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General health

Referals

20 replies

TickledPink · 02/01/2007 11:23

DD went to see docs on 18 Dec and doc said would refer her to hospital as she has a lump in her neck. Now I realise we have had Christmas in between but cant help worrying myself silly. Do you think it is too premature to give docs a ring to see if the wheels are in motion? Does anyone know how long it should take to get a letter through with a date? Please.

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Twiglett · 02/01/2007 11:28

depends on urgency or what they suspect .. but with NHS I wouldn't be surprised with a 6 week wait before being notified that you're on a waiting list for an appointment .. which might come in a few months time

LIZS · 02/01/2007 11:31

It took over a month for our gp to write a letter of referral for ds (summer holidays) and then he had an appontment about 6 weeks later. dd was seen within the target 3 months for a non-urgent orthopaedic appointnment, date of which we had about a month in advance. Did they give you a rough time scale for an appointment ? You would probably be contacted direct by the hospital with an appointment which could take a few weeks or so to get into the system with Christmas etc. Personally I'd give it until next week before chasing.

TickledPink · 02/01/2007 11:33

Thankyou Twiglett. Oh god help me if I have to wait another month. Im sure its just a cyst which is what doc suspects but I hate the fact if its something worse the waiting could make it worse. Oh pull yourself together woman.

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TickledPink · 02/01/2007 11:35

Thanks LIZS. The doctor ummed and Ahhd when we were there. She did mention an urgent clinic on a friday and was sort of thinking out loud whether to refer her to ENT or Paed but said would get to see Paed quicker so dont really know what to think.

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Sparkler1 · 02/01/2007 11:41

You are obviously very concerned and need your mind put at rest. Phone them and they you will know where you stand.
I work at our local hospital and know that with Christmas and New Year falling on Monday/Tuesday some doctors clinics will have been cancelled. They may only have one day where they see outpatients so this will have made your wait seem longer.
Hope all turns out ok with your dd!

tribpot · 02/01/2007 11:44

Obviously your GP did give the choice of 4 services which he/she is meant to now (and in fact has been for nearly a year, hey ho)!

Definitely call the surgery; they may be using a referral management service, which means you can call them to find out what's going on, or be able to tell you which admissions clerk to speak to at the hospital.

It would certainly take longer than this to get a letter through with a suggested date (you can change it if you need to) but equally I've had referrals which have just fallen off the pile because the GP forgot to send a referral letter. Worth checking.

TickledPink · 02/01/2007 11:45

Thankyou Sparkler1. I do worry quite a lot although i'm sure there is no need. I am happy to trust the Gp's judgement its just horrible being in this inbetween stage. I was thinking of giving it a couple more days then ringing the GP receptioninst. I was hoping they might be able to tell me whether a letter has been sent to the hospital yet. At least I would know the wheels were in motion.

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TickledPink · 02/01/2007 11:49

Right, thankyou tribpot, will do. I just think knowing its in the process of being dealt with would be enough to keep me happy as I'm sure if the hosp think it needs to be seen sooner will. I think its because its a lump, makes it worse for me because all sorts of things go through your head, as silly as it seems.

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TickledPink · 03/01/2007 20:28

DH phoned today and spoke to the consultant's secretary. She had only got back today from xmas and secretary said would be given the letter today and I should hear next week. I do hope so because I am living on my nerves at the moment not knowing whats wrong with DD.

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tribpot · 03/01/2007 21:46

It's completely mad - and flipping frustrating. At least if you could choose the time of the appointment whilst you're still in the GP surgery - even if it's going to be some weeks, you still leave knowing how many weeks it will be.

I do so hope the general level of rubbishness indicates that no-one thinks your dd's lump is anything to worry about - I'm sure it does, but really, it's hardly reassuring is it!

This whole letter system is bonkers (btw, I work for the NHS on this kind of thing, so am personally annoyed on your behalf) - I swear to god, if you haven't heard anything by this time next week, phone the secretary and cry. I've done it. It works. (Actually I only hinted that I might cry and that was good enough).

Dottydot · 03/01/2007 21:50

Yes, definitely keep chasing and cry if necessary! I had to wait 6 weeks for the result of an MRI scan on a lump behind my left eye - it should have taken 2 weeks to get the results (which was to find out whether it was cancer!). After 6 weeks I wrote a formal letter of complaint to the Trust Chief Exec (they hate that - doesn't do their ratings any good...). Got a phone call from the consultant 2 days later (good news, lump benign!) and have since been seen by an eye surgeon very quickly.

The investigation to the letter of complaint concluded that my results had been lost on a desk and if I hadn't have kept on contacting them it would have probably stayed lost - it's just not good enough when it's potentially very serious. I also work in the NHS so was nervous about complaining, but I know that while things are paper based, human error means mistakes/delays happen.

It's not right and you shouldn't have to, but if you're worried you need to keep chasing them. Good luck.

Jimjams2 · 03/01/2007 21:54

Are the NHS capable of not losing any test results. EVERY single time I have had a non standard (ie not a smear test) test done the system has failed at some stage. My friends have had the same. Had to wait months for Fragile X test result, weeks for an eczema herpeticum resutls, got a negative back on a wound that was clearly infected..... Useless.

TickledPink · 03/01/2007 22:08

Thank you all, it's nice to feel I am not just worrying without reason. At the end of the day she is just another patient to them, but to me she is my beautiful six year old daughter. I don't want to kick myself because it turned out to be cancer, rare as it may be becuse I was too worried about chasing them. Dh has already said if it is too long he will happily ring them again. Happy to be classed as a PITA if thats what it takes.

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tribpot · 03/01/2007 22:08

I'm sure that occasionally test results fail to go astray, but you are quite right that is a very tense game, applying exactly the right amount of pressure to get something done, without tipping too far and just pissing people off. To be honest, with a child I just couldn't be reasonable, I would probably be picketing the PCT if I were you.

TickledPink · 03/01/2007 22:13

Dottydot thats awful for you all that waiting. Glad its ok. I did see your other thread about your eye appointment the other day. At least they have put your mind at rest for the time being.

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TickledPink · 03/01/2007 22:16

The thing is my DD is also worried because although I have not shown my worry to her, the GP discussed what might happen in front of her and also said "I wont do a blood test because they are painful" and "they may remove the lump etc etc.

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tribpot · 03/01/2007 22:32

TP if I could, I would come down there and (a) rip your GP's heart out and (b) find the bloody referral letter and cause a response to be typed tonight.

The thing is, it probably is nothing. But how are you possibly meant to believe that, when it is your little girl and you are getting nothing from the hospital? Seriously - don't feel bad for calling.

TickledPink · 03/01/2007 22:38

I will post any news as I get it to keep you up to date. Thanks for the responses. It's really nice to bounce this off you guys.

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TickledPink · 11/01/2007 19:10

Grrr. DH phoned to chase appointment today and it turns out our letter is in consulants drawer where it would have remained until 24 Jan when an appointment would then have been made. Consultant visits our local hosp for clinics. Anyway he has got back on to Gp who has re-referred us to another hopital, same doctor with 'urgent' attached to it. Watch this space

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TickledPink · 12/01/2007 20:24

I am pleased to say we have an appointment for next Friday and I now hope and pray all will be well. I will post the results of this in case it helps anyone because it seems finding lumps in the neck are quite common but very scary.

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