Yet another Enaid moan

[enaid]

I have a few health issues and my moan is not about them (although being a tad healthier would be good lol).
I have had Scoliosis from puberty or maybe before but as it never really bothered me apart from the shape of my body I never went to the drs about it .
About 5 years ago I started getting more back and leg pain, put up with it as an ageing process.
Anyway 4 years ago went to GP and had a scan saw the spinal surgeon and he said surgery not an option, to lose weight and exercise lol.
So going forward as pain is getting gradually worse went to GP last August, was sent for a scan in November and saw the surgeon in January. So 6 months and still no further forward as to help or treatment, surgeon said again surgery too risky but I would be referred to pain clinic.
So I got my letter copied to GPs about the referral and what was discussed, after address and my info etc in bold GP recommendations : Referral to pain clinic please. Letter dated 14th January 2017
Wednesday this week after having really severe pain, I decided to chase this up as have heard nothing.
Rang GP to see where I had been referred to and contact details.
Oh dear the referral was never done but she would do it right away marked urgent.
Rang hospital yesterday and it could be 6 to 8 weeks for urgent 18 to 20 for non urgent. So just about the time I am going on a cruise lol was really hoping this would be sorted by then at least.
Anyway you can skip the top bit my moan is this.

Surgeon had to write to GP to get me referred to a clinic not 200 yards from his office,
So secretary writes to GP, GP secretary reads letters passes it on to GP (or not as in my case), GP then gets in touch with clinic not 200 yards from surgeons clinic, clinics secretary passes on to appointments and hopefully you get an appointment with A DR before the Funeral Director.
So apart from it being apparent the more involved the more room for error, what about the expense and time scales ?
I was told by the hospital to go tp GPs and get a letter of Experdite that may speed things up. This I did and the Hitler style receptionist copied the letter said she would pass it on and someone would probably phone me next week. Another waste of time effort and much NHS needed money all from some bloody stupid system that they seem to think works.
Rant over, but yesterday I felt like blowing up our DRs lol today i just feel like suing em by Friday I may be a bit calmer, well hopefully lol

[enaid]

Re: Yet another Enaid moan

Am doing another post about this complete arsehole http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....uilty-12959964

Shipman was bad enough but this monster is far worse imho. Let's hope he tops himself and quickly while this may upset his family it could be nowhere near the upset he has caused hundreds of families.
This just highlights the lack of regulation in the private health care system and the more they try to privatise the NHS the more at risk we are as this proves.

[ostell]

Re: Yet another Enaid moan

It does get you a bit about what the doctors are doing to avoid work. My knees are shot and I've had one replacement knee, with the other one playing up and giving trouble and recommended for replacement, They won't operate on the other knee because I am over weight.. Giving up up a 50 a day habit is not to good at keeping the weight down. I do try. I had my Blue Badge renewal refused until I took the assessment, the appointment was 3 months away. At least the assessor did comment that it was a catch 22 situation, in that I could not reasonably exercise and keep the weight down, In fact she stopped the assessment before completion as it was painful. I now have a BB again but still no further towards a new knee.

[enaid]

Re: Yet another Enaid moan

Not so much me moaning about waiting times etc although we all know how bad things are.
Its the system, if a specialist refers you for treatment why must it go back to your GP? and then get cocked up. After my appointment with the surgeon I could have gone the 200 yards to the pain clinic and made an appointment that would have suited both of us. The admin, time and money wasted on this is diabolical and if it happens to every referral they are wasting millions they just haven't got.

[enaid]

Re: Yet another Enaid moan

OK no phone call from them so one from me. I asked about the Experdite letter if it had been sent. Hitler, oh hang on, well I did say someone may ring you, but you refused the phone call, not true and my oh can verify I said 'may do, charming' and left. Then she cut me off, worst thing ever, rang back asked for manager, manager gone home not back until Friday, well anyone but a receptionist says I. I get a secretary, suppose a step up, went through it all explained this been going on since last August. Well she said with 12,000 patients these things happen. I said I can appreciate that but you should sort it as it was your mistake. Ok she says I will send the Experdite letter today but it may not guarantee you an earlier appointment. You need to fill a form about the pain have you received that, well not yet I said. FFS
So bottom line I cant go on with this pain I am going on holiday in 4 weeks and it's looking like I wont get an appointment by then so I will see the Dr. Let me see she said , we have nothing tomorrow, or Friday we put you on the list for Monday.
Chuffin list, I said what about ring in the morning at 8 crap, she said well we have to follow the GPS protocol, I said you should get the folks who supposed to read referral letters to follow protocol. Anyway am seeing a practice nurse who has been to university lol I actually know her very well as she does us and hopefully she can subscribe a pain killer that wont kill me at least to get over my holiday.
Bloody fed up lol

[warwick65]

Re: Yet another Enaid moan

I think that blaming the Drs is counter productive, they are inundated with paperwork and a lack of beds etc etc.

I have to say though that in Crewe when my mother had a malignant melanoma diagnosed the NHS were wonderful.

For more routine stuff, well do i need to say- use your vote wisely.

[enaid]

Re: Yet another Enaid moan

Can't agree about a vote, sorry, the whole admin system needs a bloody good shake up and most got shot of imho, from GP to top specialists.
I know things have dramatically changed in all walks of life, from jobs, housing, health, life style and finances.
But, we can never admit there was anything better than having a rapport with our GPs , bank managers and employers, something so lacking now, that we are open to abuse, neglect and fraud on a massive scale and I feel so sad and angry about it all.

[warwick65]

Re: Yet another Enaid moan

Hi Enaid

I t was a simple partisan comment by the way. I agree , 'it wasn't like this when I were a lad' but it has gone down hill ever since the concept of managerialism and neo liberal free markets were introduced by my friend maggie and not altered by New Labour. So yes, it needs something more.

Maybe we need to get back to the ideals of Beveridge and the post war social democrat consensus