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.

Yep I had a gastroscopy this week. Prior to this I had a consultant appointment. I have also had a consultant appointment for an ongoing sinus issue over the phone at a different hospital.

2 relatives also has an appointment this week. My grandma also has had about 5 appointments in the past few months. She's not really ill or anything. Just has some heart issues. She's 85 so it's fairly run of the mill for her age.

So not a covid only service in my experience.

I've always had good treatment.

Labour and antenatal was strange but OK
Was seen with my newborn for oral thrush and a few months later in A&E for an allergic reaction.

DH had an allergic reaction back in April. I had to drop him off at the door to A&E as he had to go in alone.

At that point he was looking rather like the marshmallow man character from Ghostbusters. There were hardly any people in A&E and the staff there took one look at him and treated him straight away.

He had tried to ring 111 whist we were driving to the hospital but they refused to talk to him unless he was stationary, even though he was a passenger in the car and I was driving. If we had stopped to talk to them our arrival at A&E would have been delayed and his condition could have worsened.

Heavily pregnant and in twice weekly for monitoring until my due date.
Its been fine.

@NewYearNewTwatName

gamerchick OverTheRainbow88

yeah my GPs recorded message when you phone, is pretty much "Why the fuck are you ringing? there's a pandemic on, Piss Off."

Heh pretty much yep

I shouldn't laugh, it's just bizarre.

Took my daughter with non-blanching rash at the start of the first lockdown. It was fine, very weird outside of wards, everywhere was dead. I couldn’t get out when she was discharged at 3am because all the doors were locked! I had to go back to children’s ward and be let out via a fire escape!

Husband had emergency surgery (admitted via a&e) in November and it was mostly ok - most staff were brilliant, but there were certainly some using covid as an excuse for poor care, which was disappointing.

Yes, several times (long term condition and life-threatening emergency).

Treatment no different to usual accept they were "more on my side" when I explained I would rather not be admitted and I got a week of IV antibiotics by presenting at A and E each time I was scheduled for them (this is now becoming a trust-wise initiative thanks to me suggesting it!).

I’ve been in A&E for an asthma attack, had all my antenatal and postnatal appointments and my daughter has had lots of appointments at the hip clinics. Family members have been in for cancer treatments, eye operations, kidney operations. Nobody I know has had anything delayed.

Surgeon over here! (Well ST4 registrar) I can assure you it is not a Covid only service... yes a lot of electives are cancelled, we have problems with our ‘green’ (aka Covid free apparently) ward having regular outbreaks, thus we have problems with bedding/admitting surgical patients but I am still in theatre a lot! People haven’t stopped perforating. Clinics are still happening but over the phone. My friend is in cardiology and still doing angios, I can assure you it is not just covid.
Our a&e has a ‘Covid symptom’ area so I could see a surgical patient in this area who has triggered as potential Covid (temperature, low oxygen saturations and lack of smell were in my last Covid and surgical patient) and a ‘clean’ area where patients without Covid triggering symptoms will be.
I think a lot of people dont really understand how hospitals work (and why would they, I have no idea how the legal system works as I don’t work in it). A lot of people seem shocked the a&e dr can’t consent them for surgery and they need to wait 5 more hours to see me. People aren’t aware of different specialities and the referral/on call process which contributes hugely to delays in being seen

Yes we've been loads since first lockdown. Dd has uncontrollable epilepsy and every time she seizes she goes to hospital. Also been in ambulance and clinic appointments for her.
Dh went to ooh dr for kidney stones.

I work in the NHS and Wass redeployed but am now back as the outpatient service is back to normal.

The first weekend of lockdown i fell and broke my hand and got brilliant treatment in an otherwise empty a and e.
I have also had a small operation as a day patient.

I've been referred to 2ww breast clinic, because GP found a lump in my painful breast.

3 appointments because I managed to fall over fresh air and hurt my wrist.
Minor injuries first , thought it was just a sprain, follow up call to come back because something was seen on the xray.
Then to a consultant at another hospital because I have a hole in a wrist bone!

Also physically seen the GP for breast exam, smear and coil change.

I had to go to A&E after an electric shock in December. Was very well looked after. Very professional service. Love our NHS. ❤️

We've had a bit if a year if it actually. DH has had a total of 10 weeks in hospital, nothing Covid related.

My Dad was in A&E just last week, not Covid related.

DN has had his cancer follow up checks has scheduled.

I've booked a mammogram, although it was 2 months plus before they could fit me in.

Although I'm not directly affected ATM, it does worry me that waiting lists for low priority things are getting so long. A hip replacement might not be life saving but it absolutely is life changing. Saying that a friend's mother has had both hips replaced since the crisis began.

I had a letter to do the middle aged health check in November but by the time I called to book it, they weren't doing them because of lockdown. The screening things are a concern. If they're worth doing, there are a lot of people who are having things missed that should have been picked up atm.

I've been to a and e once and admitted once during this time. At the time of going it was non Covid though I did test positive a day later whilst in there. I've also had two rheumatology appointments in the hospital to get steroid injection s.

My mum had a follow up operation last autumn. Non Covid.

Mil also been to a and e twice and had two follow ups - non Covid, gallstone attacks.

FIL was in hospital for cancer related issues last year. Sadly since died, but all non Covid.

Both my nanas were also in hospital for non Covid reasons last year in May and august. Again both sadly died. One caught Covid inside but that wasn't why she was in nor why she died.

Friend recently went to a and e and had operation with two night stay for broken ankle.

Colleague has been diagnosed with, had operation and further treatment for cancer during autumn/winter and ongoing.

So our experience is that the local hospital trust and at least two other hospitals elsewhere are definitely doing non Covid work.

I’ve had xrays and mri done no problems x

I have had 2 assessments with my orthopaedic team. Dd has had paediatric blood tests and speech therapy face to face appointments. My father has been admitted and tested stayed for 2 weeks and discharged from hospital with non Covid illness (cancer).

NHS has definitely been working on non Covid related things in my experience.

I have seen the GP a couple of times and the nurse there too four times over lockdown.

But you can't just get face to face for the GP. It is a telephone call - call in morning, call sometime that day. Face to face is only is they deem it necessary.

Was really hard to get to speak to someone in rheumatology at the hospital. They have a lengthy message and press button system. You then leave a message and they'll call you back within 48 hours. But if you can't answer when they call they don't try again and you have to start the system all over again. Nightmare. Great once spoken to and having an appointment but nightmare to access them initially.

I had a polyp removed from my uterus last August after a quick referral (post menopausal bleeding). I’m having another scan on Wednesday as the bleeding is back, again the referral went in fast.

On the other hand Dh needs a hip replacement- probably going to be about 5 years before he gets that!!

I was In hospital for a month last April and I needed emergency brain surgery and other than going to theatre twice and being sent back due to a covid patient needing a ventilator. I didn't catch covid and my neurosurgeon told me that for some reason a lot of people have had covid on their death certificate when they did my have covid. He said it may be so the government can justified the national lockdown.

we have problems with our ‘green’ (aka Covid free apparently) ward having regular outbreaks,

Sadly I can see this happening a lot and causing lots of knock on issues.

I was the cause of it on my ward - felt very guilty. Was in a green ward. Had breathing issues as well as other stuff but no one had suspected Covid and they'd ruled it outs routine test on being admitted. Tested positive next day. Was an eight bed ward. I was whisked away to an isolation room. Not sure what happened to rest of ward but it was a bit manic with cleaners and porters turning up soon after

Up until January 99% of DS appointments where online or over the telephone, we only went in for an ophthalmology appointment and a blood test.

Since then we have had a fair few in person appointments, a test (which was urgent and had been ordered the March before!), training for the outcome of that test and two a and e trips!

Most routine things are still being done via attends anywhere but more and more seems to be moving to face to face when circumstances say it needs to be

Yep. Post cancer check up, and have another appointment in a week or so.

Had an over night stay in April during the first peak. I was well looked after