To be pissed off with the NHS over being referred back to GP by hospital......

[ACautionaryTale]

So I've been on the waiting list to have the mirena removed by the hospital as the GP couldn't manage it. I've been waiting over 14 months - which is fine as its not urgent. I don't need it for contraception (DH had the snip) and I'm not planning on getting another one put in.

I got a letter through telling my my appointment was the 19th Feb. Except that I can't do that day. Im self employed and working on a critical project for a major company which goes live beginning of June.

If it goes well, I'm highly likely to get quite a lot of repeat business. We are talking enough to keep my income going for the next few years.

Wednesdays are the one key day of the week that its very visible if you are not around. It was planned that way so that people could have long weekends during the project as it was acknowledged that for anyone involved, taking a whole week would be difficult until end of June.

I phoned up to re-arrange my appointment and they offered me another Wednesday two weeks later. They only do this procedure on a Wednesday. I said this was not possible and could I just go on the list for some time after the end of June as I knew it was not urgent.

This is not possible as you can't delay over three months - if you do you get sent back to the consultant who sends you back to the GP and you have to go through the whole process again.

I feel like banging my head against a wall.

What a shock it is that the world doesn't revolve around the op

You've been waiting 14 months! It's not like you asked them when you were currently in a busy season of life - you're asking to be deferred a couple more months. Now they are saying if you do that you'll need to wait another bloody year rather than book an appointment in 4 months time. You can't win!

Yanbu OP. You're not demanding you can only do Monday's at 6pm.I think yoru'e being reasonable and I would be frustrated too. More and

*More and more I gather that contraceptive medical support is being pushed towards the private sector. It's disgusting, women's health coming last as always.

Talk about bloody body autonomy.

If you explain this to the GP, can they refer you to a different hospital?

Could you maybe take the appointment so your down on list but call to rearrange? When I rearranged an appointment recently it put it back by three months

Check if there is a rule on how many times you can move the appointment. If not take the latest date you can now and then move that date to after the end of June?

I had a hysterectomy at a private hospital. Even then I didn’t get a choice of dates. It was urgent. The gynaecologist only took consultations at certain times on certain evenings. He was operating during the day. I’d have been a twat to expect him to accommodate me. I just needed it out.

The nhs clinic you are going to only runs on certain days. It’s the same with any clinic.

If you want more flexibility, you will need go privately.

Contact PALS at the hospital, they are often magically able to deal with computer says no scenarios. The inflexibility often comes from
junior admin staff operating inflexible waiting list protocols and someone with more clout can eg stop the clock/add in patient choice pauses to prevent you going to the back of the queue.

Would say either ask for another hospital (checking they don’t only do Wednesday’s) or imagine if you had D&V on a Wednesday before June.....surely you’d have to take the day off then. So why is this different? And it’s not even having the whole day.
Do you have a community hospital somewhere not far who might offer to do it?

they can make me wait 14 months but I have to jump when they say. Well that's how waiting lists work.

I would do what a pp said, choose the latest appointment available, then cancel and reschedule.

I'd go private if it's going to cause you hassle to fit in the clinic times of the hospital.

YABU

Why don’t you take whatever the latest Weds they can offer you is, and then call to rearrange it nearer that time. I don’t mean 2 days before, maybe 2 weeks. That might just push you to the June dates.

You can only cancel and reschedule once - so by not being able to go on the 19th I have to take the next thing they offer or go back to the gp for the referral.

What annoys be even more is that 16 months ago they referred me to SWISH the south west sexual health clinic who can also do it complex removals.

I showed up all ready for it only be told that because I don’t need it for contraception and it’s was purely for pain management, they couldn’t do it as their funding only extended to contraception.

So back to gp it was and the 14 month wAit.

Another vote for going via the PALS route.
Their whole purpose is to try and sort out patients' dilemmas.
It's likely that whoever you spoke to genuinely couldn't do what you were asking for as their bit of the system didn't permit access to the particular buttons that needed to be pushed.
I've used them twice in circumstances when I seemed to be going round in circles and they were excellent.

I agree, it's totally batty OP that services aren't offered on more days then one. People have real lives and things that can't be rearranged. There should be at least some flexibility.

I have this problem with my GP and smear tests. I'm supposed to have my test in the middle of my cycle, I've had failed tests before when I've missed the mark. But they only offer the service on one day, so it can be up to a week off the middle of my cycle. I've had to have it twice because of this.

2 is plenty, you would be complaining if they hadn’t offered you an appointment at all. The end of June is an unreasonable expectation to think they should just keep it open, particularly as they have to comply with red tape.

Surely you can get a coil removed somewhere else?

If you are in London, pop into one of the women's health clinic like Marie Stopes perhaps ( having made an appt for it.) Or book into a similar well woman clinic- London is full of them.

What about your local NHS family planning clinic (they often open in the evenings?)

Failing all of that, book a private appt with a gynaecologist at your local BUPA/ Sire/ whatever hospital.

Could you remove it yourself?

I've removed a copper coil before. Very easy and no problems at all.

Ask if you can have it done at a London hospital, isn't there a choose and book scheme now? Otherwise, pay to go private as it sounds like you'll be earning enough money to cover the cost with this new project.

Why rely on the NHS for something that it just a lifestyle choice issue? You don't need this device any more so surely the sensible thing to do is put your hand in your wallet and pay to have it done privately, at your own convenience?

@squizzles Could you remove it yourself?

I can't believe you are seriously suggesting that to the OP, the doctor couldn't do it FFS. It could be dangerous for the OP to do it.

They have to send referrals back because of the impact on their waiting list reporting. Also, things could change during that time and it is right that the GP should reassess if the referral is appropriate.

You'll say that it doesn't impact on your appointment, but they can't start making rules for each reason for an appointment, that would be ridiculous to manage.

You say you can't do Wednesday. What happens if you are so poorly with sickness, you can't get out of your bed? It is an important appointment because Wednesday is the only day you can have it done, end of. Just say you have a medical appointment that you've been waiting for for months and that the clinics only run on Wednesdays. What are they going to do, sack you from the project?

Yes of course @squizzles fab advice. Her gp can't do it so obviously b the next step is to do it yourself honestly mnet is ridiculous sometimes.

@Dontdisturbmenow The OP cannot be sacked as she is self employed. That is the whole point of her thread- she needs to go to the meeting as it will secure work for her for a number of years. Do read the thread