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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at 111?

68 replies

hastingsmua1 · 15/03/2019 21:18

Called 111 at 6pm, as that is the only way to get an out of hours GP appointment. The 111 nurse told me to go to A&E within the hour. I told them that I think that is unnecessary as I don’t feel unwell enough, I just wanted an out of hours appointment. He said that I have to go to A&E as I have been coughing up blood, and an out of hours GP/urgent care would not have the facilities to take x rays etc if necessary so to save time being redirected later I should go straight to A&E.

I have been at A&E for the past 2 hours, haven’t even had an assessment yet. I know I’m at the bottom of the triage list (which is fair enough) but I can’t help but feel like I shouldn’t be here to begin with. I told the 111 adviser that I didn’t want to waste A&E resources as I am not extremely unwell. I also feel like my time has been wasted as I have been wrongly directed to A&E, with very long wait times when other facilities would have been more appropriate. By the time I probably leave A&E, all shops/restaurants will be closed and public transport would have stopped running which means that I’ll have to order food in and get a taxi home which is just unnecessary expenditure for a minor problem.

OP posts:
TheCanyon · 15/03/2019 21:20

This reply has been deleted

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AguerosAngel · 15/03/2019 21:23

You clearly Know best, wait till Monday then!

Bambamber · 15/03/2019 21:25

If other places wouldn't have the facilities to run diagnostic tests, what would you propose they do exactly?

dun1urkin · 15/03/2019 21:26

So leave
You’re not being held there against your will

Wolfiefan · 15/03/2019 21:27

An out of hours GP couldn’t run necessary tests. Just because A and E is busy it doesn’t mean that’s not where you need to be. You gave them information and they advised you. Not sure it’s their fault you’re coughing up blood. Confused
And you may not get a meal out but at least you won’t be dead. Confused

Original poster
hastingsmua1 · 15/03/2019 21:27

I have been coughing up blood but it’s brown and little splutters, not fresh or heavy. Also it clearly isn’t that serious if I haven’t had an assessment yet.

OP posts:
nocoolnamesleft · 15/03/2019 21:27

Coughing up blood is not generally defined as a minor problem.

Bambamber · 15/03/2019 21:28

Then go home

WonderTweek · 15/03/2019 21:30

I think it sounds about right. If you're coughing up blood they have no way of knowing how much and what kind (if that makes sense), so to them it is something that needs to be investigated, and it sounds like the A&E is the place to be as they can quickly get bloods/xrays done. It sucks that you have to wait but it may be for the best.

Ffsnosexallowed · 15/03/2019 21:30

If you don't want to be there then leave. Your outings tomorrow are ring 111 again, go to a pharmacist, or wait until Monday.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 15/03/2019 21:33

There will be certain illnesses 111 have to advise A and E, coughing up blood will be one of them I would have thought.

You don’t know whether it’s a waste of time yet! Personally it’s not something I’d chance.

Wolfiefan · 15/03/2019 21:33

Are you a doctor? No? Then how do you know how serious it is??
And you may have to wait as the people ahead of you have had limbs severed or serious heart attacks. Doesn’t mean your condition isn’t serious at all. Just that waiting a bit in a safe environment won’t see you dying. Hmm

Kittykat93 · 15/03/2019 21:33

Why are you sitting on here bitching about it? They are trying to help you, how terrible of them Hmm. Like a pp said, if you don't want to be there, go home.

LynetteScavo · 15/03/2019 21:33

So go home on the bus and pop into a restaurant on the way. You're not being forced to be there.

You are being advised, and if they advised you to stay at home and go to your GP on Monday and you died over the weekend it could be headline news.

Longlostperson · 15/03/2019 21:34

If you didn’t agree with the advice then you didn’t have to follow it. Wait till Monday and see your gp.
Btw coughing up blood (brown or fresh ) will definitely be directed to a&e.
111 won’t direct you anywhere else.

Sparklesocks · 15/03/2019 21:35

Coughing up blood is normally a cause for concern, especially old brown blood as that might be an issue with your digestive system.

SD1978 · 15/03/2019 21:36

There was no other option, and I'm sure you're aware of that. You claimed to have either heamoptyisis or heamatemisis. What exactly was a GP going to do about that? And obviously it hadn't happened again, and you have normal obs so you're waiting at A&Ez 111 and staff there asses the synpromts you tell them you have. They can't make a diagnosis. And they direct you to where is the safest place for you. A GP with coughing up blood would send you to a hospital.

Charlieandthechocolatecake · 15/03/2019 21:41

Just to reiterate what sparkle said, coughing up brown bits is a sign that there is something wrong with your digestive system. Your time is not being wasted and neither is the NHS's. Don't leave. Wait. I hope everything turns out ok for you Flowers

nauseous5000 · 15/03/2019 21:44

Are you serious? Are we talking "I've just brushed my teeth and I have a bit of gum disease" (In which case you see dentist) or worrying Bleed in which case why wouldn't you follow advice?

LynetteScavo · 15/03/2019 21:46

out of hours GP/urgent care would not have the facilities to take x rays etc if necessary so to save time being redirected later I should go straight to A&E.

I'm the long run you're gong to be seen quicker. You could go back on the morning for a shorter wait time.

Original poster
hastingsmua1 · 15/03/2019 21:55

I understand that A&E will be best equipped to carry out tests but it feels like overkill coming here as I am genuinely not that unwell. I was coughing up trace amounts of blood this morning, but finished work after my GP closed. I’m not ‘dying’. I’m feeling better as time goes on.

At this hospital, the 4 hour wait time begins after the initial assessment. I haven’t had the initial assessment yet and I have been here almost 3 hours. I would have rather seen an out of hours GP and have been redirected if necessary afterwards rather than the other way around.

OP posts:
Todaythiscouldbe · 15/03/2019 21:59

If you feel better, leave. Nobody is forcing you to be there. The out of hours service has a finite number of appointments and, as you were told, they would most likely have referred you to a&e anyway for tests.

Worriedaboutmyds · 15/03/2019 22:01

If you would have rathered see a gp instead then you should have finished work early and gone to the gp when they were open. Nhs services are stretched enough. The out of hours service is not for times when you can't be bothered to see your gp during gp hours Hmm. If you felt ill enough to need an out of hours appointment then you are ill enough to leave work early to access the relevant services.

Walkaround · 15/03/2019 22:02

hastingsmua1 - either you are ill enough for A&E or you can wait til Monday. So why are you whining? What the hell do you expect a GP to do about you coughing up blood, ffs?

Merryoldgoat · 15/03/2019 22:03

Just go home and wait until Monday then.