Have you been to the hospital since COVID began?

[AnxietyDrivingMyLife]

I keep seeing threads where people have commented how the NHS is currently a COVID only service. Is this the case? Have you had procedures which have been cancelled etc with no sign of when the services will resume etc?
It sure how A&E functions but my guess is that if it’s life threatening and you are presented in A&E they have to treat you.

I took my son with a suspected appendicitis in January. The service was just as it usually is - very good

If you have a medical emergency just go!

We had to go to A&E last year after my son cut his head open. There was no issue and thankfully we were seen quickly and his head was glued.

Of course A&E will still treat you. There have been big ad campaigns about it. Hospitals are still running loads of other services. Some things haven't stopped at all e.g. maternity (although there will be changes in procedures). Lots of hospitals have had to suspend 'elective' surgery e.g. knee op (very much needed but not urgent) and some hospitals had to cancel things like cancer ops for a few weeks, which is a massive deal, so they tried this time to cancel the minimum.

I've been to the hospital quite a bit for antenatal, birth and then postnatal care - all of which has been as good and thorough as it was with my previous pregnancy in non-covid times - but that's not exactly something that can be delayed...!

I had to take my son to A&E in August and they were brilliant - and it was very quiet - but a) that was children's A&E, which has been massively less affected throughout and b) that was when covid cases were very low

My daughter had to go to minor injuries at Christmas with a broken finger.

I've been to A&E several times during the last year when DS got Croup. Also had a general eye appointment for DD, so it's all still open.

I went last summer for a day procedure and it was really quiet but just as efficient. Obviously I wasn't near the wards, so it may well have been a different story there.

Been to A+E 3 times with extreme kidney pain since COVID, was diagnosed with a kidney stone and hydronephrosis and had a nephrostomy inserted or was offered a stone removal surgery. Admitted a further 3 or 4 times with kidney infections.

The operation to remove the stone and nephrostomy was postponed a few times and I know of other pregnant women who have had their tube changes delayed or cancelled resulting in kidney infections or sepsis.

I’ve taken dc to A&E and I was referred by the GP for an emergency scan within two weeks. Both fine but that was in August and September when virus rates were relatively low.

We are still doing routine surgery in paediatrics. Not as much as pre Covid. And I dread to think how big our backlog is.

I've been to A&E after collapsing last March and got admitted for a few days. Also been for ecg and heart monitor implanted felt safe visiting hospital.

Collapsed again 3 weeks ago and people who found me got told it was a 2 hour wait for ambulance and they got recommended to take me to local GP surgery while I was coming round so less good service though been referred to other departments and awaiting more tests now as a result of GP intervening.

Yep twice for routine medication (Xolair) to be administered in hospital
Once for a chest infection
Many blood tests that have to be done at hospital
Routine haematology appointments over the phone
Ovary ultrasound scan
Kidney scan
Urology appointment over the phone
Got to love a host of autoimmune conditions

I've been in hospital once in the summer and it was fine, lots of checks and got a room to myself so better than normal though covid was very low then. Didn't see many other patients.

Husband has been in recently for cancer tests and said it was very good.

The GPs is almost impossible to get seen but will do things via e-mail/phone, but for anything that would normally be A&E its fine. Would imagine there are massive waiting lists for routine things.

Yes I have had 2 emergency referrals.

One for the breast clinic after finding a lump and I've had an internal scan due to abnormal bleeding.
Both results were clear thankfully

Yes several times to the warferin clinic

Once for a kidney scan

Heart failure appointment in August

Another heart failure appointment with the transplant service two weeks ago.

My ICD check has been postponed but I have an upload device which uploads from my ICD every night so if there were issues I guess they would contact me. And as I’m still here I’m guessing that it’s either working or I haven’t needed it.

Yes three times. Once to children’s a&e as my son broke his collar bone, then as a follow up at the fracture clinic.

And I was admitted just before Christmas for emergency surgery following an ectopic pregnancy which ruptured.

Excellent care as usual and actually much nicer than usual times as you needed an appointment letter or special code to come in and it wasn’t busy! Obv Covid notwithstanding i’d quite like that system in place forever! The only downside for me was my husband not being able to visit me while i was in, but I was home the next day, so not the worst thing. I’d probably feel different if I’d been in longer.

Took DM to A&E after a fall and she has attended a mammogram, Dsis was admitted via A&E after coughing up blood and stayed for 2 weeks (not Covid related), I've attended the Gynae clinic 3 times and had a Hysterectomy.

SIL has been to A&E due to Covid

I know my local hospital initially cancelled non--urgent stuff last year but it's all up and running now

I’ve been four or five times with my elderly mum for scans and bloods mainly. Oh and a pacemaker check last week. Still waiting for some delayed appointments and a little concerned that they were checking a skin cancer removal site monthly until last March, but it hasn’t been looked at once in the past year.

I've had a couple of MRIs, blood tests and spoken to my consultant a couple of times. They are still doing regular treatment clinics.

I had to take ds 3 weeks into the first lockdown as he broke a bone playing in the garden. I felt terrible about taking him but we needed to check it out. Dh called 111 or whatever it’s called first and they told us to go. It was absolutely fine, very quiet, we were seen and ds was xrayed and plastered within about an hour and a half. Amazing.
I had to accompany a vulnerable relative more recently to A&E (different hospital), it was much busier but no less efficient even though we were waiting a little longer.
If you have had an accident or there is an emergency, go and seek medical help.

My son has to go regularly for his infusions. I had to take my mum last week for a urology appointment.
Hospitals are still open

Yes I've had MRI, and numerous investigations tests thoughout this past year, from something flagged up pre covid.

DH had an accident and had to go to A&E for 6 stitches in October.

Some parts of hospitals are still working, but slower and have been closed at times. sometimes things have been put back.

As far as I can work out everything was stopped again just after Christmas and slowly started again after January.

I spent ten days as an inpatient in November. Had a cataract operation in December and am having a second cataract op next week, the last was delayed for a week.
I have a procedure booked in for a couple of weeks and have no reason to believe it will be cancelled.

DP, turned away from A&E despite being bright yellow with sudden onset, painless jaundice, several procedures cancelled or delayed by Covid. Turns out he has cancer of the bile duct and by the time he finally got operated on it had spread to his liver. Shit care. And I am still fucking raging.