So angry! This will cost lives

[hellywelly3]

Anyone who has been trying to get a doctors appointment will now how difficult it is at the moment. Took an hour most days just to get through to reception. I had a nightmare getting a face to face appointment for a breast problem that I wanted looking at. I had 2 telephone ones first but eventually got a face to face one. I was examined and was told I would be referred to the breast clinic as it was agreed something felt not right. I got a telephone call after a few days offering me an appointment 8 days later. I felt so relieved that it was finally been taken seriously. Then this evening I got a phone call from hospital saying the consultant in charge of the clinic won’t see anyone due to COVID restrictions and now my appointment has been changed to a telephone one 2 days later! I said to the woman on the phone that it really wasn’t good enough and how can you fully assess someone over the phone. She said completely understood etc but she was just the messenger. I said this will cost people their lives to which she agreed and said I should tell my concerns to the consultant when they call. I really feel like crying I’m so worried. Sometimes it’s hard to describe a problem on the phone and I’m worried it will just get dismissed.

[Sweak]

An initial phone consultation or virtual apt is entirely appropriate to triage a case. Healthcare has needed to keep face to face only where necessary, in order to reduce infection.

I agree in some cases it is appropriate to triage over the phone first. In this case though a gp has deemed a referal neccessary, so wouldn't that be enough.

[Frazzled2207]

That is rubbish - I would probably wait to see what happens at the telephone consultation, presumably he/she will either have to action something or discharge you. But yes do complain. Hopefully it is nothing - I've had a few suspicious breast lumps - but that doesn't help you right now does it.

It seems to be quite a lottery. dear friend was diagnosed with breast cancer in the autumn and to be fair was dealt with extremely swiftly and all is now well.

[AnneLovesGilbert]

It’s complete bullshit. Complain and contact your MP, whether you like them or not.

They know it’s costing lives. The current narrative is partly about how many people need urgent treatment because they didn’t get seen in time.

I can see my osteopath with a temperature check at the door, hand washing and a mask, I haven’t seen a GP since I made a big fuss last year and insisted they see my baby when she was ill.

It’s a farce. Yes a phone consult can be useful but for rashes, lumps, very intimate things, people who hate the phone and struggle to open up anyway about what help they need the “system” is a fucking joke.

I’m so sorry OP and I hope you get good news but turn this anger into action and shout as loudly as you can.

[dopeyduck]

I think this issue varies so much. I've really slammed GPs throughout covid as my son nearly died from sepsis because they wouldn't see him despite repeat negative covid tests etc...

Anyway, we recently moved and the new surgery have been excellent, I've had two issues with my son, firstly a flare up of his skin condition that was dealt with via text message / script straight to pharmacy and a follow up telephone call two weeks later - very efficient and entirely appropriate. Next issue was he was poorly with a temp, stopped coming down with meds, lethargic and then the final straw was no wet nappies. Negative covid test. Called and had a telephone appointment and doctor gave him a face to face appointment within 2hrs of my original call. He was seen, he had an ear infection that he seems prone to and he was given suitable antibiotics etc.

It really does seem to be a lottery and it's so fucking not ok. You should complain, you need to tell the consultant you need to be seen and if you don't get anywhere you need to get back onto your GP to get something sorted.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this bullshit as well as the stress of the situation.

I've worked frontline throughout this pandemic and I don't know where GPs get off thinking they don't have the same responsibility. They need to put on their PPE and do their job, they've been bloody vaccinated! It's unacceptable!

[noloh1]

I think it depends on your problem. I have previously worked on a breast unit during covid times. For GP referrals, breast lumps and signs of cancer were seen within two weeks. For things like breast pain, which on its own is not a sign of cancer, the consultant would give a telephone appt to discuss symptoms and then arrange a face to face within two weeks if deemed necessary.

[looptheloopinahulahoop]

An initial phone consultation or virtual apt is entirely appropriate to triage a case. Healthcare has needed to keep face to face only where necessary, in order to reduce infection

Yes where necessary. If a woman has a breast lump, that is straight to face to face consultation. No phone triage required.

Or just refer to a specialist if you are really too scared --lazy- to see her face to face.

So much for the "we are still seeing patients, please contact us if you think you could have cancer" messages. Such a load of bollox.

But no doubt someone will come on to say how overworked the poor GPs are and they can't possibly see anyone in person anymore, ever because they just have too much to do.

[BirthdayCakeBelly]

I got a 2 week urgent referral for something similar and saw a consultant at the hospital face to face, so it is happening.

Personally I’d wait for the phone call and then stress as best you can the changes. Hopefully it will lead to a proper examination.

[PurpleyBlue]

It seems to vary so much! I had to make a 2 hour trip to hospital via public transport for a consultation that invovled no physical examination and I would have been happy to have over the phone!

[Crappyfridays7]

I’ve seen my gp face to face many times for an ongoing bowel issue (since November last year) - it is quite serious and diagnosed this year, also had several hospital appointments- ultrasound scan, colonoscopy, MRI and gastroenterologist appointments. All staff in PPe inc gp
All been really timely so can’t complain so I don’t know why some areas are not seeing people. I’d complain to pals too, if enough people do this hopefully things will change. I would worry having to explain Breast issues over the phone too, it’s not easy to explain things & without being examined I don’t know how they can say it’s ok or not.

Really hope you are physically seen soon op. And all is ok

[FedUpAtHomeTroels]

Do complain. I was seen on the two week pathway by the Gynecologist in the middle of the first lockdown. They ran a normalish clinic with everyone waiting in their cars and getting a call to come in and straight in with the doc once they came in. I was very impressed.

[Boatingforthestars]

@DingDongDenny

What I don't understand is how come some health staff are on the front line dealing with Covid patients, while others like some GPs aren't seeing people because of Covid risk. Why can't they just use PPE?

This
Unpopular opinion of mine is:
Doctors etc took up a career in health care, when a health care emergency comes along they pretty much shut up shop and hide away. Getting an appt or seeing someone is almost impossible at the moment without having to jump through multiple hoops
What really winds me up is some of us have been in jobs where we can't hide away from it and have no choice but to get on with business as usual.

[looptheloopinahulahoop]

And if a consultant needs to isolate, fine. But why can't they see OP on the original date via video call, or get her to see someone else?

[Stopsnowing]

Pals

[Babyroobs]

My friend had no problem with a breast lump and was sent straight to our local breast clinic really quickly during first lockdown..

[TableFlowerss]

That’s absolutely awful OP. I mean what about the doctors in hospitals at the moment? How is it ok for them see patients but something like this, they refuse.

Absolutely ridiculous. I can completely understand your concerns and I hope they come to their senses.

Best of luck

[usernotfound0000]

I would definitely complain, I can't understand the lack of consistency as I have had the opposite. I called my GP, rang back within an hour, issue was a breast lump so agreed needed seeing, appointment an hour later, referred to the breast clinic under 2ww. Breast clinic rang about an hour after GP appt and appointment with them is on Thursday, exactly a week after my initial call. There is absolutely no reason why routine care shouldn't be happening and I would complain to whoever you can about it.

[RealhousewifeofStoke]

So have all urgent breast care clinics in your trust been cancelled because of risk of Covid or has your face to face appt been cancelled because staff are off sick with Covid or isolating? The former is unacceptable and probably not what has happened. The latter is more likely. But infected or potentially infected HCPs just can’t see patients. That’s the frustration with this whole shitty situation.
I hope you get seen and reassured very soon.

[VolcanicEruption]

I did manage to get a face to face early on but I realise that any Hospital appt and minor surgery (non urgent ) is unlikely so I will pursue the private route.
What does surprise me is the amount of sick/fit notes handed to UC claimants . So why the disparity.?

[canigooutyet]

It's been the same since the first lock down.
Gps not seeing patients f2f despite acknowledging you need to be seen.

Clinics cancelled and the consultations doing phone appointments and admit this is pointless as we need to actually see you.

Finally manage to get a clinic appointment, they tell you results back 2 - 3 weeks. 8 weeks and counting.
Gp would normally help to chase these things up.
Since the first lock down it's been MH that have chased things up.

Of course I'm chasing things up and leaving endless messages on various answering machines. Procedures I should be having as routine are only happening when I'm back in A&E

And Pals haha, I first contacted them back in October.

I am really pissed off that once again I'm causing a massive disruption to my kids because of my health.

I am pissee off that we cannot get access to basic f2f medical care from gps. Yet we can see our bloody dentists.

[DynamoKev]

GP services have effectively closed down here.
I have paid twice to see a private GP recently - I am lucky to have the cash. OP is right lives will be lost because the government is not delivering any GP services.

I wrote to my MP but she couldn't care less.

[hellywelly3]

I didn’t even see a GP at the face to face (or the telephone appointments) it was a Health care professional. I’m 41 with 3 kids and I’ve had a different type of cancer in the past so it makes me a little more nervous as I know how it can turn out.

[Luminousnose]

Seems most peculiar Op. My best friend has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. It was picked up in a routine mammogram, she saw a consultant a week later and within two weeks had had a lumpectomy. There’s a two week wait pathway for all suspected cancers, which has carried on right through the pandemic. I work in a GP’S surgery and they have continued to see patients throughout - albeit with an initial telephone triage appointment.

[MrsAvocet]

Seems ridiculous for something where a physical examination is obviously gling to be necessary. Telephone and video appointments have their place and in fact are preferable in some circumstances. I'd much rather do my routine medicines review on the phone as it takes less than 2 minutes for my GP to ascertain that my life long condition has not miraculously disappeared and I do still need my medication, as opposed to me spending the best part of an afternoon to achieve the same face to face. It makes sense to do as much as possible remotely, it even makes sense to screen everything on the phone once initially but that should have the effect of freeing up more face to face time for those who need it, not make it virtually impossible to get an appointment! For something like a breast lump, when a GP has already screened the patient and decided she needs to be seen this seems completely ridiculous to me, and should definitely be a cause for complaint. I hope everything gets sorted quickly and there's nothing too concerning going on.

[PixieDust28]

This is so so bad. I'm so sorry OP.

I don't get how dentist can look and treat your mouth the direct exit route for COVID but some HCP's are hiding and using COVID as an excuse. It makes me sick. This of course doesn't go for ones who are generally seeing people and doing all they can do.

It shouldn't be acceptable. It's not right!

Contact PALS. They're brilliant. I had a horrible experience at my 20 week scan with DS. I sobbed and sobbed all night about it. I emailed PALS at around 11pm that night. 6am I had a reply and by 9am I had the head of midwifery give me a call. They're brilliant.

[MurdockTheMouse]

That’s awful OP hope you get seen face to face soon. I’d complain too. Just after first lockdown eased I got invited for my colposcopy with a 2nd follow up in February and that was for only minor changes. This March I think it was, I was also seen face to face by my physio as I broke my ankle back in October. Pretty minor break and it wasn’t essential to see me f2f but she did. Then today I had a routine dental check, so it’s clearly possible to be seen but seems to be a postcode lottery