Hospitals/waiting lists etc. - does anyone know how they work?

[roisin]

ds2 is waiting for a non-urgent op: I'm not impatient at all, I'd just like an idea of timings so that I can plan the rest of our life! At the consultant appointment (2 weeks ago) we gave them our dates for our holiday.

They then rang up virtually immediately and offered a date the day before we go on holiday
Consultant told us 2 weeks off school/doing nothing! So obviously we declined that date.
Presumably that has ticked their 6-wk box
Does anyone know what the rules/guidelines are from this point?

We were told that if we decline a couple of appointments to put us 18 weeks from consultant appointment, then we have to go back to square one of the whole process.

We tend to go away quite a bit, and have packed diaries, but I feel at the moment I'm in limbo and everything is on hold, because I daredn't make plans or book anything for late August or September or October

Not sure how it works for children, and I suppose all hospitals are different but when I had my surgery it was explained like this.

Urgent = within 3 months
Soon = 3-6 months
Non urgent 6=12 months

You should get notification that you are on a waiting list and be given an idea of how long you will be on it. There is usually the option to show yourself available within 24 hrs for cancellations etc.

We are awaiting an operation for DH

Were told 18 weeks was the waiting list.

We were sent a letter to detail dates we were unavailable. We have requested not to go in before end of October due to holidays etc.

We are expecting an appointment through for December 23rd just to screw up christmas!