Work will not pay me for hosp appt that has been changed 5 times (better explained)

Manxman_in_exile

surreysaver wrote: »

Well, if I'm costing the system more than I put in, the system is definitely screwed, as I rarely use it

Well by that logic it would make sense not to buy house insurance, contents insurance, travel insurance etc. I've paid far more out in premiums than I've ever claimed and, strangely enough, I hope it stays that way.

Comms69

Undervalued wrote: »

Yes, most people do cost "the system" more than they contribute - hence the ever growing national debt. However that is totally out of any one individual's control. As a law abiding tax payer I / we / you pay what the government demands of us with no direct option of opting out of certain parts.





So you would accept any level of service, however poor, without complaining? Really?

Depends on the issue. Clearly this is something that the local NHS trust cannot avoid; otherwise they would.


Negligence is different to simple lack of availability.

surreysaver

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Well by that logic it would make sense not to buy house insurance, contents insurance, travel insurance etc. I've paid far more out in premiums than I've ever claimed and, strangely enough, I hope it stays that way.

Well, no, if the system is spending more on me than I put in, and I don't use it, then that would explain why the NHS hasn't got any money.
I (touch wood) haven't needed to use my house insurance, so therefore they are making money out of me.

Comms69

surreysaver wrote: »

Well, no, if the system is spending more on me than I put in, and I don't use it, then that would explain why the NHS hasn't got any money.
I (touch wood) haven't needed to use my house insurance, so therefore they are making money out of me.

It's the same as pensions, younger people pay more use as you get older you use it more.

Undervalued

Comms69 wrote: »

Depends on the issue. Clearly this is something that the local NHS trust cannot avoid; otherwise they would.

"Clearly this is something that the local NHS trust cannot avoid "?

We don't know that.

It may be the case. Or it may be that particular trust is especially badly run. Or it may be there have been individual administrative mistakes in the OP's case.

Manxman_in_exile

OP - to answer your question, you are actually being treated quite well by your employer as many employees have to take either annual leave or unpaid time off to attend hospital etc appointments. If you are attending quite a lot of appointments (you say that you are currently under the care of several hospital departments) you've probably done quite well.


Also, if you are seeing several different specialists, it might be quite difficult for the hospital to co-ordinate everything and ensure you are seen by the correct specialist at the appropriate time (eg waiting on results of blood tests or other investigations etc.). It may only need one thing to be out of synch to have a knock on effect on subsequent appointments. The hospital may take the point of view that you would prefer to have an appointment cancelled or re-arranged rather than turn up and find the specialist can't proceed because something else hadn't been done. Shouldn't happen in a perfect world, but we don't live in one. And of course, none of us actually know why the appointments are being changed.


I suggest you follow my advice in post #14:

"OP - if I were you I'd find out who deals with appointments for your particular specialty (it'll probably be on the letter notifying you of the cancellation), ring them up and talk to them. Ask if they can explain to you why the appointments keep being re-arranged as it's causing you great inconvenience at work. If you approach it correctly you may be able to get to the bottom of it, or at least let them know that continually mucking you around is causing you hardship and they'll try to accommodate you."

Speak to them on the 'phone. I spent a week as an in-patient earlier this year and my discharge letter said I'd get a follow-up appointment with a consultant. After six weeks I'd heard nothing and called them for an up-date. They had no record that a follow up was required and couldn't be more apologetic and helpful. They arranged an appointment within ten days (and this is a busy specialty).


You could also ask the practice manager at your GP surgery if they could find out why the appointments keep getting rearranged. Explain to them that it is impacting on your relationship with your employer and that they won't pay you for future appointments that are cancelled (tell the appointments secretary at the hospital that as well). My father in law was in a similar position under the care of different departments and it was obvious to me (as a former NHS manager) that they weren't communicating with each other. I suggested to my wife that she speak to the GP practice manager, and things began to run much more smoothly.


Your best course of action is to speak to the hospital and politely ask why this is happening and can they sort it out for you.


I agree with other posters that if there is some admin problem that the hospital is unaware of, then you do need to alert them to this. Do it tactfully and even suggest they might be able to improve their service to patients by checking why this is happening.


If they are not at all helpful (and they may not be) that seems like a reasonable ground for complaint.


And if you really want to be awkward, you could complain to your MP. (I suggested this to a poster on another forum who had a non-clinical issue that a NHS trust refused to acknowledge, and it was miraculously resolved. Hospital senior management don't like questions from MPs).

Manxman_in_exile

surreysaver wrote: »

Well, no, if the system is spending more on me than I put in, and I don't use it, then that would explain why the NHS hasn't got any money.
I (touch wood) haven't needed to use my house insurance, so therefore they are making money out of me.

I read Comms69's post to mean that, in all likelihood, you will in the long run receive care costing more than you've paid in, not that you are currently costing more. Of course, (touch wood) that may turn out not to be the case - or you could be hit and killed by a bus tomorrow.


I suspect that if there were some hypothecated system whereby you could opt-out of contributing to NHS funding and make your own private arrangements, you'd find out you'd be paying a lot more than you currently do.