To think the NHS is being RIDICULOUS??!!

[finnbarr]

Long story short but I ended up going for a consultation for a pain I've been having for years (private consult) Ive finally been told I've a hefty cyst on my left ovary and need it out. The reason i went provate is becasue noobe has believed me for about three years!! But as surgery on NHS need to be referred by GP. Fine so far. Now the NHS want me to have another consultation with THE SAME doctor before I can have my surgery! Waste of NHS resources? I think so!

[excitedLJ]

Don't get me started....

[finnbarr]

I just can't believe it!! Im in so much pain DH suggested we use our savings to get it done privately but I'm like 'NO!!'
Im hardly a burden on the NHS and just can't believe they have no common sense!!

[Goawaybob]

Fucking idiots they are!! When i had my gallstones out, they were diagnosed by my doctor, then confirmed by ultrasound. I then had to see the consultant - i sat there nervous about the exam i was to receive, he walked in said, well, you have gallstones, you need to book for surgery and walked out - leaving me and wondering how much he got paid for those two minutes!

Now i have a mirena coil that i need removed (its stuck) - was sent to local FP clinic to see if i could get it out there (GP useless and coudlnt get it out), i was expecting them to do it there. Turned up, had to have big long interview with Drs very well dressed PA, i said why am i having to talk to you, sign and expenses form - he said Dr X is a private consultant, but dont worry the fees will be paid by NHS. Dr said he wanted to do procedure under GA, i told him to get on his bike, to do it under sedation at most, i don't want a GA just to get a coil out (its only problematic to put one back so i said if you cant do it with me awake i can live without it, i not having a ga!). He did an exam told me to book in with his PA. I mean, WTF, the FP clinic has its own receptionist, this guy didnt need to be there, he obviously was well paid! Then the guy went on to tell me how nice the private hospital they want me to go to is, how i will be able to have a free meal as i'll be an inpatient even though its a day surgery. How much money wasted?? I was and asked why it is done this way, they said its to speed up waiting times? Well, ive been waiting to have this coil out since september last year and its still there! Even though im well past my 5 year sell by date

Total waste of NHS money - What made me even more was when the guy was surprised that i questioned it and assured me i wouldnt be paying for it, err, yes i will, it comes out of my tax!!! nob!

[finnbarr]

I know!! The thing is I ended up paying 10 quid per minute I was in there though it's the best money I've spent for ages!!
The surgeon sent a letter to my GP saying he was happy to do the surgery on the nhs but needed a referral letter...I mean, everyone knows what the issue is so why do I need another consultation?! I've been in tears on the phone to his secretary, my GP, the hospital... I JUST WANT THIS THING OUT!!! I'm fed up with being in pain and grumpy and have told everyone that I was having my surgery but I'm not!!! Argh!!!
Ahem, sorry about that

[Goawaybob]

Don't be sorry Finnbarr, might i just suggest that once he has the letter from your GP he can go ahead and do the surgery without delay? well, obviously there will be some wait, but it is a blatant waste of resources to drag the consultant off the golf course have anotehr appointment to discuss the same thing.

[finnbarr]

Exactly bob!! But the GP has said they've done what was asked and referred me so have nothing more to say on the matter... You'd think that logically they would just refer me for the surgery... But I forget that the nhs and logic don't come hand in hand!

[CreamolaFoamless]

you must have scan pictures or access to them ..show them to you gp

can you not just concentrate on getting well and healthy ,stop worrying about wether the NHS is inefectual or not .

You are getting treament , the may have some issues but worry about that when you are well again

[Sidge]

Goawaybob irrespective of the administration issues you're having, you can't just pull out a stuck coil unless you want to risk uterine perforation, haemorrhage and cervical shock. I imagine that's why your "useless" GP didn't remove it in the surgery.

[handbagCrab]

I think I must use a different nhs!

I have never been dismissed by a GP over things like this. Never. Always offered tests. Always referred.

I doubt this will continue under the current administration if they get their way though.

Hope you get your treatment soon finnbarr :)

[Goawaybob]

Sidge, it is not actually stuck, i have some prolapse issues and the GP could not get it out because he was inexperienced and coudlnt see my cervix properly. I am fully aware of the risks thankyou. The consultant who i saw at the FP clinic was happy to remove the coil there and then as could with some rather firm handling manouvre me to see my cervix (ouch) but said that they didnt have the right set up for him to try and get another back in - I am assuming that he wanted to proceed under GA to avoid discomfort but I adamant that I do not want GA to re-insert the coil. If they cant do it under local then i just wont have a second coil fitted. Clearly if the coil is physically stuck and its not just an access issue then i would let them proceed ith a GA. So my issue is, why have an inexperienced GP doing coil fittings in the first place if he can't cope with more challenging anatomies - he even admitted himself that had it been anoterh doctor in the practise she would probably have done it herself. So sorry, i think your face was a bit misplaced

[NoOnesGoingToEatYourEyes]

finnbarr I know this is not much use to you in terms of getting this sorted out quickly but I think you should contact your MP to highlight this situation.

The more people complaining, not about the staff in this case but the red tape that requires the same patient sees the same doctor twice to get one operation, the better chance they have of doing something to change it for the future.

I hope things are sorted out quickly for you and you get your operation very soon.

[Scholes34]

Never had a problem where we lived before with the GP making referrals, but where we live now it's extremely difficult to get a referral. I had to cheat in a hearing test at the surgery and pretend I was more deaf than I am to get an appointment at the hospital.

[Goawaybob]

Also, when i had the bastard contraption fitted in the first place there was no problems with my flabby fanny then, and not even a hint that they might have trouble getting it out - otherwise i would have not had it fitted

[Sidge]

Goawaybob my face was based on your comment that the 'useless' GP couldn't/wouldn't remove your stuck coil.

Which isn't actually stuck at all. So your second post clarifies things.

I hope you get it all sorted swiftly and smoothly.

[Goawaybob]

Me too Sidge! sorry for thread hi-jack as you were ladies

There are serious misuses of NHS resources going on and it is frustrating in the least

[SuchProspects]

Isn't this mainly to do with waiting lists and trying to prevent private diagnosises from skipping ahead of people who have not gone private?

This isn't a dig at what you've done OP, I use private consults myself when I'm dissatisfied with NHS treatment, I'm just putting forward a reason for the process appearing to have extra steps. It is probably easier administratively and legally to slip you into the NHS surgery processes at the beginning (where you should have been if our GP had referred you) rather than put you in part way through and star your name in the queue so you are held back for the actual procedure to the point where you would have been IYSWIM.

Of course if your GP had referred you for a consultation in the first place this wouldn't be an issue. BTW (if you don't mind discussing) why did s/he refuse? I've never had a Dr turn down a direct request for a referral.

[ohdearwhatdoidonow]

That is absolutely ridiculous, and I would raise it as an issue - maybe speak to the Consultant's secretary and highlight it to him/her.

Things are deteriorating. I spend quite a lot of time in and out of A&E, both my DS play contact sports. My DS1 hurt his hand playing football on Friday 24th Feb, I'm so used to them hurting stuff I don't always react immediately, but by the following Monday it was very swollen and sore. Walk in centre - X ray , broken! Referral to the fracture clinic for a cast and the 1st appointment available was the 13th March! I whinged and complained (it's his right hand so will impact his schoolwork), no way was I waiting nearly 3 weeks from injury for his hand to be sorted (especially as he needed to see as consultant to see if it needed pinning).

[AThingInYourLife]

"Isn't this mainly to do with waiting lists and trying to prevent private diagnosises from skipping ahead of people who have not gone private?"

Yes, and as such it is a good thing.

Your issue is with a crap GP who wouldn't refer you, not with a system that won't let private referrals skip the queue.

[ohdearwhatdoidonow]

But seeing the consultant for the 2nd time, is actually preventing some other needy person having their 1st consultant appointment to get their ball rolling. The queue has already been jumped.

[finnbarr]

I was diagnosed with pcos years ago and the various gps I've seen have just said my pain (which varied from the whole of my left side to pain in hips etc) is period pain and due to pcos. I got fed up of te pain and no one listening to me.
I appreciate the nhs not wanting to favour anyone who's gone private but it just seems a waste of resources if everyone knows the issue!!

[finnbarr]

And completely agree ohdear!!

[AlanMoore]

I have worked in the NHS for quite a long time now, in various roles and departments.

It's really easy to run, all you have to do is - take big pile of taxpayer's money, split into three. Have a bonfire with 1/3, give 1/3 to share between the chief executives, then try and fund the entire service including all staffing and maintenance costs with the rest. Don't forget to add an extra layer of bureaucracy wherever possible!

If patients are getting a good service there's too many staff. If admin work is getting done in good time there's too many staff. If in doubt cut staff.

HTH!

Sympathies OP, I had a baffling experience with getting a mole removed (sent to BUPA and had to go 4 times for something that could have been done in one appointment...god knows how much that cost the PCT)

[AlanMoore]

Urgh, just realised I misunderstood the OP. The appointment is a bit of a waste of time but the waiting list isn't sophisticated enough for you not to queue jump otherwise so it has to be so.

Ideally they would be able to say there is an x month waiting list for first NHS consultation, then x wait for the surgery, add them both together and book you in for surgery then, freeing up an appointment for someone else.

[YellowDinosaur]

The nhs trust you are having your procedure in will need a referral from your gp so that they get paid. This is how it works and the treason your gp needs to write a referral letter.

This isn't the same thing as having to see the consultant again in clinic. They will probably list you for surgery once they get the letter.