I'm just about to give up now... even when I'm trying to go private I can't get doctors to call me back...

[emkana]

I spoke to the lung specialist's secretary about seeing him privately (I know he does private appointments), she said she'd get the doctor to phone me back -
nothing.

I really am getting so BLOODY FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

blimey AARRRGH how awful

have you got an appointment, or is that what you are trying to get? sorry, i'm not up to date with your threads.

I saw the lung specialist back in November, he said he would instigate several tests to get to the bottom of ds's chest infections.

Have waited since then, am now fed up, decided to go private to speed things up. In the meantime it turns out that I was waiting in vain anyway, as no letter was received at my local hospital, no idea why.

try your GP? get him to make a private referral?

or her of course..

My GP actually said that I should try and see if I could get a private appointment myself...

shit. sorry, as a medical secretary this sounds all too familiar.

TBH i think you need a champion. is your GP's secretary any good? useful as every time you hit a barrier s/he will know the ongoing story and you can unleash him/her again on the next admin foulup. or is the consultant's secretary potentially helpful in getting on to his/her colleague to put a jump on the tests?

i have to say that recently i spent literally months forcing a referral out of one consultant's office down the corridor to another one in the same hospital - i don't even work in the same organisation. i kept hearing from the secretary that she would drop it off this afternoon.... tomorrow morning.... today... THREE MONTHS LATER it finally arrived...

tbh I don't know what to do now.

I thought going private would speed things up, but no...

i think that once the first contact has been made, it will. so frustrating trying to get it, though.

where hav eyou gone private em?

Well I'm trying to see Dr. Langton Hewer at Bristol Children's Hospital.

Does he practice at any private hospitals or just the Childrens hospital?

I'm not sure tbh!

Does he have a private secretary Em? Ask his NHS one if he does and ask her for the number. Ask her where he does his private practice - he may have 'rooms' where there is a single private secretary servicing several consultants. This is what 2 of dd's consultants have.

I haven't forgotton about giving you the details of that GOSH skeletal clinic BTW. Haven't had the info from my friend and I'll try to get hold of her.

could try these numbers - he seems to practice privately at

Litfield House, Litfield House Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3LS
Secretary tel 0117 974 6401
main Tel: 0117 973 1323 Fax: 0117 973 3303

BUPA Hospital Bristol, The Glen, Redland Hill, Durdham Down, Bristol BS6 6UT Tel: 0117 973 2562 Fax: 0117 974 3203

the database i am using is pretty good but not infallible, worth a try though

Ring private hospitals directly - Bupa, BMI, Nuffield. They will have lists. It will be very easy to get an appointment with a consultant of your choosing through them. Set clinics are held on set days of the week when that particular consultant attends. He will see you.

Emkana, I work at the BRI - not in untill sat, which is no good but then in on Monday. As long as we aren't manic I'd be quite prepared to try and find out some numbers for you if you think that will be any help and you don't get anywhere before hand. Also one of my best friends works in childrens so I'll find out what I can from her.

He runs clinics at BUPA and Litfield house according to a site I have got on to. I would link to it but I had to sign in as a health proffesional, so don't think link will work. My friend has text me back and knows him and his wife, she says he is lovely if you haven't met him! So hopefully when you do you will get some answers. I'll find out the numbers of the places he runs clinics, give them a ring and they should be able to help you. Good luck.

Usually best to call the private hospital he has a clinic at ideally if it's a big one they will have several lung people ven so then you have competition and you can say if I can't get an appointment this week then I'm going elsewhere which usualy galvanises people into action. If necessary find someone in London and I bet you can get an appontment somewhere in the country privately within a week if you search around enough and are prepared to travel.

0117 317 1321 is the number for BUPA appointments. I can't see this consultants name on the website, tbh but worth a quick call to see IMO.

Ahh, here we go, litfield house /link{http://www.litfieldhouse.co.uk\on left hand side of page} click on paediatrics, then his name is clickable on and has a direct dial number to his secretary. I really hope this helps Emkana.

try again

Guys you are all so lovely and helpful, thank you so much!!!!!

I have spoken to his secretary at Litfield House and I'm going to see him next Tuesday.

Feeling v. happy now!

Btw it turns out that at Bristol Children's Hospital they have an admin backlog and the letter has not been written yet... six weeks after the appointment.

Goos luck emkana. Hope he can help you.

six weeks late, espeiclay with crhistmas in the middle is quite understandable, take it from me!