If you have a hospital appointment in May or June, are you expecting to go

[AbsentmindedWoman]

I'm wondering this. I don't live in the UK, so things differ in ways (ie cancellation policies will differ everywhere, even in different places within the same country) but in terms of risk how do you feel about attending a hospital or doctor's office?

If community transmission shows signs of slowing up, does that translate to reduced risk for picking it up when out and about at essential appointments?

And if your appointment is cancelled, what impact will that have on your condition?

I can do a lot of my consults with my doctors virtually which is very lucky, but have an essential diabetic eye check in person up at the end of May and already feeling a bit uneasy about going. I think with a bit of luck we will be able to borrow a car rather than take public transport, which is something.

My 7 week old DD's appointment with her paediatric consultant changed to a telephone consultation on the same day in mid-May.

This is follow up due to a two week NICU stay at birth.

It's frustrating we can't have a face to face appointment as it was an awful time in NICU, but I'm also aware its an appointment for monitoring purposes so it's not as bad as other people who really should get a f2f.

I've had a letter this week telling me that my rhematology appointment in late May has been cancelled - no mention of an alternative date, just that they will get me one when they can.

I have a gynae appointment - scheduled originally in May now moved to July.

My 1st May neurology appointment has been cancelled. It’s for pain management injections, so I’m going to be in pain & discomfort until it’s rescheduled, no idea when that will be. I’m annoyed given hospitals do have capacity at the moment.

My Ds orthodontist in June received a text to say it’s cancelled

I am hoping our face to face clinics will restart from mid May, provided we have enough PPE to keep our patients safe. In London, hospital wards are being deep cleaned so as the Outpatient Buildings . Our workload since last weekend is very little so going through the referrals lists and hoping after the lockdown we may be able to see some patients.

My clinic appt in May has been cancelled but not the appt for my six weekly drug infusion. They can't stop those as some people would flare up and feel very poorly quite quickly.

My DD's paediatrician appointment was done over the phone a couple of weeks ago.
I have an outpatient appointment next week that is also being done over the phone.

My day surgery for May has been cancelled.

My surgery for September has been postponed they will update me in due course.

My consultant appointment has been changed to a telephone one in 2 weeks time.

But my smear is taking place next week 🤷‍♀️

I was referred for diagnostic tests in February and still not heard anything. Left a message with the hospital before the virus properly kicked off as GP said I should have heard, but nothing. I'm not holding out much hope for anything to happen before September, or perhaps even later in Autumn.

I don't suppose there's a one size fits all answer, surely it'll be done on a case by case basis unless a whole department is closed.

I don't have any appointments but my parents have quite a few, I've told them to take each one as it comes, some might happen or none might happen, it certainly won't be that they all do.

I've had my May appointment cancelled. They are posting out my Meds because they can only be got from the hospital.

I was glad that they phoned because all though I've had my shielding letter, the specialist Nurse talked me through my real risk.

My DD's boyfriend's surgery has been postponed, so has his appointments and he's been told that now it will be at least August.

As for impact. My Vitamin B injections being cancelled has meant my hands aren't working as well and I'm exhausted. But my hospital one won't really have an impact.

My DD's BF is in pain and discomfort.

My friends little boy is falling behind without his speach therapy and other stuff that he has, including his program that the nursery does.

I’m pregnant and have my GTT in a fortnight. I did ask the midwife whether it’s safe or not, the last thing I really want to do is sit in a hospital for 2.5 hours but she insisted it’s fine and they’ll offer a face mask. I’m dreading it.

My may appointment has been cancelled

I’ve been sent an appointment for next week. It has Coronavirus info on it, stay away if you have symptoms etc. I’m going to ring and check they want me to attend as I’m shielding and am not meant to leave the house.

My May appointment has been rescheduled to August. Post-cancer follow-up. I think the risk of going to the hospital is greater than waiting to be honest

All my DCs appointments have been cancelled, some are having more of impact than others. They've been cancelled indefinitely. I've been told not to contact the departments as they'll send me a letter with a new appointment "in due course".

Totally depends what it’s for. They’ve been trying to get me in for my usual annual asthma review for 6 months. It can wait. My asthma is fine enough and certainly won’t be helped by get covid. I work in an HIV clinic in the UK. All our face to face clinics are cancelled certainly through June. We don’t need to see people unless they are truly unwell (usually either newly diagnosed or experiencing medication toxicities). Everything else is by phone or email.

My mum has follow up cancer appointments at hospital. She’s absolutely fine, better health than me, in remission for over a year. I’ve advised her not to go to those appointments. She lives in the US so very different (there they just want her to come in so they can bill her the max amount, not because it’s clinically necessary). Personally, I’d need to be pretty concerned to go to a face to face appointment in the next few months. Most people won’t need them and it’s good to leave them for those that do.

These delays are shit. Why are we accepting this?

Just to add - I have a life limiting condition. My hospital appointment was changed to a phone call. It came 15 minutes early so I missed it. I was due blood tests which never happened. So I am now in limbo. Symptoms worsening, no one to tell, where do I go from here.

We are being sacrificed for the politics of Corona deaths.

These delays are shit. Why are we accepting this?

What do you propose should happen @Summertime2. I'm hoping my May appt is cancelled because I'm shielding (the reason I have the appt in the first place). The very last place I want to go is somewhere full of people with COVID-19. I need my treatment, but people with the virus need to take priority.

@Umnoway the RCOG guidelines changed recently so rather than a traditional GTT where you have to wait two hours before the second test they are doing a HBA1C (which averages your blood sugars over the last 3 months) and a fasting glucose test - so only takes one blood draw so you aren't waiting round a hospital to reduce infection risk.

In view of the prolonged waiting period in large groups at the hospital, and resource constraints, we do not recommend a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).
For women considered to be at high risk of GDM as per the NICE guideline, 5 the following modifications could be used as alternatives to OGTT:

At 28 weeks’ gestation, all remaining high-risk women should have HbA1c and fasting or random blood
glucose alongside their 28-week routine antenatal bloods. Fasting glucose is preferable where feasible.

Ours changed a few weeks ago
www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/2020-03-30-guidance-for-maternal-medicine-in-the-evolving-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.pdf

No & I was going to telephone and cancel as it’s non urgent & I don’t want to go to hospital. Letter arrived though cancelling the appointment due to unforeseen circumstances.

I had a letter to say that ds's appointment in May was cancelled - I am not sure which appointment though, I can only guess it was a telephone appointment with the consultant.

If it is I'm ok with that, it has pretty much been lockdown since we last saw her so not like I can tell her much.