So angry! This will cost lives

[hellywelly3]

Anyone who has been trying to get a doctors appointment will now how difficult it is at the moment. Took an hour most days just to get through to reception. I had a nightmare getting a face to face appointment for a breast problem that I wanted looking at. I had 2 telephone ones first but eventually got a face to face one. I was examined and was told I would be referred to the breast clinic as it was agreed something felt not right. I got a telephone call after a few days offering me an appointment 8 days later. I felt so relieved that it was finally been taken seriously. Then this evening I got a phone call from hospital saying the consultant in charge of the clinic won’t see anyone due to COVID restrictions and now my appointment has been changed to a telephone one 2 days later! I said to the woman on the phone that it really wasn’t good enough and how can you fully assess someone over the phone. She said completely understood etc but she was just the messenger. I said this will cost people their lives to which she agreed and said I should tell my concerns to the consultant when they call. I really feel like crying I’m so worried. Sometimes it’s hard to describe a problem on the phone and I’m worried it will just get dismissed.

[Love51]

Complain. Officially, to PALS. The receptionist will probably be hoping you do but she can't actually tell you that.

[DingDongDenny]

What I don't understand is how come some health staff are on the front line dealing with Covid patients, while others like some GPs aren't seeing people because of Covid risk. Why can't they just use PPE?

[looptheloopinahulahoop]

Does PALS still exist? My mum seems to think it doesn't where she is.

[Aberforthsgoat]

What Covid restrictions prevent the consultant from seeing you?!

[Intersmellar]

Sorry Helly that sounds stressful. I think a complaint to PALS is in order-as said above the person speaking g to you probably wishes you would make a complaint

[cate16]

Complain.
My daughter has had breast issues and has had a phone consultation, then face-to- face with GP, she then had a breast clinic face-to-face around 10 days later. All fine for her thank goodness.

[BathshebaKnickerStickers]

@Aberforthsgoat

What Covid restrictions prevent the consultant from seeing you?!

Self isolation after their child was marked as a close contact in school? I know Doctors unable to see patients this week for that reason.

[Apandemicyousay]

It might be that they are squeezing you into an overbooked clinic as you’re on a 2 week wait pathway, and for social distancing can’t have you in waiting room. After speaking with you The consultant will then book you for tests etc and get you in for face to face.

[BarbarianMum]

Yes PALS exist and please do complain. My mum was seen in person in the middle of the first wave when she found a lump.

Ds1 was seen in person by his consultant a couple if weeks ago and that's for a minor foot condition.

[DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat]

This seems so dependent on the care trust involved. My DF is, for various reasons, a ‘heavy user’ of the NHS and has been in and out of hospital (Essex) for various things over the last year and has seen consultants, had scans, ad has an operation booked for next month. My DH, same (Kent). Seen by his consultant (long standing health issue) and has been in for MRI, tests etc, all almost as normal. GP services are a bit awry though.

[MarxandEngels]

So very, very sorry.
Can’t really say anything else because my clinic is running as normal. 💐

[Flyonawalk]

@tttigress is right. Lockdowns will have cost enormous numbers of lives.

A Canadian economist calculated that for every year of life saved for a potential covid victim, nearly 300 years of life have been cost by lockdowns (lack of healthcare, poverty etc).

It is too soon to know if he is right but I believe the human cost of lockdown will be enormous.

I hope you are ok OP.

[hellywelly3]

My DH said about complaining to PALS. Think I’ll have a look at that. It’s just something else to deal with when I’m already stressed about this. It’s wrong people can’t get the care they deserve.

[Tistheseason17]

Please complain via PALS re breast clinic refusing to see you. They have obligation under 2week wait pathway.
I'd also complain to GP practice as should not take 3 apptmts to get referred. Our practice refers at first apptmt- no need to see you F2F - you know your boobs.

[toocold54]

YANBU I was trying to get an appointment with my gp for 3 weeks. I ended up getting a lot worse and having to call an ambulance and staying in hospital which was bad for me obviously but from a COVID sense it would have been safer if I saw the gp and got an antibiotics prescription 3 weeks earlier.

[Sweak]

Please complain, and loudly, that's not good enough. Also email your MP.

[Glitterblue]

That's shocking, please complain. My friend lost her dad to cancer in the first lockdown because the GP refused to see him.

[Divebar2021]

That sounds really stressful. My DH has been having problems and spent ages online trying to get an appointment because you can’t call up. He ended up with a phone consultation - they rang an hour early while he was on the train. A friend with MS tried to get a face to face and was told she had to call every day for that day only - and as they had no appointments she had to call the next day and so on. Her relative was due physiotherapist and the therapist called and got her to do exercises over the phone …. The phone !!! I cannot for the life of me work out what the hell is going on. If you are a healthcare professional you don’t get to shrink into the background in a pandemic. You wouldn’t expect the fire service to stay at home for a fire.

[SchrodingersImmigrant]

@DingDongDenny

What I don't understand is how come some health staff are on the front line dealing with Covid patients, while others like some GPs aren't seeing people because of Covid risk. Why can't they just use PPE?

What I don't understand is why my mum in another country saw gp face to face numerous times since the first lockdown, yet here we get phone consultation....

[Theworldisfullofgs]

I think it is very localised.

I got a same day telephone appointment with my GP for a specific issue and a follow up plan to do if first treatment plan didn't work.

My dsis had a breast lump last year mid covid and was seen v quickly throughout the system.

I don't know why it's like this, but it is. It isn't good enough and I'd write a complaint with the tone of 'so it doesn't happen to someone else' to PALS, in the first instance.

[smellyjellycopter]

It must vary by area. I've been seen on a two week way pathway after face to face apts with my GP. I also work for a team that has been doing face to face visits throughout. But, the crucial thing is that face to face have been avoided where appropriate. An initial phone consultation or virtual apt is entirely appropriate to triage a case. Healthcare has needed to keep face to face only where necessary, in order to reduce infection. PPE doesn't stop the spread completely, that's been clear to see over the last year.

[Sweak]

@SchrodingersImmigrant I quite like the phone consult. But as an option rather than a necessarily precursor to a face to face.

This example is a terrible waste of time as a bread examination clearly cannot happen over the phone. The consultant should see her and I don't understand why the gp didn't just to an initial examination rather than a phone appointment. Twice.

[Sweak]

*breast

[Gwenhwyfar]

"What I don't understand is why my mum in another country saw gp face to face numerous times since the first lockdown, yet here we get phone consultation...."

She probably lives in a country where doctor get paid for each consultation.
Phone consultation is OK for some things, but not for others. You can't be examined properly over Zoom and not at all on the phone.