That's an amazing photo of Angel Sid, @REP22 . You should submit it to a competition. If it goes to a vote, let us know and we will all put our crosses in the relevant box, I'm sure.
I've been quiet lately, as I have two family members in hospital just now (MIL and DIL), which has proved remarkably time-consuming. Things are looking up on both counts now, though, thank goodness.
An update - I posted a while ago about the difficulty I had with getting LFTs and the results of a US scan, and things have moved on in that area. I contacted the surgery, as it was an officious nurse - who has form for treating NHS expenditure as though it's coming from her own current account - who cut the LFTs from my annual review (the US is done at the hospital). The GP agreed that I need to have annual tests, and that both she and I need to see the results as the hospital aren't releasing them, so I get one next week and in future they will be done at my annual reviews - result.
Then I rang the hospital and spoke to the hepatology secretary, who has sent me a copy of the US scan report, and advised me to call her after each one and she will post the reports (apparently there is no mechanism for adding a note to my file so it happens routinely). She said that the liver nurse decided only to send out results that are out of kilter, and that includes to GPs. I have now seen the report and it is reassuring, but would prefer it to be on my surgery notes too, as the GP is the primary care source, and IMO should have an overview of everything. Still, if I have any future concerns I have the results in my own files, so I can share them myself. I should see the liver nurse within the year, and will discuss this with her then, as well as the fact that one of the letters I got when she did send them contains wrong information, and see what she says.
The whole thing took an hour or so, which is not a big deal, but I really object to more vulnerable patients being put into this sort of position. I can make myself understood, and am confident enough to stand up for myself, but not everyone can, particularly when they are ill. Despite my initial diagnosis (subsequently shown to be questionable) I feel fine, and would never know I am ill had I not had the diagnosis nearly ten years ago. Also, I have time and private space to make calls that others might not. Making calls about liver disease is not something people might be comfortable about doing in the workplace, and those with English as a second language, or who have learning difficulties/low confidence with medical professionals might struggle.
I am deeply ashamed of the whole bloody thing, and hate having to rehash it with people - particularly when it is on the screen in front of them if they can be arsed to look at it. It's so unnecessary.
Anyway. It seems to be back to business as before, for now anyway. Fingers crossed the LFTs come back clear, which they usually do. I could live with not seeing the US results if my LFTs are ok, but only sending notifications when there is an issue risks nobody being alerted if the letters go astray, which we all know can happen. At least tests requested by the GP go onto the app, so I can see them immediately and they are there to stay.