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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To just go straight to A&E?

48 replies

boobot1 · 30/11/2019 08:50

6months ago I found A lump on my head,about 2cm. Went to the doctor who said come back if it doesn't go or if it gets bigger. Went back lump now about 4cm, went back, told the same. Lump got to about 6cm so went back. Different doctor looked concerned, said would refer me for a scan and a letter would come in the post. Three weeks later no letter. Should I Just go to A and E or maybe a walk in?

OP posts:

EleanorReally · 30/11/2019 08:51

no, i wouldnt
call them on monday
call gp to check scan has been requested, and call scanning department to find out when it will happen

MustardScreams · 30/11/2019 08:52

Contact the dr that gave the referral. A&E will probably just advise you do that anyway, as it’s not an accident or emergency.

Caselgarcia · 30/11/2019 08:52

I would chase it with the GP first. Ring them to let them know you haven't had a letter for the scan appointment.

NannyR · 30/11/2019 08:52

I wouldn't, it doesn't sound like either an accident or an emergency. Can you make a gp appointment on Monday or chase things up with the receptionist?

Cornettoninja · 30/11/2019 08:53

Based on what you’ve said, no. A&E is completely inappropriate.

Chase your ultrasound appointment on Monday, you can google the department number and ring them directly,

LakieLady · 30/11/2019 08:53

It's not an accident or an emergency, so no.

Wait for the letter, if it hasn't come in another couple of weeks, ring the surgery and ask them when the referral was sent off, and who you should contact to chase it up.

My surgery take a couple of weeks to get round to sending non-urgent referral letters, so they may have only sent it a little while ago.

MsJaneAusten · 30/11/2019 08:53

It’s not an accident or an emergency. Call the GP (today if they’re open, Monday if not) and keep calling every day until you get a follow up.

hauntedvagina · 30/11/2019 08:54

No because this isn't an accident and if your GP thought it was an emergency they would have sent your there.

Call your surgery on Monday to chase up the scan appointment, if it starts to cause you pain call 111.

ChasingRainbows19 · 30/11/2019 08:56

You need to chase referrals at your gp if one has been made then contact the hospital it's been made too. Appointments or scan dept but please do not go to a&e . It's not an acute emergency and it's winter and really sick people are waiting in corridors for hours on end. Don't waste there time nothing will happen for you there.

MamaGee09 · 30/11/2019 08:59

I think the clue is in the name.

A&E accident and emergency which yours is neither! !!!!!

Jellybeansincognito · 30/11/2019 09:07

No, a&e is not fast track doctors. It’s for accidents and emergencies. A growing lump on your head is neither unfortunately.

Go to your GP on Monday.

Wineislifex · 30/11/2019 09:20

No do not go to A&E, departments are already bursting at the seams with inappropriate walk ins and do not need another!
Chase your GP, that’s probably all A&E would say, they wouldn’t offer you a scan today

Spitsandspots · 30/11/2019 09:27

The hospital send scan appointments out in time, depending on your area it can be anything from several weeks to several months.

If your GP thought it was something serious they would have done an urgent referral.

As pp have said, phone your surgery on Monday just to confirm referral was sent.

Do not go to A&E. The walk in centre can’t bump you up the waiting list.
Phone GP on Monday.

MajesticWhine · 30/11/2019 09:28

No. Chase it up with your GP.

EleanorReally · 30/11/2019 09:35

sounds like a fairly slow growing lump

Petrichor11 · 30/11/2019 09:40

No, since it’s neither an accident or emergency, the clue is in the name

Chase the referral on Monday

insanepizza · 30/11/2019 09:42

The emergency part does not mean the speed at which things get done. They won't be able to push your scan through. Chase the letter and put pressure on for a scan. Sadly three weeks is often common to wait for a letter confirming an appointment.

Do not go to A and E, you will be taking up valuable time for someone who has an emergency.

MoreToEatMoreToDrink · 30/11/2019 09:43

Not an accident or an emergency. Far better to chase the referral which could be a few weeks yet rather than potentially delay someone else at A and E Who has had an ACCIDENT or is in a state of EMERGENCY.

As others have said. Call out of hours if you feel it is absolutely necessary.

But why you need help at defining an accident or an emergency on a Saturday morning when you could have chased up the doctors yesterday or some other suitable time earlier in the week for the referral they said they would do is beyond me. 3 weeks for a referral really isn’t a long time.

JenniferM1989 · 30/11/2019 09:45

A&E won't be able to find out what's wrong. All they would be able to do is refer you to a consultant or specialist department just like the GP is doing. I know it's worrying but just hang on in there, you'll get a letter for an appointment really soon

plantainchips · 30/11/2019 09:45

Wishforsnow · 30/11/2019 09:50

You are getting terrible service from your GP in that nothing has happened in 6 months. Keep chasing them for the referral if you cannot afford to go private. Once you find out what it is feedback to the GP impact of their delays.

Fr0g · 30/11/2019 10:01

I understand that you're worried, but definitely not appropriate for A&E.

Chase it with your GP - or you should be able to check whether the referral has been made if you have access to your electronic patient record.

I was astounded to learn a couple of weeks ago at a seminar that only 4% of the population have accessed their EPR.
I've had access to mine for about seven years now, and find it incredibly useful; see results of tests before discussing with GP (gives space for a more informed conversation) , record of all prescribed medication you've taken, ability to double check thay referrals have been made....
www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/how-to-access-your-health-records/

Cornettoninja · 30/11/2019 10:34

A&E won't be able to find out what's wrong. All they would be able to do is refer you to a consultant or specialist department

The A&E in my hospital won’t even do that, they’ll only make a direct specialist appointment after an inpatient stay or to a fracture clinic. Anything else would be handed over to the GP to refer.

It’s a complete waste of everybody’s time to try and fast-track yourself through A&E.

You are getting terrible service from your GP in that nothing has happened in 6 months

How so? The OP has only said that she has a lump on her head. zero other symptoms that she felt relevant to mention. People develop lumps and bumps all the time that are absolutely benign and need no treatment whatsoever. wait and watch is a perfectly acceptable management plan rather than straight to unnecessary interventions.

AnneLovesGilbert · 30/11/2019 10:46

DH was referred for an ultrasound after going to a&e with a genuine emergency which needed iv antibiotics and morphine and by the time he was back in a&e two months later with a worse flare up than the previous time it still hadn’t come through. The waiting times on these things are insane at the moment but that’s just how it is in some places.

Having been there, terrified, a few times recently, the only thing worse than being with someone in crisis is seeing the time wasters in the queue with a bleeding tooth, a “sore back that’s been going on for a week” and “a bit of a funny ankle” using up precious time and resources.

lljkk · 30/11/2019 10:54

How old are you, OP?
A&E won't be able to help, like PPs said, you need to pester the GP.

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