Sooooo much time wasted sat on waiting lists.

[2kidsintow]

I have a hip problem. 3 years ago GP sent me for xrays. Nothing showed. Blood tests were clear. Physio was prescribed. I waited to hear.... they only contact you after you've been on the waiting list for 11 weeks. Contacted and had appointments made.

Physio aggravated the condition and the physiotherapist drew a blank after a few months and referred me back to the hospital.

I waited another 9 weeks before they got in contact and made an appointment.

They referred me back to the original physio dept, but to see someone else. As I knew the people in the dept now, after about 6 weeks I went in to ask when I was likely to hear about an appointment. THey told me that I'd hear when I was at the top of the list. Despite being referred right back to where I Was already having appointments before, I was still on their standard waiting list. Which by now had increased to 18 weeks.

New therapist gave me new exercises. They aggravated my hip problem (again). Therapist stumped after a few months of exercises. (Again.) Referred me back to the hospital again.

Last referral was made in Sept. I spoke to the hospital on Friday to find out that the standard waiting list for the consultant I was due to see was 28 weeks.

I hope it will have been worth the wait when I finally get to see them.
I also wish that you'd get a courtesy letter when you are put on the list to tell you that you are on it and that they will get in contact again in however many-ish weeks, rather than all the waiting around.

Oh yes, I so identify with that! I was dismissed by the NHS for ill health whilst, guess what, waiting for NHS treatment.

Frankly you couldn't make it up and for people with chronic conditions it is a way of life. As my GP says, the NHS is fantastic in a crisis ie car accident. Totally unfit for purpose for most other stuff.

Oh for private health care.

I feel your pain! I had hip pain for 3 years - was referred to physio who said they didn't know what was wrong (if it was my hip or my back) so they'd do 6 months of physio and see if it helped??!!
I refused and told them that I wanted a diagnosis and appropriate treatment, not 6 months of physio for an unknown problem.
I went to see a chiropractor who told me it was definitely my hip and sent me for an MRI scan (which I paid for myself). She knew from the MRI that there was something wrong and told me to go and see my GP again.
I ended up being referred to a professor in young hip disease and had a complete hip replacement. He was amazed that I had managed as long as I had as my hip was completely knackered!
I was really angry with the physio dept and complained. I didn't want to get anybody into trouble, but they need to diagnose and treat appropriately, not treat conditions they don't know the cause of!

Talking to a friend who is a GP , she says that the pathway is to refer to physio even if they know physio won't help. It's just so they can use the cheaper options first!
Having said that I had physio at the GP surgery after a back injury and she was fab. Back completely back to normal in 6 weeks.
Spits not that physio is no good but rather that the referrals are inappropriate. I feel sorry for the physios

Dd referred for scoliosis to a paed. It took months for letter to appear. When I called for an appointment was told they could only offer me one date, which is when the consultant is not in clinic. Why? Because otherwise it would go beyond their waiting list targets. The only way she could get another appointment is to decline the referral and be re-referred by GP. So another 4 month wait. I'm not allowed to take the appointment and reschedule either. That will be recorded as did not attend even if 2 months notice is given.

She's going to see the registrar and fingers crossed he or she is on the ball. Dd is 13 and I think she's stopped growing so I doubt that there is any treatment anyway.

To be fair, being referred to the physio the first time wasn't a complete waste of time as the exercises were useful in some respect. They didn't help the specific problem I have with my hip (it can feel like it's dislocated when I stand some time and then can't walk on it without pain or discomfort), but it did alleviate the tightness and aches that I had permanently at that time.

Fingers crossed the hospital sends me for the scan that the second physio thinks I need to pinpoint the problem.