As time has gone on though hospitals have adapted to make it as safe as possible with reduced clinic sizes, well spaced waiting areas, additional cleaning etc. I guess if you are in a shielding group it would be even more of a concern, but those who are still going to supermarkets etc then the hospital is likely to be no higher risk, or possibly even less so.
 
I had a phone call last week, asking me to attend day surgery as they were starting up again.
I pointed out I was on the shielding list and also asked how I was supposed to social distance as no family available to drive me there and back. Had the usual large hint that if I didn't/wouldn't go then I would be taken off of the list.

So I said that's fine by me please do so. 🙂
 
I was put off going to gp about additional health issues and went 3 weeks ago, referred urgently to hospital and instead of seeing specialist first have now had 2 blood tests, ct scan and yesterday mri scan. Now waiting to see specialist. Blood test department was very busy and long wait as satellite clinics closed. But scans in quiet areas and generally hospital is quiet and eerily calm. I felt safer there than in supermarkets. My anxiety due to having scans and can’t avoid physical contact with staff. From Monday masks will be compulsory which will make it harder as I find them claustrophobic, hard to breathe and glasses steam up. Got cotton ones to use.

Don’t avoid getting health care.
 
Pumper_Sue said:
I had a phone call last week, asking me to attend day surgery as they were starting up again.
I pointed out I was on the shielding list and also asked how I was supposed to social distance as no family available to drive me there and back. Had the usual large hint that if I didn't/wouldn't go then I would be taken off of the list.

So I said that's fine by me please do so. 🙂
Click to expand...

Gosh, that seems a bit unfair of them. Would have thought they’d offer a bit more leeway and be understanding of concerns.
 
LucyDUK said:
Gosh, that seems a bit unfair of them. Would have thought they’d offer a bit more leeway and be understanding of concerns.
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Bottom line is they should not have even contacted me as on the shielding list, so they are at fault. It was the booking office clerk flexing her muscles 🙂
 
I’d get the number for the consultants secretary and put a phone call into them direct.
 
I think there are many people with cancer who had their treatment cancelled by the hospital because it lowers their immunity to infections, but who given the choice would have preferred to carry on with the treatment. They are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. :(
 
MarkGeordie said:
I’d get the number for the consultants secretary and put a phone call into them direct.
Click to expand...
As my first hand surgery was done just before lockdown I missed out on the follow up apt and have been left with a few problems which is a pain to put things mildly. No ones fault obviously but I have no intention of having a repeat performance with my other hand. So would rather wait until well into the future for the other hand to be done.
 
Did you get the physio for your hand Sue?
 
Our hospital have also been doing lots by phone - they still book an appointment then they just call me. But then I'm on a dexcom so they can see a lot......
 
Frustrating. I wonder how high this toll to people's health will be / whether there are ways to measure it



Pumper_Sue said:
As my first hand surgery was done just before lockdown I missed out on the follow up apt and have been left with a few problems which is a pain to put things mildly. No ones fault obviously but I have no intention of having a repeat performance with my other hand. So would rather wait until well into the future for the other hand to be done.
Click to expand...
 
I’ve got an appointment on the 29th and I’m feeling ok about it. The hospitals are doing everything they can to keep us safe I’d rather go in and get seen at an appointment than go into a&e, though apparently that’s also very quiet.
 
Funny isn’t it, when there is a deadly virus on the loose, all the idiots who usually fill up A&E departments with insignificant problems suddenly learn what the word “emergency” means...
 
I've had to attend the local surgery 3 x over the last few weeks & I was very impressed by the way that they have put in the necessary. All wearing PPE, distancing etc it felt very safe. Got referred to the local hospital urgently & the experience was very mixed. Firstly I was asked to attend then I got a text the afternoon before saying it would be a phone call which was weird given it was a gynae problem. Trying to check this out was a nightmare & took over 2hrs, various reactions from staff. In the end I did go &the dr I saw was clear I needed to be there. She & her attending nurse were wearing masks & were very helpful, but I was staggered by the number of healthcare staff who weren't wearing masks or who had them at different stages of on & off!! It is a good thing that from Monday everyone working &attending have to wear masks. It is interesting that the communication failures are all blamed on coronavirus & that you have to get through so many messages about it before you even get though to an operator. Whilst I completely understand the stresses & difficulties within the healthcare system I don't think that excuses the attitude when dealing with understandably fearful & confused patients.
 
I'm in two minds about an appointment I have coming up for my maculopathy check in a couple of weeks. I had a cancellation letter about my glaucoma appointment next week, but not for the maculopathy. I'm reluctant to go really, because my eye has been more or less stable since the discovery of the problem in October 2013, so it seems highly unlikely that I should expect anything different. On the other hand, I would have to go on public transport and from listening to the health experts on the press briefings most of the current infection is in hospitals and other healthcare settings, which suggests hospitals are the last places you would want to go for something non-urgent. I'm inclined to cancel. Also have my 6 month review at the hospital coming up, but I haven't had blood tests, have no concerns, and the consultant can see my Libre data to see that I'm doing fine, so will cancel that next week.
 
I’ve been to the hospital twice, visited the DSN to collect something and to the GP surgery once and I’ve been fine. All had full PPE on and social distancing in place.
 
I've not had a hospital appointment since end of December. I think I'm due my defibrulay check in the Pacemaker Clinic (even though it's not a pacemaker). I had a letter in last couple of weeks saying they were going to read my defib remotely; instead of having me in. (They gave me the 'remote' base unit, that reads my defib and sends info to the hospital, using a phone sim card, last December. After 4 years.)
I had my last diabetic eye screening screening test April last year. I've heard nothing about it this year. I usually attend the health centre my GP practice is in for it. That's a lot closer than the hospital.
My last GP appointment was scedualed for mid March. They changed that to a phone appointment.
Had lots of blood tests end of last year, and begining of this. I can't remember when the last one was. Last one, they'd stopped the 'walk in blood clinic' (where you just turn up) (cause of C19). It was an appointment, with a specific time.

A couple of months ago there was a bit on the radio, where they specifically mentioned people with heart attacks not going in, or delaying. They said it meant they were in worst condition when they did get seen.
 
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Oh, I've been ordering my repeats online for quite some time. If goes straight from GP practice to the pharmacy. (Just as well I'd set that up a while ago too.) And been having people it up for me last few months.
 
I've got my liver scan on the 29th. I'm not going. I feel safer in Aldi.
 
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