Can't get through to cancel!

[Ellessdee]

Been away for work meeting. About to drive back but my car has broken down. AA can't fix it (they're unable to diagnose the issue) so need to take to local garage tomorrow. Work have put me in a hotel overnight. Have an appointment with cardiology for minor surgery at 7.45 tomorrow morning. Can't get through to hospital to cancel (just rings out) and apparently their phones open at 8. What do I do? Just not show up?

Keep trying to ring the hospital switch board. Depending on which hospital it is there will be a cardiology registrar on site if it's a tertiary hospital or off site if it's a district general. If on site, ask to speak to the on call cardiology registrar- you might get through to their bleep, state your name clearly and then wait for them to answer the bleep. If off site, you can be put through to the on call medical registrar who SHOULD be able to take a message with your details and pass it on in the morning. Alternative is to be put through the inpatient cardiology ward and leave a message with the nurse in charge

This is an absolutely ridiculous response.

losing £100 (which I believe it would end up being more….) before Christmas over something she can’t control just so that she doesn’t “waste” nhs resources?

she can’t get back - she’s trying to call them, they aren’t answering. There’s nothing she can do - she’s trying her best - she’s having the car looked at tonight if she can!

also the minor surgery is with cardiology. I presume this means heart. How will she pick her car up when recovering from surgery?

the nhs may lose money from missing the appointment, but the OP is not to blame and is clearly trying her best and this is just not helpful.

Glad the panic is over and all sorted. I can’t believe the judgemental people on this post, judgement at its finest! the poor lady asked for advice advice as she was clearly panicking in a situation not caused by herself, instead she faced judgement and grilled over her finances and car warranty., even accused of drip feeding when she shouldn't even have had to explain at all, Its on the news daily that people are having to choose between eating and heating, so its beyond me why people found it hard to believe 🙈 Good luck when the procedure does go ahead, I’m pleased its a minor procedure as the nastiness on here by some people could have caused your condition to be made worse by stress. X

I’m glad you managed to contact them and have sorted it out.
I hope you manage to relax a bit this evening.
Best wishes for when you have your minor procedure carried out.

I do. My partner had a small surgery to fit a device and it literally took about 15 minutes.

My car insurance covered my travel costs. They got a taxi to pick me up, hotel and train fares all paid for and done by them. Have you got insurance and explained the situation.

Sorry I was a bit late and see you have got the problem fixed.

Sorry to hear about your situ OP.

I'd like to add that sometimes things happen for area I have twice been unable to get to a meeting to find that I might have been on the tube or in the underground when the bomb exploded, or there was a pile up on the motorway I would have been on at that time.

Enjoy your night in the hotel as best you can x

Have you not read the OP’s posts - if so, you’ve obviously not paid attention as she’s explained her circumstances several times and told us she’s in a debt repayment programme. If not being able to lay hands on £100 is foolish and naive, then there must be thousands of people in that category given the cost of living. And I can tell you from experience that a minor procedure can be rebooked in a very short space of time under circumstances like these.

OP, I'm so glad this is sorted. Hope the car will be soon, too.

There's another thread somewhere about the NHS creaking behind the scenes, & I believe it. I had the same difficulty trying to arrange an appointment I'd been asked to make. It was impossible to get any anyone at the hospital to respond on the phone, including the main switchboard - in normal working hours! I gave up, & months later, they contacted me.

however, ‘I’d be out of pocket £100’ is a really bad reason!! A GP appointment ‘costs’ about £50 to the NHS, how much do you think your missed surgery would cost?

THIS!

For crying out loud!

Plus - this is your health. How much money will you lose if you become ill and have to take weeks off work?

Apologies - I see it's sorted.

the point is, you could wait for months for another appt. you say minor - do I presume it is a stent? are you happy to wait? Is it not worth £100 ( less if you buy an advance ticket or go off-peak) to have it done and dusted? Not wanting to pay for a train ticket wouldn't cut the mustard as an excuse for a last-minute cancellation in my book.

OP said it was being rescheduled for next week

I find it very hard to believe you've lived in poverty yet don't understand that there are thousands upon thousands of people in this country who can't lay their hands on £100 just like that, even in an emergency.

Is it not worth £100 ( less if you buy an advance ticket or go off-peak) to have it done and dusted? Not wanting to pay for a train ticket wouldn't cut the mustard as an excuse for a last-minute cancellation in my book.

Have you even read the thread?

OP does not have £100

Why are people acting like it’s 50p.
£100 is a lot to the majority of people.

And she can’t get an advanced ticket because the surgery was tomorrow morning which is why she was panicking.

If there was any way to get to the surgery that she obviously needs, she would have.

What's going on with MN at the moment, there are so many vile posters, especially when it comes to health. So much for giving support when people need it.

The nastiness in this thread has literally made me feel physically sick! Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Disgusting replies, and sheer nastiness! Fucking awful!

Glad you got it sorted OP, and DS’s hand surgery was less than half an hour from scrubbing up to wheeling him out so I believe you!

good luck with the car.

I’m so happy you’re appointment is sorted and you can relax a bit .

Please ignore all the horrible people on this thread. They are obviously too dim to understand that not everyone has access to money in an emergency (and think you’re the naive one ).

OP I hope you have your feet up in the hotel and are watching something relaxing. What a stressful day - glad you got it sorted.

Utterly vile behaviour on this thread.

Of course it would be a missed appointment. Do you really think that the NHS can book someone else in at such short notice?
I have some sympathy for your situation but TBH I wouldn't gave gone on a work trip the day before heart surgery in case I couldn't have got back in time.

What the fuck is wrong with everyone today, some really stupid and ignorant posts here, as well as people who haven't RTFT but couldn't want to lay into OP. Lots of people have had rainy day funds but if anyone hasn't noticed, it's been fucking pouring recently It's also the day before payday for a lot of workers, which obviously hasn't even crossed the minds of the people laying into OP (ironically showing their naïveté and ignorance of others' situations).

@Ellessdee I am glad you got it sorted and good luck for your rebooked appt.

For anyone else having similar problems - I have found that if the switchboard can't help, if you email PALS they will pass it onto the relevant department. I have been unable to make three appointments "on the day" recently and two of the departments just rang out and the switchboard couldn't do anything. I sent an email to PALS explaining (and with my apologies) and each one has been rescheduled without shunting me off the waiting list.

2 Genuine questions - what do people get out of posting vile comments on here?
Why do people answer ( usually a horrible comment) without reading at least the OP posts?

OP glad you’ve got it sorted. Please ignore the vile posts