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just need to rant...

(61 Posts)
Sparklefizz Sat 30-Mar-19 09:39:59

yesagain It's definitely possible to slip through the net with medical stuff, it has happened to me. We have to fight our own corner regarding our health, even when we are ill and don't feel up to it. It shouldn't be like that, but sadly it is!

Some good advice on here - please don't rely on trusting your medical team to do the right thing - they will apologise when it's too late and say that "lessons will be learned", but that's no use to the patient concerned.

flowers for you, and good luck.

marpau Sat 30-Mar-19 09:33:03

Ring the surgery and say you would like to speak to the duty doctor every surgery is required to have a doctor who can call patients. You may have to wait for the call ours make calls between 12 and 2 then the doctor will decide if an appointment is necessary and can make it for the same day.
Hope you can get some peace of mind.

4allweknow Sat 30-Mar-19 09:28:03

Even phone the hospital, explain you are having difficulty in getting GP appointment regarding being made aware of letters. You will be given consultants secretary nut they are usually very good at getting info to consultant who may instigate contact with GP. You should and need to be seen urgently.

Lazigirl Fri 29-Mar-19 18:42:05

I think that this is quite unacceptable given your state of health yeragain. Is there not someone ie Macmillan staff that you can liaise with at hospital? A good decision to go personally to surgery on Monday. I hope it works out ok. Best wishes.

yeragain65 Fri 29-Mar-19 18:31:23

thank you for your replies.
I am waiting for a copy of the GP's letter to be sent to me, they usually do, and I can compare the two letters.

hopefully it will come tomorrow, then I will go personally into surgery Monday and yes, be polite but determined.

I am concerned that the different agencies, i.e. oncology and or surgeons haven't spoken since 2017 when I was due for a certain procedure, which somehow didn't happen making my situation so much worse.
I feel as though I have slipped through the net.
hopefully Monday will be a more positive day.

cornergran Fri 29-Mar-19 18:01:05

No further advice yeragain, totally agree, speak to the practice manager or seek support via 111. I suspect and hope the letter has been sent without understanding of your situation. Please let us know what happens, wishing you well.

Joelsnan Fri 29-Mar-19 17:26:38

When I was receiving cancer treatment last year my GP gave me a special number to ring which somehow circumvented the receptionists to get an immediate appointment. Fortunately I never needed to use it.
At my surgery if you ring first thing in the morning (around 8am), you usually get an appointment the same day. If you go into the surgery or call later in the day you get the standard three week appontment thing. Saying that they do operate a sit and wait system after the normal surgery on one or two days a week.
You must emphasise your condition and that the appointment is urgent.

Greenfinch Fri 29-Mar-19 17:18:11

Call 111 as Nonnie has said. They will get in touch with your Surgery and help to get things moving. I once rang up for some advice on painkillers and was down at the Surgery within two hours. Good luck. You deserve to be seen immediately.

janeainsworth Fri 29-Mar-19 16:13:42

I would ring the surgery and ask to speak to the practice manager.
Ask him or her to read you the contents of the hospital report. You are entitled to see copies of correspondence anyway.
Say it is unacceptable for you to wait a month for an appointment to hear what the hospital have said.
If the practice manager won't disclose the contents of the letter, say you would like your GP to ring you.

I hope that works. It was probably a computer-generated letter and given your circumstances I think youare entitled to expect a more timely response.

Nonnie Fri 29-Mar-19 16:02:18

Can you call NHS 111? If they say you have to see a doctor you will get an appointment. Failing that can you go in to the surgery and speak to them face to face? Be polite but upset and frail.

Another thought, if you are still having treatment can you go back to them and ask for help?

yeragain65 Fri 29-Mar-19 15:50:11

ssorry….need to rant to whoever can hear me.

received a letter from GP surgery, telling me to make an appointment as they received a report from hospital re recent procedure.

"we may have a appointment in a few day or one with the practise nurse in a month or so"(not receptionist fault I know)
I am stage 4 cancer, numerous chemo etc, but still battling on.
what am I supposed to do?
I am sitting here dreading the thought I have to battle to get an appointment, yet what else can I do?