Hospital waiting times :(

redwineguzzler

I think??? that you can ask at your GP's for a list of all the hospitals you can reach yourselves, as they all have different waiting list time, then you could opt to go to a hospital with the shortest wait,providing you are willing to travel etc. hope you get somewhere.........

simpywimpy

It is bordering on the ridiculous though. The consultant did say that nothing can be done to correct the loss of sight in his eye - but could you imagine if he had said it could have been had it been treated straight away?

Im going to call them on tuesday and see if they can push it forward though I doubt it.

What happened to the choice you get for consultant appointments? MY other son recently had his tonsils out and we got to choose where to go. Would I see my GP about this?

funguy

If its any consolation, if something can be done straight away to prevent worsening, the NHS is usually quite good and i assume your son would have been seen sooner. I dont know about consultant choice but i assume your GP would know about this.....it may be though that there are no other specialists in your area so no other choices or it may be that their waiting time is longer or the same.

brightonman123

my argument is that if someone is abe to do the work 'now' on a private basis, why arent they offering that same time to the NHS??

melorablack

brightonman123 wrote: »

my argument is that if someone is abe to do the work 'now' on a private basis, why arent they offering that same time to the NHS??

Because there is no money in it.

funguy

melorablack wrote: »

Because there is no money in it.

No thats not the issue. As part of the European Working Time Directive, contracted staff can only work a certain number of hours per week and full time consultants already reach that maximum. The extra hours that they do as "private work" is outwith that as they do it in a "self employed" capacity. they are unable to do this within the NHS and so banning the private work would not increase the amount of time they could operate or see patients within the NHS.

They are paid very well for their private work so the only solution would be to privatise the whole NHS so they certain consultants were unable to prifiteer from the private work - market forces would apply and the public could choose what they paid for and how quickly they got their treatment!

kazzah

OP, I agree with you here, I took my daughter three weeks ago to the docs about a large (6cm), mole on her back, which she has had from little as it is changing shape and uneven..he took one look and said he wanted an urgent referral, as he was not happy with it try as he did, the closest he could get was 11 weeks away. We have opted to go private for the appointment, I don't really want to, as on principal (and cost) I am against, but I think by mid July I will be a nervous wreck whilst we wait for a consulatants opinion on what could be a serious issue for my daughter

COLIN _ PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CONTACT YOUR MP
I am a sufferer of malignant melanoma - I was having a routine appointment with my Gp when I casually mentioned a mole on my calf
she looked and said -
"Oh yes I'll refer you to dermatology"

that was at 10 am friday morning - at 2.45 friday afternoon I was called by the dermatology department with an appointment for the following WEDNESDAY morning ( yes on the NHS)
and at that FIRST appointment with dermatology the mole was removed and biopsied
I waited 2 .5 weeks for the result
was phoned at 6pm on the thursday by the department secretary and asked to attend to see the consultant at 8am the next morning - friday morning
there I was told it was just malignant - we had caught it VERY early and I needed to come in for further excision of flesh to remove any stray cancerous cells
that surgery was performed the NEXT MORNING ( saturday) at 9.30 am on the NHS
thankfully after several years follow up I have been discharged
BUT
when i commented on the speeed the dermatologist told me that the GOVERNMENT has a 6 week required target for SEEING and DEALING with suspicious moles
so start making a NOISE - 11 weeks is a joke
ther eis no way your daughter should wait this long with a suspicious mole - phone the consultants secretary and ASK her about the 6 week rule and how your daughter has slipped through the ent - she can bring the case to the attention of the consultant and if s/he is worried they can schedule an earlier appointment.

mspig

Not quite hospitals but still part of the NHS, my 6 year old son has been referred to an occupational therapist as he has trouble with his movements(such as using a knife and fork, throwing a ball, picking up small items etc), the letter received about it states that the waiting list is atleast 18months long and they will notifiy us in 18 months how long extra we will have to wait.

Beebop

funguy wrote: »

These consultants do private work OUTWITH the hours that they are contracted to work for in the NHS. Therefore if they were banned from private work, it wouldnt make any difference to NHS waiting lists. And because of European Working Hours Time Directive, they couldnt do any more hours than they do already in the NHS.

In any case, what anyone does in their private time is not "ban-able"!!

Good point - and many consultants are simply hired just to clear waiting lists!!!

Pound

funguy wrote: »

I think more and more people would be keen to see a private insurance based system where everyone can be dealt with quickly and efficiently!......maybe retaining A+E services within "free" NHS access.

Because that works so well in America for people that can't afford insurance.