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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Phoned 111 last night for a broken wrist and was told to see GP

104 replies

whenwillthemadnessend · 25/09/2021 22:47

Seriously!!!

I wasn't worried before about the NHS as my docs were getting back to normal but I really am now

111 too busy. Told to try see GP on a Friday night at 5.30 Hmm if I'm mistaken gps don't have X-ray even if they were open.
Son with school football injury

It was broken. I ignored them and went to a&e

God help anyone that is seriously ill.

OP posts:
milveycrohn · 26/09/2021 06:54

Minor Injuries at our local hospital does NOT have X-Ray facilities, as my DS discovered recently, when he went as a 'walk-in' after fracturing his elbow.
Advised to go to another local hospital instead, so had to take an uber.
So ringing before may be advisable.
However, as far as I know, it is not yet a legal requirement to have a mobile phone, or even a landline, though I assume most people do have. Secondly, many of the previous telephone boxes have been removed (presumably through lack of use), on the assumption that everyone has a mobile, so I would like to think we were able to 'walk-in' in the case of an emergency.

StrongbutTired00 · 26/09/2021 07:24

111 is the absolute correct thing to do OP. I called them the other night as DS injured his finger. Got an appointment off them at A&E within 45 minutes. Took around 3 hours to get sorted and they said that was a quiet night. Anyways X-ray showed finger was broken but all they could do was stick a plaster round 2 fingers holding them together and sent on our way 😳 never the less I count my blessings every single day for our NHS service. We are lucky beyond words, make the most of it while it’s still standing

Auroreforet · 26/09/2021 07:37

Doesn't surprise me.
My adult nephew had a sore throat and couldn't swallow his antibiotics because his throat was so painful.

111 told his wife that he was being a baby.

Wife took him to A&E where he was diagnosed with v. large quinsy's and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.

Rowgtfc72 · 26/09/2021 07:39

Fortunately we can still walk into our a and e.
Unfortunately there's an hour and a half queue outside just to give your name to be triaged.
2 yrs ago we had a car crash. 12 yr old dd was strapped to a spinal board terrified and spent 4 hrs staring at the ceiling in a and e.
It took the doctor 30 sec to remove the straps, jiggle her neck and declare her OK. No xray, scan or anything. Just a letter to get her out of school the next day.

londonrach · 26/09/2021 07:39

GP can send you for x-ray direct avoiding a&e.

Mermaidpool · 26/09/2021 07:39

If you turn up at our hospital without phoning you aren't allowed in. Hope your son is ok

Cazzovuoi · 26/09/2021 07:40

It’s shocking to read these accounts. It sounds eerily similar to stories of people in America being thrown out of A&E because they didn’t have insurance or money to pay. That’s where this is heading.

I am very grateful that the country I live in has the equivalent to NHS that actually works.

Seasidemumma77 · 26/09/2021 07:47

My local a&e prefer you to go through 111 if not life threatening. Those with appointments from 111 get seen almost immediately, those without have a very long wait.

HarebrightCedarmoon · 26/09/2021 07:47

"I suppose they get many parents thinking their child has a fracture when they don’t, so at least the GP/ nurse could triage"

In my experience, when DD2 broke her arm I was really shocked to see the break on the xray. I'd felt daft taking her "just in case". But to a minor injuries place we are lucky to have. My point was though is that many parent might be under cautious rather than over cautious, especially when you have no ecperience of broken bones.

TheSockMonster · 26/09/2021 07:52

This thread is terrifying reading. There are long waits at our local hospital but, as far as I’m aware, nothing like the madness described here.

The NHS has been underfunded for too long. I think we are sleepwalking towards a two-tier (public/private) health system. So many of my friends see private GPs and consultants. It used to be a rarity.

ememem84 · 26/09/2021 07:53

This is crazy. I had no idea this happened. Where I am we’re lucky in that we can just walk into a&e if needed. And have an amazing out of hours service. We do pay for our gp appointments though so maybe this helps. Not sure.

HarebrightCedarmoon · 26/09/2021 07:54

I wonder how long it will take for people to put two and two together and actually start to blame the Tories for this. I mean, six years ago I was diagnosed with endometriosis and had an ovarian cyst which required surgery. I could not have had better care, or got surgery faster in the private sector, it was amazing. I can't imagine that I would receive the same care and prompt attention if I were to need this again.

That's six years, not even the eleven they have been in power. Either destroying the NHS was their deliberate intention, or they are utterly fucking incompetent.

Stormwhale · 26/09/2021 07:55

A family member of mine nearly died from a stroke because they were refused immediate entry to a&e and had to wait hours to be triaged. They had to wait so long that they were outside the time window to receive the clot busting drug, meaning the damage is now permanent. Awful, absolutely awful.

Around here you still have to phone 111 before being allowed entry, so what op is saying makes perfect sense to me.

It's fucking dangerous, and something needs to change.

ZoBo123 · 26/09/2021 08:00

How can a doctor triage a broken bone, do they have x ray eyes? I have broken several bones and you can't tell from looking, one didn't have any swelling, you can still have some movement (albeit painful), there is no way of diagnosing a broken bone without an x-ray machine.

Original poster
whenwillthemadnessend · 26/09/2021 08:02

Thanks for asking.

He is fine now has a support to wear for a month. And comfortable

Thanks to those of you with more serious stories and experiences

OP posts:
TheUndoingProject · 26/09/2021 08:04

Of course it’s true that people in many areas are advised to contact 111 before going to A&E if it’s non-life threatening. Some posters are so bloody rude.

www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/right-care-right-place

MyMushroomsInATimeSlip · 26/09/2021 08:06

I transported a badly injured teenager to a and e last week. 15 miles of screaming in agony due to the lack of ambulances until we could get urgent help outside a and e. It took over 30 minutes for three people to move him fro the ground to the car. I never want to see anyone in so much pain ever again. Once at a and e the staff helped almost immediately (after convincing the receptionist that I could not just walk him in Hmm).

Years ago I used to have recurrent nightmare about being unable to get help when calling 999 and now it is a reality

dementedpixie · 26/09/2021 08:08

I live in Scotland and took my nephew to the minor injuries unit without calling 111 first. He was seen with no issues

SunshineCake1 · 26/09/2021 08:13

My dh rang my doctors for two things, one being my sats were low and having trouble breathing. Was told to ring back the next day. Can not get to see a doctor face to face even when hospital ordered.

MiniCooperLover · 26/09/2021 08:15

I took my DS straight to A&e a couple of months ago after he fell off the trampoline and smacked his head. He was walking wobbly and said he felt sick. The hosp is a 5 min drive from our house so we went straight there. They were so cross with us for not dialling 111 or ringing our GP first but eventually let me sit in A&E with him. Only started to take it seriously when he vomited

KingsleyShacklebolt · 26/09/2021 08:20

We are being told in Scotland that A&E is for life-threatening emergencies. Serious injury, stroke, heart attack. Broken wrists - however painful - do not fall into that category. So you are asked to go to a minor injuries unit.

Minor injuries no not take walk-ins, you have to be referred by 111. So you can't walk-in to the walk-in clinic. Hmm

Porfre · 26/09/2021 08:21

@londonrach

GP can send you for x-ray direct avoiding a&e.
Can they also plaster the wrist if it needs it, or with a broken leg supply crutches?
underneaththeash · 26/09/2021 08:27

You need to call 111 in our area too to access minor injuries. But, it works well. You call, they give you an appointment time and you go in and get seen fairly quickly.

A&E is still turn up.

BramblyHedge · 26/09/2021 08:28

The calling ahead thing is correct. I took dd10 to minor injuries as an emergency. Man in front at the door was in agony from a spider bite and they wouldn't let him in as they argued over the intercom. Thankfully for us, almost cutting off your finger and copious amounts of blood was enough for us to be let in.

Cuck00soup · 26/09/2021 08:31

I just wanted to say it’s worth knowing your local services. And speak to friends & family for reviews so that you have a list of places you’d go and ones to avoid.

In our area we have a really excellent minor injuries unit which would be the best place to see a broken wrist quickly, but they can’t see under twos.

The next town over has a brilliant community pharmacist who offers a great services for sore throats and earache.

Sadly, our once great GPs appear to have long work avoidance, following Covid.

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