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Consultant's Appointments

Mrs_P_Pincher
Posts: 538 Forumite
OH had a letter last Friday advising him of a consultant's appointment next Friday. Two things arise from this, firstly he does not know who made the referral because he was not expecting the appointment and has not consulted his GP about his eyes (it's an appointment with an eye specialist) and secondly when he rang the hospital they said he must have forgotten about the appointment/referral as he has been on a waiting list for a year!
I thought if someone was referred they had to be seen within 13 weeks. Have they moved the goalposts again?
S
I thought if someone was referred they had to be seen within 13 weeks. Have they moved the goalposts again?
S
"Keep your dreams as clean as silver..." John Stewart (1939-2008)
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Mrs_P_Pincher wrote: »OH had a letter last Friday advising him of a consultant's appointment next Friday. Two things arise from this, firstly he does not know who made the referral because he was not expecting the appointment and has not consulted his GP about his eyes (it's an appointment with an eye specialist) and secondly when he rang the hospital they said he must have forgotten about the appointment/referral as he has been on a waiting list for a year!
I thought if someone was referred they had to be seen within 13 weeks. Have they moved the goalposts again?
I'd be more worried that he's been referred to an eye specialist when he's never been to see his GP about his eyes!
Have you tried ringing up your GP and asking what this is about? It is very possible that they have mixed up your OH with another patient....0 -
He was diagnosed about a year ago, by his optician, with the beginnings of glaucoma, so he assumes it's something to do with that...
I understand what you're saying, but Mr P is a man of a certain age who cannot be bothered with health related matters until they become crucial - it took him a month to get to the GP when he'd had a stroke!
I would be asking all sorts of questions, viz the initial question about waiting times, but they are not mine to ask.
Mrs P P"Keep your dreams as clean as silver..." John Stewart (1939-2008)0 -
As a GP we quite often get letters from optician's asking us to refer patients to the hospital eye doctors. Early glaucoma would be a good enough reason to get someone into the hospital system so that the hospital doctors can start treatment early if they feel it appropriate.... I suspect this is what has happened. something that has always baffled me is that opticians cannot make there own direct referrals to the hospital eye doctors.....it doesnt make sense for opticians to have to ask GP's to do referral for them.....0
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I work for a consultant ophthalmic surgeon. It is important to be seen twice a year for intraocular pressure checks, with a visual field check yearly, if glaucoma is suspected or diagnosed (or at whatever time interval the specialist advises) as once vision has been lost to glaucoma, it cannot be recovered, and treatment is usually as simple as daily eye drops. Nothing about the consultation or examination will hurt at all.
So hopefully your OH will be persuaded to attend his appointment!A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion0 -
Mrs_P_Pincher wrote: »He was diagnosed about a year ago, by his optician, with the beginnings of glaucoma, so he assumes it's something to do with that...
I understand what you're saying, but Mr P is a man of a certain age who cannot be bothered with health related matters until they become crucial - it took him a month to get to the GP when he'd had a stroke!
I would be asking all sorts of questions, viz the initial question about waiting times, but they are not mine to ask.
Mrs P P
at the stage your husband attended for an eye check he would have been referred to his GP for hospital refferal - opticians can not reffer directally to the hospital unless the patient is showing acute visual problems when they present (ie occular emergency) it would have been up to your husband to make an appointment with the Dr and discuss possible refferal ... however he did not feel it necessary - luckily his GP has reffered as the opticians advice was not followed up - most gp practices would file refferal letters in the records and if you dont attend it would not be seen untill you attend with a different problem!! Glaucoma is a serious condition that can cause loss of sight in one or both eyes:eek::eek: once it gets to that stage it cant be cured - early diagnosis and treatment is the key (treatment slows progression) i hope your husband attends the appointment (if in doubt of the reasons for the appointment get him to phone the eye department of the hospital) he may not be concerned by the possible diagnosis - but his Dr obviously is... he should be lucky he has a dillegant GP surgery:T:TDogs return to eat their vomit, just as fools repeat their foolishness. There is no more hope for a fool than for someone who says, "i am really clever!"0 -
Im pretty certain my step dad waited close on a year for his appointment with the eye consultant but once he was seen his cataract ops were booked almost immediately0
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Thanks everyone. I couldn't figure this out because Mr P has not consulted his doctor about his eyes at all, but what you are saying now makes sense.
He will keep his appointment, albeit under protest. Ironically I am the one perceived to be at risk as my father lost his sight to glaucoma and a cousin on that side also has it.
Thanks everyone.
Mrs P P"Keep your dreams as clean as silver..." John Stewart (1939-2008)0 -
Just to finish this off, Mr P went to the hospital this morning. The referral apparently came from his optician, but there was no explanation as to why he had to wait over a year to be seen.
The optician's diagnosis of glaucoma has been confirmed and he has also been told that he has something called pigment dispersion syndrome. Unfortunately the hospital has not seen fit to give him any information about either condition and all they have said is that they will need to see him another three times this year, although they have not told him why.
I have to say that the NHS is amazing in a crisis, but for day to day stuff like this they can be abysmal and I'm not sure that Mr P asking me to google it all is the most appropriate way to manage his condition.
Rant over - thanks for your support
Mrs P P"Keep your dreams as clean as silver..." John Stewart (1939-2008)0
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