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NHS backlog problems

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mikeydt1

mikeydt1

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Other Type
had a doctors visit as i wasn't so well last week and on examination was found to have a abdominal mass.

checked this week to see if i had been referred for scans which had been done only to find out there are now backlogs just to get a scan!

it seems we are now just to sit here and die thanks to the panic over the virus. what worries me with OP been shut what the hell happens if i need to see surgical? guess it will be the usual phone appt or perhaps a operation DIY kit!

if this had been before xmas the scan would of been done now as they usually like to fast track these things.

has anyone else had issues with doctors or hospital appts?

in our area the only things seem to be running okay are doctors and DN stuff but apart from that everything else seems to have gone to dust.
 
That sucks big time Mike. I hope things are sorted fairly quickly for you.
I spoke to GP on 29th July and he has still not sent an urgent referral to either haematology or endocrinology. Please note I haven't had an endo apt for over 2 years either. I was given an apt for a virtual pump clinic so told the clinic concerned I had no technology so a phone call would have to do.
 
It probably is area to area specific.

I had a CT earlier is September and even since the results came back and showed things wrong, I was rushed for a second CT, bloods and a face 2 face with a consultant all taking place within 8 days.

So I think it comes down to your specific area and the resources available.

If your worried you could have a word with your GP.

I think leaving you to die is a bit dramatic. If you feel you are getting worse or more poorly you have A&E to attend.
 
MarkGeordie said:
I think leaving you to die is a bit dramatic. If you feel you are getting worse or more poorly you have A&E to attend.
Click to expand...
That made me laugh
I had a spell in hospital a year ago and discharged myself due to an incident which I less than happy about. I was told point blank if I walked I would be going home to die.
As far as I know I haven't died yet but suspect the shoddy care or lack of has a lot to do with what happened.
 
There were backlogs before the pandemic.
Last year, my GP referred me for an urgent appointment with a dermatologist for suspected skin cancer. The first "urgent" appointment I could get in my city and the next was over 6 months away. I was lucky enough to have private healthcare through my employer so got an appointment within a few weeks and had the confirmed cancerous lump removed from my face before the NHS could see me for a consultation.

Unfortunately, the pandemic is extending this backlog as they stopped some appointments during lockdown and now have to provide additional cleaning between patients, less patients in waiting rooms, etc. which means they can't see as many.
 
i think the BBC link below sort of backs up my post and is very alarming-

NHS reduced services

just noticed something in the article, the very person who was trying to run the NHS to the ground ages ago is only chair of the health committee, Jeremy Hunt!
 
Sorry to hear about your worrying wait @mikeydt1.

I had some health issues over the summer, had a couple of ops, and have now been given the all clear. I feel very lucky to have been dealt with so quickly. I really hope your case is dealt with ASAP - and ev1 else who’s waiting.

Good grief @Pumper_Sue. o_O Where do you live? (just in case).
 
How the hell do we 'have a word with our GP' ?

You have to ring them, and they ask a doctor to ring you to triage you. By the time you eventually get through, having constantly redialled for 50+ times you are told there are no appointments left for today and to ring again at lunchtime or tomorrow morning. This has happened to us and our granddaughter, same surgery. She needed her contraceptive jab, which is 3-monthly. It has taken her 3 months to get a prescription for it and then she had to find someone to give it her - she actually brought it here to see if one of us could do it, but it's intra muscular though in the gluteus maximus so that's a big enough area to aim for but hell, what if you go in at the wrong angle or something? I mean - we want it to work properly for her as much as she does! - not for there to be any doubt whatsoever that it's in the right place to successfully carry out the task in hand. Eventually got an appointment across the other side of Coventry this evening. Phew.

For weeks and weeks Pete's had trouble with his right lower arm like he's pulled the muscle, but if so no idea what he did to cause it. He's right handed so uses that arm for literally almost everything. He's only in pain if he moves it, and it's not agonising. Needs someone to have a look prod any areas that need to be prodded and possibly diagnose it as old age but until anyone does that for him - what's best for it - rest or the opposite? At our age when things haven't gone away after a few weeks of starting we would far rather take proper relevant advice - and then go away and NOT waste doctors' time. Hell - a few years back he had to go to the docs cos he hadn't been for nearly 10 years - we both only ever go when we actually need to!

But - it most certainly does not give us any Brownie points.
 
trophywench said:
How the hell do we 'have a word with our GP' ?

You have to ring them, and they ask a doctor to ring you to triage you. By the time you eventually get through, having constantly redialled for 50+ times you are told there are no appointments left for today and to ring again at lunchtime or tomorrow morning. This has happened to us and our granddaughter, same surgery. She needed her contraceptive jab, which is 3-monthly. It has taken her 3 months to get a prescription for it and then she had to find someone to give it her - she actually brought it here to see if one of us could do it, but it's intra muscular though in the gluteus maximus so that's a big enough area to aim for but hell, what if you go in at the wrong angle or something? I mean - we want it to work properly for her as much as she does! - not for there to be any doubt whatsoever that it's in the right place to successfully carry out the task in hand. Eventually got an appointment across the other side of Coventry this evening. Phew.

For weeks and weeks Pete's had trouble with his right lower arm like he's pulled the muscle, but if so no idea what he did to cause it. He's right handed so uses that arm for literally almost everything. He's only in pain if he moves it, and it's not agonising. Needs someone to have a look prod any areas that need to be prodded and possibly diagnose it as old age but until anyone does that for him - what's best for it - rest or the opposite? At our age when things haven't gone away after a few weeks of starting we would far rather take proper relevant advice - and then go away and NOT waste doctors' time. Hell - a few years back he had to go to the docs cos he hadn't been for nearly 10 years - we both only ever go when we actually need to!

But - it most certainly does not give us any Brownie points.
Click to expand...

Maybe I’m just lucky with my surgery and doctor then.

I’ve had no issues getting through and because they know my current situation they seem to call me by the end of the day.

As I said, varies area to area.
 
MarkGeordie said:
Maybe I’m just lucky with my surgery and doctor then.

I’ve had no issues getting through and because they know my current situation they seem to call me by the end of the day.

As I said, varies area to area.
Click to expand...
Same here. Post code lottery or what!😳
 
When my blood test results came back as needing attention re a medication, I was told it was 5 weeks to wait to talk to a GP!
Needless to say I kicked up a fuss and was given a phone consult 2 weeks later. Biggest problem is the reception staff who seem to think they are medically qualified to judge wen or if you need to see or speak to a GP.
 
trophywench said:
She needed her contraceptive jab,
Click to expand...
Suggest to her to ask if they could switch her to Sayana Press as I assume she's currently on Depo, our health centre has tried to switch most patients on Depo to Sayana as they had problems obtaining the Depo last year, Sayana is self administered in the thigh or stomach every 13 weeks so a total benefit during the current times xx
 
Thanks Kaylz! I'll have a look at that and tell her about it - I am well out of touch with 'such matters' these days !
 
trophywench said:
Thanks Kaylz! I'll have a look at that and tell her about it - I am well out of touch with 'such matters' these days !
Click to expand...
No problem, I know there are a few patients that refused the switch as they didn't want to inject themselves but obviously it didn't bother me, doing it everyday anyway so no issue doing 1 extra every 13 weeks lol but it would be much easier for her during the current time xx
 
as off no sign of anything done, i know there are back logs as i have been told but with something like this you would of thought by now that a letter would of plopped through for an appointment.

if nothing comes through this week then i will be chasing things up, sat here feeling sick each day is no fun.

doctor told me to ring surgery if things get worse but what is the point? with no scans they don't even know what they are dealing with.
 
mikeydt1 said:
doctor told me to ring surgery if things get worse but what is the point? with no scans they don't even know what they are dealing with.
Click to expand...
GP will ring hospital and ask/demand you are seen, that's the point.
 
just seen your messages must be second sense as i have just got a phone call out of the blue and my doctor is wanting to have a chat with me so this will be a chance to get things sorted and to try and get the scans chased up.
 
I hope you get some more answers soon.
 
thought i would post this. i had a nurse come to see me yesterday morning, nothing to do with the above and she told me that the NHS are only reducing services again in our area again due to the virus rate increasing.

now don't get me wrong but some telephone appointments are okay but in the end many people do need to be seen as there are things which just can't be done down a flaming telephone wire.

since the virus began OP along with other services have been shut. we do have another hospital in our area, there are no wards so what is the issue with getting a OP service running there, they used to do them.

you know my thinking is that there is something more to this than just the virus issue!
 
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