AIBU?
To expect an appointment sooner?
Clairelou08 · 03/08/2015 22:37
My son has a lazy eye and wears a patch for 6 hours a day plus glasses. His prescription is currently wrong so booked him an appointment for an eye test this Friday 7th. Got a letter today cancelling the appointment and giving us another tomorrow morning. I'm at work tomorrow and too late to get the day off now ( hospital is 70 miles away) the next appointment they can give us is 4 weeks away my son is three and we pay private health care. I'm so mad and needed to sound off 
Pico2 · 03/08/2015 22:51
Does the consultant work at more than one private hospital? We have two locally, so can choose which clinic time suits us better and go to that hospital. Or contact the consultant's secretary. They are much better at sorting this stuff out than the hospital admin people.
Clairelou08 · 03/08/2015 22:56
Im going to ring the receptionist tomorrow see if there is another hospital we can travel to but the one 70 miles away is the closest he works for so who knows where we will have to go. There is another consultant we can see but he's on holiday too. It may not be the end of the world but I have a three year old who can't see properly at the moment and when I'm paying privately for it I don't feel we should have to wait that long
Clairelou08 · 04/08/2015 05:19
Going on holiday is fine but if there only 2 within 70 miles who are able to test children's eyes then surely it's not unreasonable to expect them to not be off on the same week. It's more the fact that the appointment has been cancelled with only 4 days notice they could have called me Friday when he decided to take his holiday then I could have made arrangements to get to the Tuesday appointment
MrsBobDylan · 04/08/2015 09:27
It is frustrating-my son has waited three months for a first appointment for nhs ophthalmology and for some of that time we have been trying to get a private appointment as We're desperate. He's 5.5, autistic and with a squint and I worry time's running out to correct it.
We've finally got one this week but I know it's been difficult because of the holiday period.
I do understand how worrisome it is to wait though.
Clairelou08 · 04/08/2015 09:34
Thanks it is frustrating and I am only trying to do the best for our son. Knowing he can't see properly is awful. I'm "throwing money" at the problem to get it sorted before it's too late to correct believe me there are things I eouluch rather spend the money on!
MistressMia · 04/08/2015 15:12
That's private healthcare for you! You can't demand to solve a problem by throwing money at it
Bit like the NHS then.
OP I agree, its poor to have had a cancellation at such short notice and an alternative so far away. Its the product though of replicating working practices in the NHS. Sort of ingrained behaviour that's seen as perfectly normal. You should expect better if paying privately and even in the NHS it shouldn't happen as frequently as it does.
LifeHuh · 04/08/2015 21:24
Um - how do you know his prescription is wrong if you haven't had a recent test? Because, well, having the eye exam is usually how you find out the prescription is wrong...(particularly if you are 3 and so not in a position to be doing a detailed commentary on what you can see!)
Clairelou08 · 04/08/2015 22:57
Because lifehuh He sees 2 separate consultants, one for his lazy eye. ( patching) and one for his detailed eye examination. We saw his patch consultant 2 weeks ago who did a basic test which shows his vision has deteriorated so she said we need a full examination as soon as possible! Thanks for your concern
Clairelou08 · 04/08/2015 23:04
Oh and he can talk and say "mummy I can't see" detailed commentary enough I'd say! Have you ever been on a position were your child can't see properly? He wears a patch for 6 hours a day on his good eye so it's pretty vital that he can see as much as possible with his bad eye!
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