Referrals during COVID

[Someonesayroadtrip]

Anyone having major problems with getting seen?

I won't go into the issues to keep this brief but over a month ago my GP sent me for an urgent scan. He told me I should hear something that week and they were likely to come to the house. I didn't hear anything for 2/3 week when I had a letter from radiology saying that they didn't feel I was urgent and that they are not seeing non-urgent cases so won't be seeing me. That if I felt I needed to be seen then I should go back to my GP AFTER the pandemic and he can refer me again!

Had to go back to my GP for another examination 5 weeks after the first appointment, saw a different GP who refereed me to the a specialist under the two week rule. He emphasised this several times to me, it was an urgent, top priority appointment and I should be seen within 2 weeks,

Two weeks up on Monday and not heard anything. I suspected as much. I didn't expect to be seen within two weeks, but I did expect at least an acknowledgement of my referral.

I'm not feeling great and GP seems reluctant to treat symptoms. I'm not expecting to be seen immediately, but I feel frustrated that two different GPs seem to have been overruled by different hospital departments about my case.

I just needed to get that off my chest as I haven't told anyone I'm going through anything and I just feel frustrated and stressed by it. I realise I am being unreasonable given the current situation.

Sorry, meant to ask if anyone else wants to moan with me.

I don't think you're being unreasonable
It sounds really hard

You're not being unreasonable at all. If it was me I would ring the hospital tomorrow and say that you haven't heard anything. If your Dr. has referred you under the 2 week rule then you should be seen within that time.

You arw not being unreasonable however with 2ww referrals it's usual to either make the choose and book appointments with the patient there and then, or the patient is given the booking centre number to call next day to make appointment.
Could you have misunderstood what yih needed to do?
And why have you not called your gp to let them. Know you haven't had your appt... Or rang the hospital to ask where your appointment is?
Referrals do get lost sometimes and I am sympathetic especially if you don't feel great but take some ownership and get on the phone

There is still a chance you will be seen on Monday. It's also weeks from receipt of referral not from.when referral sent.

Why do you think you're being unreasonable?

Other things exist beyond Covid.

If you have been referred under 2 ww it's because you need to be seen under 2ww.

Not when pandemic is over in possibly 12-18 months.

I was referred, nowhere near needing two week rule, just a general but pretty bothersome skin issue on my face. Local hospital is a failing shitshow and ignored the referral. That was several months ago now.

@Theredjellybean - I don't think so, he said if I had not heard back to contact him back. He said three times he was referring me under the top urgent case and then he said it was under the 2 week criteria and then said there were different urgent pathways, but this was the top one which meansI should be seen in 2 weeks. He did say I may not been seen within 2 weeks but he expected me seen in 3 and that I should definitely heard back within 2 weeks.

@Oohmegooliebird - very true, I could still hear back before then, I just keep my phone charged and glued to me just in case. I'm guess I am just feeling frustrated because of the scan and frustrated in my body (and the fact I have put off things/allowed things to be out off for so long as well).

Thanks everyone.

I realise the NHS is under a lot of new pressures itself and trying its best to be responsive to the COVID situation. So I realise I'm expecting a lot right now. I'm just one person in a service that has a lot of demands upon it right now.

I had my urgent scan today. It took about two weeks.

Well I haven't heard anything today so there is little chance of me being seen before Monday now.

@indemMUND - sorry to hear that, I had a mole type thing on my face that kept changing shape, size and colour. I was referred, non-urgent issues about September last year, I heard in around May when they wanted an updated photo which I sent and then they called me in. Turned out they didn't think it was anything and burnt it off there and then which was great.

This so gyn related. I have had issues for over 18 months, but you always explain things away don't you?

@perfumeistooexpensive -hope that went well for you. I was told I would be seen for that in around 2/3 weeks but then had the letter to say they didn't consider me urgent.

I'm 36 so I don't fit the criteria perfectly which I assume is the issue as my levels were raised for cancer makers (but that can also be other things) but even if it's not anything worrying like cancer, it's still pretty difficult for me, I'm pretty much housebound as I bleed through everything within 30 minutes and even on lighter day I Gush blood and soak through everything. This level of blood loss has gone on pretty much non stop for 3 months. Three times I have gone out to try and things with children on light days and each time I have soaked through everything with blood. It's frightening for the children seeing me like that too, especially as two have additional needs.

@Someonesayroadtrip My scan was very thorough and nothing found. I was being scanned for possible pancreatic or ovarian cancer. Pancreas was perfect and ovaries have shrunk down to almost nothing so that's a relief because that means there's no tumours. Good luck for yours. I still need a diagnosis though.

@perfumeistooexpensive - glad it's neither but must very frustrating for you. Hope you get answers soon.

Just had similar, my GP said I needed to be seen within 2 weeks but ultrasound team say no appointments for at least a month. I can’t be referred on the 2 week pathway as we won’t know it’s cancer until I have the scan.
Don’t know what the solution is but I understand your frustration

I was referred for a chest x-ray due to ongoing chest pain, difficult to manage asthma and persistent breathlessness. That was June last year. I wasn't a priority so they booked an appt for Sept 2019 which was cancelled and moved to January, then cancelled again as the consultant left and I had to be transferred to a new one. New appt was booked for end of March so it didn't happen. I was told I'd be seen as soon as they were doing face to face appts, but they've been doing them since July and still nothing. All they say when I call is that I'll get a letter when they get round to non urgent cases. It's a bloody chest x-ray, it takes 5 minutes and I just want my life back

OP if I was in your position and was bleeding that much and felt increasingly unwell I would be referring myself to AE sometime soon !

I was told by my gp that my bowel problems were ibs and the referral the nurse had made for a colonoscopy would not take place this year as he said the hospital would look back through my notes and state I was non important as I did not have cancer.

I have also been really affected struggling to go out as always on the toilet, feeling ill and have lost 2 stone since May. So I paid for a consultation privately with a gastroenterologist. They have advised they want to go ahead with the colonoscopy as they say they need to rule out cancer, ibd etc but this will cost £2,800.

Oh bloody hell that's expensive

I was referred under the two week rule nearly a month ago. After a week I received a letter giving me a date and time for a telephone appointment with a consultant at my local hospital. He said he would be arranging a scan for me. I asked how long it would be and was told it would be 2 to 4 weeks. It is a week and a half since the phone appointment and I haven't had a letter yet. I will need to take clear out meds first so it looks like it's going to be closer to a month from the phone appointment.

@purpleme12 it sure is, they advised the price had gone up due to Covid with extra PPE.

I was recently seen under the TWW referral, for a breast lump. The letter from hospital took 2 days to arrive and the appt was the following week

Sorry you're having a shitty time OP

So frustrated for you all in similar boats.

Yes, I looked up private too and a biopsy would cost around £2,709-£3,900 depending on where I went. It's just too much for me unfortunately.

I'm still bleeding buts it's much lighter right now but I get gushes every so often which soaks though everything when I least expect it. It's been on and off like this and heavier blood loss for the last 2 weeks. I know A&E here will just tell me to contact my GP back (used to be a nurse). Which is the way the system should be, but when two different GPs say urgent and then it's not treated like that it's frustrating.

@shiningstar2 - hopefully you hear back sooner than that. So glad you at least spoke to a consultant and they are taking it seriously, you can always call up radiology now yourself and ask where you are on the list and that you are happy to take a cancellation.

@pinky987 have you informed the GP of the weight loss? I would go v and state that and start what the private GP said and go from there.

@MiteBiteatNite - that's terrible, have you considered calling PAL (patient advocacy service), even taking into consideration COVID, they have surpassed their waiting times. PAL maybe able to chase this up for you because it's not right anyway waits that long just for an x ray.

@Boozysoozy1 - it's not about knowing it's about suspected

Oops sorry @Boozysoozy1 one of my children cuddled into me and I pressed post somehow.

It's not about confirmed it's about suspected, in fairness my scan is likely to show what we already know, so I suspect that's is why my second GP didn't push the scan issue again. But you can always call up scan and say that you are happy to take a cancellation. How long have you waited now? Super frustrated for you too.

My scan they just said they wouldn't do at all. If they had said a month I would have be been seen by now, but I waited 3 weeks to be told they wouldn't see me and then I wanted to stop bleeding to go back to my GP but I never stopped so it was over a month before I contacted them back. So it will be 7 weeks Monday I've been waiting.

I think the last appointment just scarred me as he started talking about uterine and ovarian cancer, it was me who brought it up in fairness, I said I was too young (I'm 36). He said I had concerning Symptoms, exam and blood, so I've just been stressing so much since. My liver enzymes were off too, which could be a sign of mets or could just be a fluke or something else entirely I had a smear too and that result should be back within 2 weeks but not heard from that yet either.

Think I'll give it until Tuesday/Wednesday (as post is weird in Monday's here anyway) and then contact my GP back again.

Hope you all get answers, feel free to update or rant away. So frustrated for all of us going through uncertain times.

@Someonesayroadtrip yes I have told the gp about the weight loss and all my other symptoms. He just keeps telling me it’s not cancer so go and find a trigger for ibs. The private consultant has requested the gp carry out a blood test for ovarian cancer and thyroid so that I don’t have to pay.

@pinky987 did you get anywhere with your doctor?

I am no where further forward. Just much iller now having had heavy blood loss for months now with no let up in sight. Really frustrated right now and upset.

GP confirmed I am on the urgent 2 week referral even though it's Ben over 3 weeks now. She resent my scan referral in and said it will take 8 weeks, so now that won't be until middle of next month.

I just don't know how to go on like this. I am so dizzy/faint all the time, and I flood through all my clothes, which scares the children and me. I have medication to help the heaviness and iron for, but iron makes me ill so I have been vomiting and having craps now on top of everything else.

Clearly things are ramping up with COVID and I just feel I'm going to be left with no answers and therefore no help. I keep asking for mediation to stop my periods but GP says I need to be seen first which just doesn't seem right, but two different GPS have said that now.

I know there are much more urgent things going on right now, but I'm so frustrated that I'm still bleeding and still getting all the other symptoms. I'm guessing the hospital clearly think it's nothing life threatening but then surely the GP can prescribe something to stop this.

Sorry for the rant, just feeling frustrated today.

Hi! I worked in gynae (admin - not clerical - I assume it’s gynae scan/colposcopy you’ve been referred for?) and I know they stopped everything - even 2WW referrals due to risk so are now on the biggest game of catch up you’ve seen.
GPs do refer people as urgent however they are regraded on receipt by consultant to confirm if they are urgent or can wait. We had a lot of 2WW referrals downgraded because of this.
Can your GP not call the consultant/sonographer on call if your symptoms are getting worse? It might mean it’s a “get you in now” sort of situation but might help with a plan?
Hope you get sorted soon and sorry if I’m repeating stuff you already know!!