Hospital apt - family member with covid

[jane19771]

I have a hospital outpatients appointment in a weeks time, suspected cancer. My son currently has covid but I do not. They don't want people to attend if they have been in Close contact with someone with covid over the last 14 days.

Aibu to attend anyway (providing I have a negative lateral flow test on the day) because :

It's almost impossible to get an apt with them

They don't answer the phone ever with no alternate means of contact so cannot rebook, which is what I would have done normally

I don't have covid and will not attend if I test positive

I don't want to die of cancer

I know aibu really and I'm sure I'll get flamed but I feel the cancer risk outweighs the risk provided I don't have covid.

What would you do?

Remember - you can never get hold of them so rebooking is out of the question sadly

Negative LFT, then go

I would test daily from now to the appointment. Try to isolate from your son (if that is practicable), wear a mask and go to your potentially life saving appointment. I hope it goes well.

Just read OPs posts so apologies if this has been said.

I wouldn't go because when we got it we all got it and didn't test positive on a lft until 2 days after the positive pcr, but would change my approach to contact. Maybe send a letter or ask the GP if they can email and ask for a call back as you cant get through.

@andweallsingalong

You’d put potential cancer treatment on hold with the hope someone somewhere will respond to a letter?!!!!!

@Qthemusic

The guidance will be excessive because there will be people there who actually have cancer, who actually have low immunity and who actually could easily die from Covid 🙄

But clinical staff with positive household members can continue to work with extremely vulnerable patients, I don't see how this is any different. You do realise that NHS workers also go on holidays/to parties etc and then go straight back onto the wards? We can't be delaying possible life saving cancer treatment for someone who has no symptoms and is testing negative.

It's an interesting point and fairly ridiculous when you think about it. My friend is a nurse in oncology (and a bloody amazing one at that) and if they have a member of the household test positive they contact their manager who does a risk assessment ie if it would put staffing dangerously low they have to go in, if it's manageable then they can isolate), and she had to go in when her DH had it. Its easy to say not to go, I imagine many people though in that situation themselves would be keen to attend the appointment as soon as possible rather than wait around for another which might not be for some time.

I second the advice to ring the switchboard and ask them to put you through to the Consultant’s secretary, and they should be able to reschedule the appointment as needed/ find out who can do this for you,

If you do not have a Consultant’s name, switchboard should be able to put you through to a secretary from the same group of Consultants eg Gynae oncology. They should then be able to find who your appointment is with and pass you onto the correct secretary.

If that fails, take it to PALS and explain you can’t get in touch with anyone to rearrange and they should be able to put you in touch with the right person.

Good luck with getting the appointment sorted. and I hope the appointment finds everything is ok.

[quote OnceuponaRainbow18]@andweallsingalong

You’d put potential cancer treatment on hold with the hope someone somewhere will respond to a letter?!!!!![/quote]
No, I'd write a letter that would arrive in plenty of time before the appointment rather than stress about not getting through on the phone or turn up, potentially pre-smptomatic and put other vulnerable people at risk

Then it would be in the hands of the hospital who have far more facts and experience than us to balance OPs needs and others risks.

They can then contact her and either postpone her apt if they think its safe or put mitigating measures in place so she can safely attend her appointment (or even do it virtually).

At our hospital the Consultants are being told to change as many of the (cancer, outpatients) appointments to telephone appointments as possible. So there is a there is a telephone bit of every clinic. You should ring their secretary via switchboard, explain and ask what they want you to do. Covid is so rife that many of our out patients are coming despite the fact there is COVID in their house, because we need to see them regardless. We are isolating them on arrival however. Let the Dr make the decision.

I had a suspected cancer appointment which I had to cancel because of a positive Covid test in my family. It was really stressful having to wait for the next appointment but there was no way I would go, possibly infecting staff and other patients. If I couldn't reach reception staff I'd have phoned the switchboard and asked for help.

My cousin is a doctor working with the most vulnerable people, his whole household has covid and he’s still being told to go into work