NHS waiting times

[Funkypolar]

Covid has completely finished the NHS off.

My mother needs an endoscopy. The next appointment she can make is December 2021!

My friend works as a nurse in an eye clinic - their backlog is now predicted to be two years long.

Tempted to get private health insurance, if Covid doesn’t get me, something else is bound to finish me off.

Wow.

Just to add we have private via husband's job, it doesn't cover everything.

My husband is military. They used to have military hospitals but they were sold off for luxury flats so now the military rely on NHS services.

It’ll be interesting as the NHS delays get longer and more and more service people are medically downgraded and not deployable.

Surely soldiers jump the queue. You would think.

I've waited a year for dermatology. Their waiting times are usually 4-5 months anyway but...

I was refered to the thyroid clinic, I waited just under 2 weeks for a phone consultation then was put on the list for a face to face appointment, which was 4 weeks later.

I needed a seperate scan on my neck, from speaking to the gp to having the scan, less than 2 weeks.

I had a referral in November 2019. It’s likely to be either January or April 2021 before I’m seen!

It is a disaster and I can't believe it isn't getting more news.

I got a pain management referal dec 2019. Had the appointment this Tuesday. Not so bad in th scheme of things but still the best part of a year because everything shut down in march

My father had to pay £3000 he can’t afford ( luckily I can) for treatment that would save his eyesight. He had a few weeks to get this treatment and Moorfields told him despite this it would be months but they could see him in the private section the day after. It’s lunacy that this virus has precedence over everything g else

My six monthly appointment for a chronic condition that can easily lead to meningitis/brain damage and the rest ... was cancelled with no replacement date given. At all.

I've fought it and managed to be seen. But god knows whether I'll be able to manage that next time. And of all the other people that are in a similar position as me - there'll be many that will just accept it.

They'll be getting sick. And they won't be seen. Until it's an emergency and very possibly too late.

@OpheliasCrayon
Can I ask where? In Worcester the pain clinic didn't even seen to me open.

@kimlo

Yes it's complete madness. Some parts of the NHS are open in some areas, some have massive waiting lists, some are just shut still.

@notevenat20 I seem to have been really lucky. Even speaking to my gp is easier these days. I have had nothing but amazing service from the nhs since lockdown.

The only person on this house who hasn't been able to acess services is dd1, the orthodontist is a bit hit and miss but was able to see her when she had a brace emergency and she couldn't go to physio because it wasn't running. The physio wasn't urgent though.

I had a gynaecology app cancelled in March, just been seen this week. I also had a dentist appointment in March cancelled, still waiting for that to be rearranged

@kimlo Yes it's the postcode lottery writ large. Where I am it is now 40 months for cardiology!

[quote notevenat20]@OpheliasCrayon
Can I ask where? In Worcester the pain clinic didn't even seen to me open.[/quote]
Sure. Mid Essex. It completely shut down until a few months ago. They then called me and said they're going through their waiting lists and would I like a virtual appointment. I said sure but I was very skeptical as I have a complex situation so thought it would be a waste of time. As it goes we spent an hour talking and have come up with the most decent plan I've had so far in about a decade. My next appointment will be in person for the procedures. He said that it would probably be in the new year but then changed his mind and said he is putting it down as urgent so hopefully in the next couple of months.

I hope you manage to get somewhere soon!

My dad sadly passed away 7 weeks ago he was in his early 70s.
He was so badly let down by the NHS,
In June he started very suddenly losing balance and was very confused. The GP surgery would not allow a face to face consultation, only over the phone. They sent off for 4 urine tests which each took a week to return. They suggested he walked with an extra stick. They did not suggest any investigations.
Eventually he became so off balance and confused that we took him to hospital. `We thought it was a stroke at worst. Sadly it was a glioblastoma brain tumour.

They didn't try any treatment at all. Just kept him in hospital and we were not allowed to see him under any circumstances. He received the news that he was terminally ill, alone and confused. We also had to have the news over the phone as a family with no support at at all.
We tried zoom calls but they confused and upset him.

4 weeks later he passed away. The local hospice had shut completely leaving 2 pallitaive nurses in a rehab ward with people shouting in the background, They did the best they could they really did. They were the only bit of strength we had. I was only allowed to see my dad on the day he passed. My family will never get that time back.

My mum was offered counselling but the letter stipulated that if she didn't reply yes in 3 days the offer was off the table. She felt unable to cope with it at that time but might do down the line, but she would have to be referred again.

I asked for support as I didn't sleep for 3 weeks I kept on having nightmares as my dad looked so drastically different, They got someone to ring me and they suggested "The Calm app"
Gave up asking for support after that.....no wonder some people turn to gin!

I dread to think how many cancer diagnoses have been missed, How many cases of heart failure are going untreated because they cant be seen. Its truly frightening!
I have not been able to see a doctor face to face since march and I have stage 4 Endometriosis.

Just bump everyone off the waiting list for mental health services. Really easy, solves so many problems (not).

@lljkk

Just bump everyone off the waiting list for mental health services. Really easy, solves so many problems (not).

I found the crisis team mid lock down were amazing (unrelated to covid). I've now got ongoing MH problems and cannot get a psychiatrist referal. I've been told I can see one. it's been accepted ..not a sign of anything anytime soon. My physical health problems continue to be well managed but I haven't got a clue what's going on with this or any possible wait time

@Buttybach that is just awful and so so sad.

@MotherMood thank you xxx it's been a shit year all round NHS wise. I was due to have urgent surgery for severe endometriosis in early 2019 but by February 2020 it still wasn't looking likely so thank god I went private. All the other ladies on the forum
I am part of are still waiting for surgery from 2019. And it looks like it will be next year before it's moving forward.

@Buttybach I am so sorry about your dad.
How utterly terrible for you all. I work in the NHS and feel so bad this kind of thing is happening and we have no control over it.

It must depend on the region. I had (non urgent) nhs surgery cancelled in April and had the operation last month. But I'm sorry to hear that many aren't so lucky.

Buttybach, very sorry to hear about your dad!