Why are they sending me for another initial assessment?

[Vraed]

I paid £75 last week to visit a podiatrist at a foot clinic. They said they think I have arthritis in my big toe (I really disagree with this).

Anyway, they said they’d refer me back to my GP so I could have an X-ray and scan. I then got a message from the GP to say to ring for an X-ray and to self refer to the musculoskeletal service, which I did.

I had the X-ray on Thursday and am waiting for the results, but I got a letter in the post from the musculoskeletal service with a print out from a website saying to try some exercises for a few weeks. The exercises would have been totally useless. I rang them and explained I didn’t know what was causing the pain and want a diagnosis, and that the exercises were completely unrelated to my problem. The receptionist said she’d put me down for an appointment when they’re released. I asked what the appointment was for and she said an initial assessment - but isn’t that what I paid for? I’d happily pay again too but now seem to be on a waiting list for an initial assessment.

I am very, very confused as to the process and what is going on. I paid to see a podiatrist because there was a 40 week wait for the NHS. Has anyone been through this process and can shed any light on what is going on?

What do you think the issue is? Plus with arthritis or a bunion in big toe which it’s likely to be one of them exercises are recommended for both. Have had a lot of muscle skeletal appointments and physio as I have scoliosis.

Assume that the services are not joined up hence another assessment.

The podiatrist and the NHS physio are unrelated.

They both need to do their own initial assessment before they can advise on treatment.

I suggest waiting for the physio assessment and see what they suggest.

Why do you disagree with arthritis?

I think you need to be assessed by the place (in this case the NHS) who will be treating you.

You can't use the private assessment for the NHS. It does not compute. System says no.

You wasted your money if you wanted the treatment on the NHS. If you don't want to wait like everyone else you need to pay for the treatment privately.

Getting an assessment privately does not help you skip NHS queues.

The initial appointment was private?? Now your doctor has referred you on the NHS? Would that explain the situation?

This

I quite clearly said I’d be happy to pay. It was the podiatrist who referred me back to the GP for the X-ray and scan.

So has the NHS just assumed I want an appointment with them, whereas the podiatrist said I could take the X-ray and scan results back to her?

It’s because everything I read about arthritis says that toe pain would start whilst walking or running, with movement, and as it progresses can begin to cause pain when stationary. It also gets described as an ache. This pain only ever happens when I’m sitting or lying down, and the pain is definitely not an ache. It’s an absolute agonising pain I can’t think during, and it only lasts a few seconds, during which time I flex or bend my toes subconscious then there’s a click or pop and the pain immediately completely disappears. I know it might be arthritis but this just doesn’t sound at all like any description I've read.

I don’t know if something is catching or falling out of place. It is a few seconds of agony, then a pop and it completely disappears. Only whilst sitting or lying down. It’s as if it happens when my foot gets into a position my toe doesn’t like.

Well it turns out I have a small osteophyte in my toe. Mystery solved.