To think that, unless you can pay for it, access to healthcare is being kept away / gatekept?

[Neoerna]

Sorry I am so upset right now.
I've been having gynae problems for two years. I put up with it hoping it would get better, for ages, but my quality of life is really affected.
Basically I have at least one prolapse. It's got worse recently and I spend most of my time hobbling around like an old lady at 35, feeling like everything is going to fall out of me ): ): , sex is awful, I have had to leave my physical job, my hobbies are no longer enjoyable because they involved lots of walking and lifting.

I first paid for pelvic floor specialist physio because I thought it could help. She said yes prolapse but pelvic floor strong and it's ligament damage so physio won't help. Also tried privately pessaries but they gave me infections. I ran out of money. I went to the GP and after a couple of times back and forth, she referred me to Gynae.

I've now been sent a letter saying that due to the recovery from pandemic, demand is high, and that I am being offered 'advice that I can follow sent to my GP' !!

What is this??!! Do we not even have a healthcare system anymore??

I had prepared for a long wait, but hadn't prepared to be basically gatekept away from healthcare because I don't have money to pay private 😥😥

One more thing, what has helped the most is reformer Pilates, 2/3 hours a week. It’s really strengthened everything and pulled it up, I can really feel when I don’t do any for a while everything feels worse.

I appreciate that’s also an expensive hobby but you could try YouTube mat work exercises but you must be careful you don’t do anything that creates downward pressure.

It’s worth a try.

I don' know why you've put up with this for seven years. I had a bad prolapse about 4 years ago went to my GP got an appointment at the hospital (took a month or so to come through) then on a waiting list for the op, which was meant to be about 8 months, but got a cancellation and it came though in 4 months, got the op and absolutely no problem since.

I do sympathise with the OP, as suggested above I would reply saying you have already tried everything on offer except surgery.

Years ago I remember being on an invisible waiting list to get on the waiting list for an op because if they put you on the actual waiting list it would be too long (for the labour government at the time) waiting list acceptable length!!

It is all gate-kept by the GPs who won't see you and seem to make you come back many Times before they will even think about referring.

@Addictedtohotbaths Thank you so much for replying with your experience. I will try to get checked to see if I have hypermobility or anything first. On the one hand, it's unusual because I am only 35 and I have not had labour or vaginal delivery (c-sections) and my daughter has 'some' hypermobility, but on the other hand as physio explained, my pregnancies loosened things and were 17 and 13 years ago despite my young age now, and I have a backwards facing womb which is more likely to prolapse, and did a lot of heavy lifting. I will check though, and I am sorry your surgeries failed, but glad things are better than they were.
Thanks for the tip re reformer pilates, I've never heard of it but improvement can only be a good thing. I just wish I could get seen by a consultant.

Did you get another job, or are you currently unemployed?

I ask, because many big employers offer private medical cover to all their staff, not just the high-powered ones, and quite often you can get away with pre-existing medical conditions with a corporate plan. If you buy insurance as an individual, it can be really expensive (as you have to declare everything), whereas group policies assume an average amount of medical problems for a group of employees.

Sometimes a part time 'any job' for the right employer is the cheapest way through the private gateway.

@feelthebeatfromthetangerine Love the name btw. No, I'm not currently employed, I'm at a bit of a loss since this prolapse. I have always been a care assistant, I loved it, it's my calling, never went to college as I loved my career. With prolapse though, there is no way I can do it any more. As soon as prolapse happened, I could not lift anymore. I'm so worried about the future financially. I'm retraining just now HNC in Administration and Finance, hopefully I can get a job as a Care Administrator.

I’m the mother of a disabled child. Any intervention we have had in recent months has been paid for privately. This is necessary for her long term health and well-being. We are consistently told that what she NEEDS is not offered on the NHS anymore. We are fortunate we can pay for now but the money won’t last forever and it’s getting more and more expensive.

Recently a health professional told me my daughter needs investigation and treatment and she feels it’s completely necessary. She fought and fought for it to be accepted but I got a phone call last week to tell me that the referral had been rejected and will only be considered once my child or any child I suppose is very unwell and it’s critical. I wasn’t surprised but I’m just aghast that we need her to get way way worse before we will get anything, worse will mean she is no longer able to swallow anything. We are looking at private options but it will be thousands and even the private hospitals have told me there is a large waiting list. I feel so sorry for people who will have no option to pay and will themselves get worse or will watch loved ones get more and more unwell.

However, as a pp said if it’s at the critical or possibly serious stage they do seem to act fast. I called the GP today about possibly worrying symptoms, got a same day appointment and now a face to face at hospital early next week.

I suppose we will all have to cope until it’s serious. It’s not ok but it may cut down on people going to the gp with colds and to a and e with tooth ache.

Also I’m sorry you are going through this op.
I think we will see the NHS cease to exist in our lifetime and I’d recommend really good health insurance to anyone who can afford it. Those that can’t I really hope there will be options like in America although not in any way ideal or good enough.

I've given up Eden trying to get through to my GP surgery on the phone now after trying for two weeks and getting put on their answering loop each time then the call ended. Their online appointment booking system doesn't work either. It's impossible.

I hear you. I've been referred for a specialist gynae procedure having experienced years of pain and heavy bleeding. I've deliberately stayed single because sex is so painful.

I had what I thought was a pre op assessment recently - 18 months after the referral - and was told it will be another 2 years before the procedure is completed. They just wanted to check who still needed it and who they could remove from their list. I may have broken down at the surgeon and explained I can't live like this, it's down right cruel. I was pretty much told to suck it up.

Contact your Mp.

My Dd was on a 22 month waitlist for ASD assessment. I wrote to MP in September.

She was sent an appointment last week….

Have a look at reviews before signing up to Benenden and what they cover, there’s good reviews and very bad, I’ve left them having paid in for years after they refused a much needed operation for DS. There’s a list of procedures they cover which are the very basic ones.

What about all the people with pre-existing conditions though - insurance won't cover that in the event the NHS is disbanded. That's thousands of people receiving treatment which they will suddenly have to pay for at a cost of hundreds of thousands. There will be deaths left, right and centre. There's no infrastructure or staff to man a full private health service. No government will ever do it. They much prefer to do it by the back door and not mention it - like NHS dentistry.

@orangeenergy iv no idea what people with existing conditions will do. My child has existing conditions needing ongoing treatment. Insurance does cover some of it. I don’t claim to have all the answers but I would get insurance if you can afford it because that’s the way it’s going. It’s not no ok or right in any sense and it will be every man for themselves. I support some of my communities most vulnerable and poor people at work and I dread to think what will happen to them…….in fact what is already happening to them.

You’re not wrong, I’ve barely been able to walk for over 4 years. I accept that covid has impacted me greatly. I have spent £1000s on physio inc steroid injections. Every time I finally get a consultant appt I’m told wait and see a few more months, or have another steroid injection.

I need surgery. I have a torn tendon and bone spurs. My physio has clearly said what I need. I thought I was in last week when the Registrar at the hospital said I needed an operation…..but he went to “run it past the boss”.

Consultant came in and said another steroid injection…..which is not going to mend my tendon or remove the bone spurs. I know I’m being fobbed off as they try to keep the waiting lists down.

Who was in government then, out of interest?

I've had a really good experience recently with the NHS - almost too good, now I am worrying why Cardiology are seeing me so quickly!

i have arthritis in both hands,last saw the NHS consultant approx 14 months ago as the splints and meds had helped,little did i know that because i havent been seen in a year i was discharged i had no idea.

the last few months the pain even with splints etc has been terrible and getting so much worse so spoke to the consultants secretary who told me i had been discharged and need a new referal from GP,GP has told me it will be an 18 month wait i have no idea how i will mange

lesson learnt so anybody having health problems dont just put up with it get the ball rolling asap

So this has been decommissioned a rule as the evidence base it helped was limited.

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1675-Policy_Surgery-for-pectus-deformity.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjolu3l0pL7AhXMWMAKHUc1D9QQFnoECBEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2ZJnAIz_EBlVhN2s6q9w7P

However, if you look up your local ICB:

www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/find-your-local-integrated-care-board/

They should have a procedure for individual funding requests which a patient can use if it appears there would be medical benefit from a procedure not generally funded. The process varies from place to place but may be worth exploring if all other options (braces, physio etc) have been exhausted then it might be worth them trying this process.

Definitely not unreasonable. I've also been told more than once that the only way I'll get treatment is to private.

I've been suffering for years. It's cost the NHS more overall, as it has the government in general because I have to claim a significant amount of benefits, on top of numerous emergency admissions to the hospital.

Because I'm on a very low income as I can only do a certain type of work now, I am completely priced out of being healthy.

those saying write to yout mp mine is the Connor Burns currently under investigation

YANBU. The same with dentistry - its becoming a luxury. Dd just turned 19 and received a letter to say that she either has to sign up to the private plan or leave the practice (which is NHS). I understand many dentists don't want to accept NHS patients anymore but at £70 just for an appointment (before any work is done) it's going to become a preserve of the rich.

Why would anybody even consider voting Conservative after what they’ve done to the NHS in the last 12 years? This isn’t just due to Covid - this has far more to do with deliberate underfunding and failure to plan for the unexpected. All they want is for it to collapse completely so they can break it up and sell the bits off to their mates and contributors.

Agree people need to stop voting Tory.
Everything that has happened under their governance was to be expected IMO.

Sorry you’re going through this.
Please vote wisely at the next opportunity. x