To love that my hospital appointment was over phone

[AskAwayAgain]

I had a phone appointment with my Consultant this morning. It took no more than 10 minutes. I knew there would be no need for a physical examination, it was a check in appointment to see how treatment was going and whether any changes needed to happen. The conclusion was to carry on and see me again in six months time.

I bloody love this way of delivering medical care. Before I had to take half a day off work to travel to and from the hospital, to sit in the waiting room, and then to see the Consultant for 10 minutes. I work full-time and its always difficult working and having lots of time off for appointments. So this is brilliant. Ten minutes on the phone then back to work.

I love phone appointments as well. I acknowledge there are some things that need to be f2f, but other than a smear, I haven't had one of those things in years. My consultant is still at our old hospital from before we moved (which is 1.5 hours away - a closer hospital is only slightly closer, so can't be asked to change). It would literally take me an entire work day to go there and back. Just for him to tell me there is no change and order a few more routine blood tests.

Thats been a massive pro of Covid for me. Due to rare condition I’m seen in London (I’m up north) I used to have a day leave, drive, train, and 2 tubes each way. Expensive. I’m well but need to have an annual appointment to stay on their books. So literally I’m fine - see you in 12 months. Now a 5 minute call.

I have virtual eye clinics where you go to the hospital eye clinic, do all the tests and scans led by nurses and HCAs (takes about 20 minutes) then go home. The consultant reviews all the results and you have a telephone appointment a couple of weeks later to discuss. Before, you'd do all the tests then sit around for well over an hour waiting to see the doc. Love the new system!

I can see how this would work in your case, and I would also prefer this option in your situation, but my poor Dad is still having to receive his annual oncology review appointments (Lymphoma) over the phone, despite the fact he is not being physically checked for any new lumps etc. It appears the team are relying on blood tests to show if there are any changes they need to look in to 🤔. Prior to Covid, he was seen in person for a physical check up.

Same
I have one appointment that's every 12 weeks and another that needs to be done every 6 months
No booking annual leave off work, medication is sent to me, no travelling 45 mins each way..

Good for you but deaf people like me cannot use phones.

Yes, it's a massive improvement in some situations, but the trouble is, certainly with GPs that it's become the "norm" for everything, rather than only when it suits the circumstances.

I'd been saying for years that a quick phone call would be a lot better than having to go back to see the consultant after, say, x-rays or scans or a blood test, etc. It used to drive me insane to have to take time off work to spent a morning or afternoon waiting around just for the consultant to tell me it was "all clear" in a 2 minute session. I tried several times to ask them if they could just give me the results over the phone, but constantly told they couldn't.

Covid turned that around, and the default became phone only for a year or two, which was too far the other way, such as an orthopaedic surgeon trying to deal with a broken bone in my foot by asking me to take a video of it! We also had GPs who'd previously insisted that seeing patients face to face was essential, suddenly decide that phone calls were better!

I'm sure it will settle down, and a proper balance will be struck where NHS doctors, nurses and managers get better at determining the scenarios in which face to face is better or phone is better, but it's still a bit hit and miss at the moment. Still a lot of wasted time (both for doctor and patient) when the phone call leads on to a physical examination being needed, meaning two appointments when one would have done if it had been face to face in the first place, but I'm sure the medics are working on getting better at deciding which type of appointment is likely to be the right one.

Video appointments have been great for us when it’s things for ds whereby he doesn’t need any hands on checks just a discussion of where we are up to and what is next.

somethings it doesn’t work with, others it’s amazing for. It has massively decreased the amount of time Ds has to miss from school too with us not having an hour either side travel.

It’s about choice. Some people prefer a phone call because it’s quick, convenient and less of a chore. Some people hate phone calls because many staff listen less, they get fobbed off and you don’t get good quality of care. They’re worse for people with poor phone signal, hearing problems or speech problems (even simple things like accents are exacerbated). Some people think it’s frustrating how many surgeries insist on a phone consultation first when the issue cannot be resolved that was as a monumental waste of everyone’s time (like for a rash or a lump).

YANBU to think a phone call was preferable for your situation and worked well. YABU to imply that they are a better option overall or that they’re being used strategically or effectively for the benefit of patients or the NHS.

Lots of people have hospital appointments like this. Quick review of blood tests and then carry on.

My DHs appointments are face to face as he does get examined every time.

I understand that in some cases phone calls are not suitable and sometimes they get it wrong in what they offer. But it is good to see some other options.

I also think NHS need to be clearer/more honest about reasons for needing a face to face, if unexpected, as it makes people anxious.

My OH has cancer and ever since covid, has been having monthly phone calls from his oncologist to check things are going OK, i.e. side effects under control, feedback as to blood test "scores" etc. A couple of months ago, instead of the appointment letter saying the date/time of the phone call, it came through as a face to face at the oncology dept. The oncologist had never mentioned wanting a face to face next time, so OH assumed the worst and spent a couple of weeks stressing about whether the treatment had stopped working, whether they were withdrawing his treatment (it costs a fortune etc and they'd never committed to how long he'd be on it). So with immense trepidation, we went to the appointment, expecting bad news, only to be greeted with a happy smiling oncologist who glibly said "I've not seen you for a couple of years so thought it would be good to have a face to face catch up" - a massive relief, but also very annoying that she caused us a lot of anxiety that could easily have been prevented had she said at the last phone call that she'd put us down for a face to face just for a catch up rather than anything sinister!

On the whole I've found telephone appointments brilliant. Especially as I'm disabled and going to the hospital can mean several days in bed after. Dc1 and 2 and me have had some brilliant care and much more timely than the old system. However some clinics have taken it to far one of dc consultants has never met dc. Was transfered into adult care during covid. The other professionals keep asking consultant to see f2f and its always ignored. Dc has communication issues and so it's difficult and I don't feel dc is currently getting the best care and nor do other professionals involved.

Our GP (retired now) always phone triaged some of his patients instead of seeing them F2F in the first instance -- generally those he was confident of being able to describe symptoms accurately. Then he would tell you to come in if he deemed it necessary to do bloods or whatever.

But my hospital treatments have not been possible to do remotely.

My DH had a phone appointment. He was sat with his mobile and landline phones next to him...and neither rang. He rang them to query why he hadn't had his phone call and was told that the consultant had rang and had no reply. Safe say my DH was livid. And to make matters worse a new appointment was sent to him which was for in 7 months time! When he eventually saw his consultant and told him the issue,he insisted that his next appointment would be f2f, consultant was puzzled, but eventually it was put down to a mis-dialled number. Not a good experience!

Hi Op
I was suspicious of this tel call idea,
I still thing some health disorders obviously need to been seen face to face,

Yes tel medical appointments definitely has its place in some circumstances if its a minor health condition or a follow up,

Looking at this thread Op response its a mixed bag type of thing, at the moment,

It's not a case of one size fits all,

Tel medical call has its bonuses plus ➕️ 🙄 points and its negatives points too

Incidents I had a PIP social security benefit tel call appointment,
As my PIP entailment had lapsed and I was seriously dreading it,
It turned out to be OK in the end,
I did do one blunder, which I thought oh shit , hope it's not going to affect the way rest of interview went,

You are allowed a independent person like support worker for e.g to advocate on your behalf about your health disorder and to verify back up how it effects your every day life reality,
For this PIP benefit Assessment renual,
It then becomes a 3 way tel call,

Oops I ment to say
Incidentally I had my PIP tel call assessment

Then this isn't applicable to you; I assume they'll make alternative arrangements.

My consultant always offers face to face
They ask at every appointment if I want to be seen next time or telephone
Think that's a good way of doing it and you've got the choice then

LauraNorder - I’m due a consultant review via phone call - I am deaf and have told hospital it’s not what I want - but they are ignoring my wishes - I have explained to his secretary that I can barely understand him even in a face to face consultation - again disregarded ☘️🙏🏽

I like phone and video stuff mostly but it is INFURIATING when they won't listen to accessibility issues/requests.

I keep telling people who want to contact me - email me, phone me on x number after x time or you will NOT get hold of me... and they still use the wrong number, wrong time etc.

I have to remind EVERYONE i see that I am a wheelchair user, is this clinic/venue/appointment accessible... 9 x 10 it isn't and they're shocked at this brand new news (I mean yeah ive only used a wheelchair for the last ten frigging years, and it was prescribed by the NHS and supplied by them... so new!)

Can you contact pals? It’s obviously not appropriate to do phone in your case.

I disagree, based on having a skin condition.

Initially my dermatologist called to say I have a fragrance allergy, switch to fragrance free products, but my skin kept getting worse. Between dermatologist appts, I spoke to my GP. Over the phone my GP said I have a fungal infection, have 6 months of antifungal tablets. Told my dermatologist this over the phone during the review appt and showed photos. As it was a review appt she just wanted to discharge me and rushed the appointment. It lasted about 3 minutes and she prescribed me steroid products…which shouldn’t be used with fungal infections.

I complained about the lack of consistent diagnoses/medication with PALs and a dermatologist saw me in person, giving me a 4th diagnosis of seb derm. I use a different set of products now and it’s under control. Before I essentially had painful rashes everywhere as I wasn’t able to get the right products to begin with.

Think it depends on the appointment t. Some much easier to have on phone and I would prefer it. Some I need face to face as requires physically seeing me

Yes I have one every 6 months. Way better than a 45min commute there.

@IheartBTS to be honest the blood tests are the things that would actually
likely flag up a relapse or any issues with his lymphoma, though there is not a specific test as such for this. It’s highly unlikely to ever be picked up by random examinations at the check ups, these are more for reassurance than anything else. If your dad felt lumps or whatever, I’m sure he’d be seen out with his standard check
ups anyway.
At this particular point in time for the NHS anything that saves time saves money- so that’s vital.