Just so mad - hosp/nhs

[QuicklyNowThen]

I'm just so so angry at the system.
I've been waiting for treatment for non stop continuous bleeding/periods for the last 3 years. I'm on iron treatment but my iron levels so low and have fainted a few times because of it.
I've have numerous polyps that need removing a short straightforward procedure that means I can have coil and stop the bleeding. And have it confirmed that it's not cancerous as so far the biospys havw been inconclusive.
Tomo was finally the day after several cancellations they would finally be removing them all. Until an hour ago I got letter it's been cancelled again to end of feb.
I can't cope with this pain and constant leaking it's damaging my life on a daily basis.
My sis and brother in law are consultants for the NHS and won't have a word said against it - more money needed and 'fuck the tories' is all I hear but both working extra shifts for private hospitals or extra clinics for more ££ on a Sunday. My sister has recently gone private when she wanted for a lump she found.
I can't afford to go private I want my appointment that I've waited patiently for. I'm a government employee working in safeguarding I've had to work extra hours during covid (not for extra pay) so I get that things can have to adapt but this feel a kick in the teeth.

I agree it depends on the area where you are. I have a broken thumb, had an appointment at fracture clinic 3 days after attending A&E, had a follow up one yesterday and have another booked for 3 weeks time. Can't fault the treatment I have received.

If you feel up to it I would push back. Do you have a consultant? Ring their secretary and express the urgency. Stick to the facts, how it is impacting work, daily pain etc. It doesn’t need to be straight to a complaint to Pals

Good luck

Some consultants will allow you to slip down the waiting list so you consider private treatment - which they can then step in and provide from their own private work

other European countries are operating much more efficiently and effectively

Not really. Several organisations have studied health care systems and the NHS is typically at the top for efficiency and outcome per £ spent. There is very little waste or mismanagement when compared to other countries of similar size. Obviously, there will always be some waste/mismanagement, it cannot be avoided in anything so large whether government or corporation. Point is that NHS scores much higher for efficiency in terms of value for money.

The reason why other European countries health systems are overall doing much better is because they spend a lot more money per person than we do. They have more doctors, nurses, and hospital beds per person. They invest a higher % of GDP than we do into infrastructure and equipment....like MRIs for example.

With the NHS it is purely a case of us getting what the gov is paying for. It is critically under funded, under staffed, under equipped and with crumbling infrastructure.

We are £1500 in so far for dermatology for my DS. This is the second time we have sought treatment privately for him, he can't choose or pay so we would rather put this first over everything.

@Goldi321

Consultants can’t just “pull some strings”, especially when in another Trust!

Of course they do. Especially if they're acquaintances outside work as many are!

@fiftiesmum

Some consultants will allow you to slip down the waiting list so you consider private treatment - which they can then step in and provide from their own private work

This is utter bollocks.

If you have proof of this then contact the GMC and lodge a complaint. Otherwise please stop spreading nonsense.

The nhs is absolutely shit especially gynaecology. I’ve been waiting over a year now to have cysts removed and Information given to me about a condition I was told I have. It’s absolute bullshit what we have to go though. I do blame covid though as I always received excellent treatment before it.

The problem is is no one is deliberately making you wait so long. No consultant is looking at their wait list and going ah a can wait a little longer. People slip down the list when lots of urgent cases come through and these are prioritised. No one specifically goes a can wait 18 months. It's bs that a consultant would push people down the waiting list to force them to go private, most consultants won't look at their wait list the majority of the time. This is managed by admin staff, unless a case is bought to the consultants attention for some reason or they are a cancer case they won't

The actual doctors/nurses are working hard. Their clinics are fully booked, their lists are fully booked. They aren't cancelling patients for fun and actually lists getting cancelled is very frustrating.

Your BIL and SIL are right that the NHS has been underfunded for many years and hospitals do not have the capacity to increase lists, increase clinics. NHS employees cannot magic up extra capacity if there isn't the infrastructure or the staff to see the patients. The NHS is failing a lot of patients but this isn't the fault of the NHS staff, it is because there simply isn't capacity to deal with the numbers of patients it needs to see.

I also find it interesting you dont like consultants working Sundays but also complain about wait lists. Why the fuck do you think they are paying staff to work extra hours?!

Your best bet is to email the consultants secretary expressing your unhappiness at the situation, and arguing you case. This will bring your case to the attention of the consultant. If that doesn't work go through PALs but often its better to start with the secretaries, as it can be quicker than Pals.

The NHS is not fit for purpose. It failed my Dbil and as a society we wouldn't treat animals the way the NHS fails to treat some human beings.

Sorry to hear that, OP. Things were under pressure before winter pressures and before Omicron emergency planning. Hope the procedure goes ahead in February if no cancellation before.

FWIW, I don't know a single HCP who doesn't recognise the NHS' failings and feel them personally. The 'won't hear a word said against' doesn't resonate with my experience. I'd have a moan and if DSIS played the 'won't hear a word' then I'd ask her why she went private and how long she went from diagnosis to treatment.

Good luck.

Also it's hard enough to pull some strings and get your own patients treated, let alone someone elses!

It's not like OP hasn't had appointments, presumably she's been booked on the next available list. We don't know why she's been cancelled today but it won't be for fun, and I understand its frustrating but I don't think her BIl can pull some strings and get her seen when clearly the actual department are struggling to get her treated.

@ImperfectAlf

If you've worked in the NHS presumably you understand that the person who orders the MRI does not book the appointments for MRI? They are different departments and the MRI will need to be vetted by the radiographers before being booked, the people who order it have no control over this and they aren't deliberately withholding information.

Concerning that someone who worked as a manager within the NHS doesn't understand this concept, and doesn't understand the factors that may contribute to a delay in getting their MRI

@EmpressCixi spot on.

It gets better hospital blaming gp for not referring me as an urgent patient
Spoke to gp and I was marked as urgent since March. Gp pissed off at hosp - hospital pissed off with me gp and me still in agony without an appointment.
Theyve sent another letter to say again I need to be seen within 2 weeks however since they did that several months ago I won't hold my breath.
Absolute shitshow

Call PALS. They can help.

Sorry to hear this op the NHS is failing alot of people. I am an NHS nurse on an elective green ward, we are constantly having to cancel patients, it's heartbreaking, there are no beds to admit into. The beds are full with elderly people who are clinically well, but have nowhere to go and we struggle to source social care. The level of staff to provide the care is less than half of what it should be. It is so demoralising and we never feel we are doing well enough. The NHS is a mess. I really hope this appointment goes ahead.

We need to review the NHS in its current format as its not going to get better. More funding and it doesnt seem to make a difference due to mismanagement and people expecting more and more without dipping into savings.

Yes, of course some people will not be able to fund but its by no means everyone. Look at Germany and France for some ideas. I really dont know why people seem to be flogging a dead horse.

Pensioners for example arent all surviving on a state pension. Both my parents and PIL have private pensions because they all worked for 40 years. They arent large pensions (bar FIL who ironically worked for the NHS and retired dead on 60!) There are some retired people who have never worked once they had children.

Expecting our children to fund the black hole isnt going to work but it will be a brave government who tackles this.

When my DM was in hospital a few years ago I was staggered by the number of very elderly people in the wards. People who didnt know where they were or were aggressive, men in the next bay wandering around in pull ups pestering the women.

It was truly horrible and the nurses were doing what they could but a couple of the nurses were disgraceful and seemed disinterested in what they were doing. Working on my Mother they were chattering to each other in another language completely ignoring my Mum's question as to what they were doing to her procedure wise.

I'm sorry OP. I work in theatres in an NHS hospital and feel the need to apologise every time someone says their op was cancelled. We aren't doing it deliberately. Cancelling patients is the last thing we want but many of us are on our knees trying to get these waiting lists down. Our department is suffering with staff shortages and this means that operating lists keep getting cancelled. It's a very very last resort. I hope you get your op soon

[quote CarrotSticks19]@ImperfectAlf

If you've worked in the NHS presumably you understand that the person who orders the MRI does not book the appointments for MRI? They are different departments and the MRI will need to be vetted by the radiographers before being booked, the people who order it have no control over this and they aren't deliberately withholding information.

Concerning that someone who worked as a manager within the NHS doesn't understand this concept, and doesn't understand the factors that may contribute to a delay in getting their MRI[/quote]
I understand that. Of course I understand that. I'm neither dense or an idiot. I'm not blaming the individual person, either. The system as it is working now doesn't really allow for individual accountability. It's just really frustrating when you aren't sure whether you are getting forgotten or whether it's pressure of work.

Anyone else thinks that the OP’s relationship with her sister is probably is less…. Warm?!

NHS Consultant involved in scheduling operations.
The current single biggest rate limiting step is staff - in theatre and on the wards to care for patients pre- and post op.

It's crap. None of us like the size of our waiting lists.

We lost a tonne of staff due to Brexit.
The decision by Jeremy Hunt to start charging student nurses and remove their support bursaries dropped the number in training
Lots of staff have moral injury/ PTSD after redeployment during the early covid waves and are off sick/ have left

At this point even more money wouldn't help. But the underfunding does affect others stuff which impacts on wellbeing.

Happy just ask me

It's been impacted by her hypocritical actions going private immediately with her issue. Whereas she's stated several times to me and other family members it's just the way it is atm due to covid we all nerd to patient and our turn.
I've been very patient with the NHS but that's ran out especially after speaking to the gp who is very concerned that I should have been seen by end of March for treatment and its now December especially.

Need to be patient rather