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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Need to rant (NHS related)

50 replies

RoloAddict · 04/04/2018 17:46

This might be long sorry..

Three weeks ago I went for an ultrasound scan after having lower abdominal pains for several weeks. The scan revealed a mass (orange sized) on one of my ovary's. They couldn't tell what it was from the initial scan. Was told to make a GP appointment to discuss a referral to hospital. Since then I've been on the phone every morning they've been open to try and get this appointment. Our surgery has a (stupid) policy of not prebooking appointments under any circumstances. It's a case of ring up on the day at 8.30am and hope for the best. The phone is constantly engaged (I redial immediately afterwards). When you do get through the staff either put the phone down straight away (they deny this but its happend more than once) or all the appointments have gone (usually by 8.45). I've tried to self refer to the hospital but they wouldn't accept it without the involvement of the GP. I'm at my wits end with them. All the time i'm waiting this mass is potentially getting bigger and I'm getting more and more anxious.

I'm not trying to bash the NHS at all. I'm greatful for everything they do (they saved a close friends life recently) and I'm more than happy to wait my turn once the referral is made. I just want one routine GP appointment. Not an expensive cancer drug or a major operation. Is it really too much to ask for?

OP posts:

Original poster

RoloAddict · 04/04/2018 20:05

Thanks for the replies - I'm drafting a letter of complaint to the practice manager now. Will deliver in the morning. I'm just fed up of being in pain and not knowing when it's going to end :(

OP posts:

NewYearNewMe18 · 04/04/2018 20:08

Complain to the CQC

MadisonMontgomery · 04/04/2018 20:10

I would imagine they might have already made the referral if they have received the results of the ultrasound - either way, you don’t necessarily need an appointment, ring and speak to a receptionist (or pref your own doctors secretary if they have them at your practice), check that they have received the report and ask if your doctor has/plans to refer you.

Fintress · 04/04/2018 20:14

That is shocking. Your GP should have a copy of your scan results, they are sent electronically and if he/she has referred you they should have notified you. Hopefully you get to see someone soon.

Tistheseason17 · 04/04/2018 20:45

I'm appalled.
Sounds like you may need a 2ww apptmt. The receptionist should have sent a message to the GP.
If the GP has received your scan results they should have called you in. I would def check this.
You are right to complain.

So.e GP practices only offer same day apptmts due to high demand and insufficient staff. They still have a duty of care to their patients. This should be a good learning opportunity for them.
Hope you get a good outcome.

WineAndTiramisu · 04/04/2018 21:07

You shouldn't need another appointment, the GP should be able to refer you without.

Try asking for a phone appointment, or someone to talk to the duty doctor/the doctor that requested the scan

Singlebutmarried · 04/04/2018 21:13

Crikey Moses.

The Drs have a duty to see you. DH works away mostly so if he needs an appointment it needs to be on the day he is (rarely and last minute usually) at home.

The receptionist at our GP told him they had no appointments and he could walk into any Dr surgery in the UK and they would have to see him. So he walked 10 mins down the road, to ur surgery, quoted the receptionist, and they saw him

spinn · 04/04/2018 21:22

Can you book online? Ours have a similar system but the same phone appts are released online at 8.30 too so if you login you get a choice (and they don't advertise it so not many locals have realised yet

Nearlyadad · 04/04/2018 21:25

Hospital Consultant here. I’m sorry the system is letting you down. No prebooked appointments sounds insane.

Agree sounds like you need an urgent referral. You should complain through the channels already outlined. In terms of getting referred, is there any mileage in ringing the hospital - e.g. a gynaecologist’s secretary - and explaining your predicament? IME surgeons are usually as frustrated as the patients with delays in referral/diagnosis like this.

lalalalyra · 04/04/2018 21:31

Someone above said all GPs have prebookable appointments. Mine now doesn't. Call at 8.30am or nothing. It's ridiculous.

Ours has no prebookables either. They are quite good if you have a problem and phone them at 10ish when the madness has died down to explain and ask for advice. Often they'll get the on-call GP or the practise nurse to call you back if it's urgent.

Tiredmum100 · 04/04/2018 21:36

Totally unacceptable. I would go tomorrow and demand to see the practice manger.

ThinkingOfCeline · 04/04/2018 21:37

Mine has pre-bookable appointments but they can be released at any time. For example, you can call on a Monday and be told that the pre-bookable appointments have not been released yet... and that they will be released anytime between then and Friday afternoon . Unless you somehow are lucky enough to call up at the right time and date that week it's same day only.

Hope your complaint gets this sorted, and you're seen to asap

Bodicea · 04/04/2018 21:38

My surgery has this system. I normally have three phones on the go, mine, dh’s and the house phone. Start ringing at 8:27, on the off chance they might have started early as well. I generally get through for an appointment.

Yvest · 04/04/2018 21:38

This is what causes the problems in the NHS, surely a system where they see a problem and book you in there and then to another appointment is a much better system. I am always dumbfounded about the too-Ing and fro-ing in the nhs, all the backwards and forwards means that everything takes 10 times as long and clogs up the system.

Anyway none of that helps you. Go down to the surgery and explain the urgency and then email the consultants secretary to try and get things moving. If you can afford it then go privately and you’ll be able to get the whole thing done in about half an hour

Glug44 · 04/04/2018 21:48

If you have a local urgent care centre, the EMT can also make Cancer referrals. You could also exaggerate abdominal pains and go straight to A&E - they will book your follow up tests straight away.

Misty9 · 04/04/2018 21:50

Can you request a telephone consultation? Or go to a walk in centre?? Not sure if the latter can refer you though.

Danniotley · 04/04/2018 22:00

The standard nhs respond to an ovarian mass is a blood test and a rescan after 6 weeks as some cysts come and go. Can you phone and ask for a nurse practioner appointment for bloods and a referral for a further scan without seeing a GP? If the bloods come back with an inflated CA125 then they have to refer you for an urgent gynaecology appointment at the hospital.

Dodie66 · 04/04/2018 22:00

I would say it’s urgent and that you need to see the duty doctor.

BarbarianMum · 04/04/2018 22:01

Go in 8.30 am tomorrow and demand to see a doctor. Think "velvet bulldozer" - polite but utterly unstoppable. They will see you if you stand at the desk and utterly, totally refuse to go away.

Yambabe · 04/04/2018 22:05

My DH has a long-term ongoing issue with kidney stones and needs to see his GP fairly regularly. His practice has "morning" and "afternoon" surgeries so you call at 8.30 to be seen before 1 or 1.30 for an appointment between then and 6. No official pre-bookables but usually if he's been for a scan the surgery will call him on the day they get the results and offer him an appointment later the same day.

Phoning for an appointment is similar to the OP, you get the engaged signal over and over, or cut off, and when you do get through the slots are all gone. You can't book in person. A few times now having failed to get an AM slot DH has gone into the surgery at 1.25 and stood, phone in hand, dialled them at exactly 1.30 and looked the receptionists in the eyes whilst waiting for them to answer his call and not cut it off or leave the phone off the hook...... he's then made his appointment while still standing at the desk.....

Almahart · 04/04/2018 22:13

I think I agree with Barbarian and would go and politely and immovably wait. Ask to see the practice manager if no appointments forthcoming. This is really bad.

Ickyockycocky · 04/04/2018 22:24

I wouldn’t bother writing. Go in and ask to see the Practice manager. Refuse to leave until you have.

chickywoo · 04/04/2018 22:32

You don’t need to see the gp the receptionist just need to inform the dr that they need to make the referral - the gp will be able to see the ultrasound report on their system and refer accordingly. This information should already be flagged up with the gp following the ultrasound- shouldn’t be for you to have to arrange.

Original poster

RoloAddict · 06/04/2018 08:42

Hallelujah!! not only did they bother to answer the phone this morning, but Rolo finally has an appointment for this morning! Maybe the letter of complaint worked its magic Thank you all for the support and advice, on Wednesday I was in dispear and had had enough of arguing with there stupid system

OP posts:

80sMum · 06/04/2018 08:51

Good to hear that you got your appointment at last, OP.

DH had a similar problem with GP last year. His solution was to go to A&E. At A&E they told him that he needed to see his GP first and he said that wasn't possible, due to the booking system. So A&E phoned the GP and made an appointment! Evidently, they were able to override the system.

Since then, the booking system at our GP practice has changed.

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