To walk out the hospital before seeing the consultant

[StripeyBroomstickSpottyWand]

My appt was at 3:15pm so got my mum to pick up dd from school. Appt was to discuss the results of my mammogram from 2 weeks ago.

It got to 4:00pm and I'm still in the waiting room. Now I know the nhs often runs late, etc through no fault of their own. But they have a notice saying if you will be more than 30mins late we will come and tell you so I was pissed off noone had. I went and asked the receptionist if it would be much longer and she said I was next.

5 mins later I was called into a room, told to strip my top things off and sit there. The nurse left and said she'd be back "in a minute" with the consultant. 15mins later she hadn't come back. I got dressed and left.

I guess I was a bit stressed by the whole experience of been called back. I was very pissed off about sitting by myself half naked in a room and none came back to tell me what was happening. I was also stressed about getting home and giving dd her tea so she could go to Beavers tonight. I wouldn't mind waiting so muc if they communicated a bit better.

That's true, all those of us that pay NI, part of that is used to pay current pensioner's state pension. It is not like you pay your NI and that goes into your own special pensions account.

No matter how much money is thrown at the NHS though, it will never be enough. However, it would be nice to work somewhere where post-it notes aren't banned ('luxury' stationery items y'see), where staff don't have to bring in their own pens from home, and where we are only ever allowed one ream of paper in the office at a time...

And that's just the non-patient stuff...I could go on but I'd probably just get (more) boring

Been interesting reading everyones' points of view.

Just wanted to make clear that I did tell the receptionist as I was leaving that I was going as I couldn't wait any longer. So they shouldn't have been looking for me.

If I had stayed any longer then dd would have missed Beavers which I know isn't vital but it was the last one before the holidays and they were having a party.

I'm not planning on writing a letter of complaint as I do understnad the nurses/doctors are working very hard and its not their fault. Although part of me thinks maybe the management need to be told what their budget cuts are causing.

I think I probably was over stressed, I wasn't expecting to be examined as I'd had a mammogram a couple of weeks ago. For some reason I assumed I wouldn't need an examination and I think I got scared when the nurse told me. I haven't rung to rearrange an appt yet either and I know I should. I keep telling myself if its vital then they'll get in touch with me and if I don't hear anything then its ok....

hippi - you don't have to "dignify" with a response.

I don't agree with your comment "Yes, but tax and NI contributions is a minor payment isn't it - compared to what you would pay in other countries."

A minor payment to you perhaps but not to everyone.

Saxofone - I know what you mean. Not only do we have to bring in our own pens but also stethoscopes, tourniquets and thermometers. If we didn't we would be unable to take obs or blood which is unbelievable.

The NHS costs every man woman and child in this country over £1,100 a year. For that, you should get a bit of communication.

the trouble wih clinics is that they have 20 slots and always 30 patients in them. thats why you end up waiting, not fair no, but its hospital staff desperate to see to patients

You are lucky to have got as far as a mammogram, I got sent an appointment which I had to change as it was at 3.30 and I have young children to collect from school, and I can't actually manage to get another appointment as they are booked up for the next four weeks, and are not allowed to make appointments for after that time. They then move out of the area and do not come back for about three years.

DH regularly has his clinics over booked by the dimwits in OP booking. He must have written to them a million times saying that new patients need 30 mins and returners 10 mins. These are elderly people who often have travelled miles to see him - of course they can't be sent off again.

Write to hospital management - they're the ones who make staffing decisions. Believe me, docotrs and nurses have very little input into this and don't get taken seriously when they complain.

NHS secretaries are another abused faction of the NHS. Their workload is shockingly huge, yet they're one of the most poorly paid sections.

When I worked for a rheumatologist we regularly over-booked the clinics. It was the only way we could make sure everyone was seen when they should be. She'd fit in 3 new patients into 2 slots, then the rest would be follow ups and we'd start at the first slot and work from there.

There are almost always some patients who don't turn up, and we'd bank on that happening to get the clinic timings back on track, but it didn't always happen.

The alternative would have been that we just filled the slots we had, and if anyone else needed seeing they would have had to wait until the next free appointment, maybe in a month's time or longer.

I know a lot of our "regulars" preferred waiting in a clinic room with a book, and being seen eventually, than having to wait another 4-6 weeks in pain.

"NHS secretaries are another abused faction of the NHS. Their workload is shockingly huge, yet they're one of the most poorly paid sections." Well said Highlander.

I am constantly amazed that one of the wealthiest countries in the world has such a mess of a health system. I don't understand it, at all. I have family in northern Europe and they never seem to have these problems!

Exactly, Rantmum. It's because we 'expect' bad treatment because bad treatment is the norm, are constantly told 'how lucky we are' to get any free healthcare at all (it's not free, we pay for it). No-one likes to sound ungrateful, so no-one dares to argue. And that's how the healthcare system has got in this mess.

The end user is willing to put up with virtually anything rather than risk being labelled as the oh so socially unacceptable 'difficult' or 'ungrateful' (and it happens - have seen people described as 'difficult' in their medical notes for daring to question their consultant's management of their condition).

This doesn't happen abroad, where people expect (and get) more in many cases. Not everywhere, of course - we are far luckier than many many places in what we do have - but that doesn't mean we should put up with a second rate system. If you paid Waitrose prices and got Netto quality, you'd be a bit pissed off wouldn't you?

What will happen, eventually, is that healthcare will all be privatised, and then the Government won't have to fund it any more..and we're already well down that route. It's a deliberate plan IMO.

(Sorry again OP for an NHS ranty reply )

I've been very involved for the past three years with the NHS as my DD has been very ill. I've attended numerous clinics with her and often waited for a long time, but I have never walked out of a clinic because I want her to get better.

Do you think that you became extra anxious because of the extended wait and that made you go? It would be very understandable if that was the case - you must be feeling very scared. I have waited for the results of serious tests myself and have to say that probably would have bolted given the smallest excuse.

Please call them back and get rescheduled as soon as possible - you were left feeling vulnerable at a very anxious time, so they should give you a cancellation.

I hope that you get to see a consultant soon.

Mojo

To the OP:
RE: 'I keep telling myself if its vital then they'll get in touch with me and if I don't hear anything then its ok.... '

Not the case. Make the call. Do it today.

If you don't want to speak to receptionist, ask whether you can speak to one of the Breast Care nurses - explain how stressed out you feel about your appointment and why you walked out of the last one. My experience is that the breast care nurses are hugely understanding.

Please please ring. And please post to say you've rung.

but lalaa, how are you? I haven't see you on here for ages, how are things?

Hello Tamum

I've been doing a lot of lurking and not posting!

Am fine. Finished herceptin, no evidence of disease, got my 2 year mammogram and ultrasound in mid August. Working too hard and am in the process of doing something about that!

The last six months have been a real sea-change for me - I feel back to my old self now and having work has helped enormously with my self-confidence. My hair is still curly (straight prior to chemo) which is really annoying because I just don't know how to handle it, but frankly that's a very minor issue!

Thanks for asking.

so pleased to hear you're doing so well lalaa. i have very curly hair so am poised to give you product advice .