Broken arm - can’t get seen by NHS - help please

[BrokenarmbrokenNHS]

I don’t know how to get my dd help - please could anyone advise?

My dd has an accident at school last week (Thursday). I took her for an xray at minor injuries and they said they didn’t think it was broken. A day later we had a phone call to say it was indeed broken and dd is in a lot of pain. I think it’s the radius bone as it goes into the elbow. They said they would refer to the fracture clinic and we had a choice of 2 hospitals as we are between hospitals. So I chose the more convenient one. This was on Friday on the phone.

My DD’s elbow has now been broken for 5 days. We have been referred to the wrong hospital, but I thought I will not worry about that, I will just go to it even though it’s an hour from her school. But they will not give me an appointment. I was supposed to wait to hear from them, they haven’t called. I’ve called them directly and they say she’s on some bloody list.

meanwhile my y13 dd has a broken elbow with nothing other than a sling and is shitting herself about buggering her A levels up this summer due to not being able to write and being in loads of pain.

What am I supposed to do? Why can’t we get help? This is crazy to leave a fracture for 5 days with nobody giving a shit. I foolishly thought the NHS still dealt with emergencies. I have no idea what to do. Please help.

I would go to my nearest A&E now

Poor girl, can you just take her to a&e

Goodness, yes you must go to A and E immediately, you’ve clearly fallen though the admin cracks

She can get scribe if needed for A levels btw, this isn’t an uncommon situation.

Quite often for a broken elbow all you get is a sling anyway. I know 3 people including myself who have broken their elbows and that is all they got. I imagine they have seen the x-rays and are going to see her for a check that it is healing rather than to actually do anything with it iyswim.

I don’t usually say this but I would go to A and E and stay there until they do something. Fracture clinic should be much more urgent than this

Daft as it sounds, I know some people who have been left with minor breaks for a few days, but at least they’ve had an appointment.

What do you mean you have been referred to the wrong hospital? Of the two you chose? Do you have any more info on the unknown list? Have you tried calling the fracture clinic appointments?

What’s your GP surgery like? Can you get in touch with them today and see where they would refer you to? Or call 111? It doesn’t sound like minor injuries can help anymore.

Your poor DD. As already suggested, I'd take her to A&E. DD broke her arm about 4 years ago. Once I realised it was more than a sprain, I took her to A&E. She was seen within a couple of hours, sent for x-rays & then put in a temporary cast (which was done in A&E). We were then referred to the Fracture Clinic who phoned the following day to make an appointment for a couple of days later. At the FC they put removed the temporary cast and replaced it with the one she wore for 8 weeks.
I really would take her in now & explain what's happened. I hope she gets treatment and pain relief very soon.

I called both hospitals. The one we chose didn’t receive the referral so they want nothing to do with us. The one we didn’t choose did actually receive the referral but they have not called us to offer an appointment or anything at all. I have called them twice yesterday and twice today. Still got nothing. They say she is on this bloody list, presumably to be called.

Just turn up at A&E

I did know about this, but she would be exhausted trying to dictate maths :(
I really think her elbow could get better in time if only we could get some medical help/advice as to what we should be doing.

That is not good, OP. I wouldn't hesitate in going to A&E and I don't say that lightly. When my DC broke their arm just above their elbow they were in extreme pain and needed surgery to repin the bone, followed by a cast for six weeks. I'm assuming that whoever reviewed the x-ray doesn't think it is a surgical case, but all the same I would want her to be seen in a clinic asap.

That sounds horrible. Poor girl. I don't know about that bone but when I broke my shoulder it felt like elbow was broken too. But they couldn't operate or put cast so it was just a sling.

It could be that your child's break is one where surgery or cast unsuitable?

But she definitely needs pain relief at the very least. Keep calling the fracture clinic for either hospital.
I guess try a private fracture place if you can afford? If such a thing exists?

I hope she's better soon x

I would take her to a&e today

I'm afraid it's time to go to A&E, get it put in temporary cast etc, keep pursuing the other appointment in parallel

Same. I wasn’t aware that you get anything else other than a sling for a broken elbow. That’s certainly all I got when I broke mine.

Ok, so if you’re not getting anywhere with them and it’s the wrong hospital anyway, can either the original minor injuries, GP or 111 get the referral switched?

Could you call whoever it is who said you were on a list and ask what the list is for? If it's just to review progress of the break healing at least you know that actually no further intervention will be coming and it is expected to heal fine with just the sling When is her first exam? It's around 6 to 8 weeks to heal but longer than that to regain full strength and movement if I recall.

Just go to A&E, this is such a fuck up but as usual no one will face any consequences for it. I hope you manage to get her seen and treated soon. And good luck for the A levels to your DD.

It depends on the break - lots of people do get casts for broken elbows. Even if she doesn’t get a cast, I need her seen by a doctor. We don’t know whether we’re supposed to be mobilising it or icing it or what. We just can’t get any help and elbows seize up really quickly.

Take her back to A&E that’s completely unacceptable.
It may be that they decide to leave her in a sling for a broken elbow though, she is young so should have healed quite well before exams start

School will know about support for her A levels, if she still can’t write by then they will make accommodations

For those saying a broken elbow only gets a sling, that is wrong. There are degrees of break. My young daughter broke hers and I still remember being in denial standing in the hospital corridor as the doctor explained that at least there was still an elbow left to repair in surgery.

she now has full use of her arm.

Your daughter’s pain will decrease significantly once her arm is properly stabilized. You need to be the squeaky wheel.

FGS go to A&E!

Your dd needs seeing asap to get the right treatment and pain meds

I cannot believe you are posting on here instead!

If you are London you can go to a private A&E and that is what I would do immediately. (Not sure about other places).

My child had surgery the same day as the break, for a broken elbow.
It depends on the severity of the break and @BrokenarmbrokenNHS needs to go to A&E to be seen ASAP.