What next

[Hammerboy]

Slightly off topic but worth discussing perhaps.

I've lived with AF since 2017 and after an ablation in 2019 I'm not free of it but it's manageable .My episodes are infrequent and relatively mild but I'm waiting for a follow up RF ablation which could be some way off due to delays .

I had a CT angiogram mid October as my cardiologist wanted a better picture of how my arteries were and to rule out a possible aneurism as I've had recent chest pains and my latest blood tests showed a spike in the cholesterol levels .

I called the hospital yesterday , advised by my GP , to chase up the results as I have an appointment with him next week and he's considering prescribing a statin .

As far as my cardiologists secretary is aware the CT department have yet to write up the report and she has no way of telling me how long it will take , she only works 2 days a week by the way so even when it gets to her there will be further delays sending it out to my GP .

I've had 3 different procedures carried out this year so far and its taken an average of 2 months for the GP to recieve a report from the hospital.

I've had very little delay in having those procedures , which I expected , but the administration seems to take an age .

Bearing in mind we are told please don't delay attending hospital as delays could be life changing , what about the delays in relating vital information back to the GP .

My wife works in the NHS and tells me money is being thrown around .It seems to me a lot of people will suffer not just because of delays of being seen but by the time it takes to get results back to the surgery .

It doesn't bode well and it seems there's no way either my GP or myself can push for a faster turn around .

[CDreamer]

Our area has recently computerised so the GP reads the results and the reports immediately. I recently registered so I can also see exactly what is on my record and the notes the hospital doctors have made.

I have always believed that the archaic administration of having to rely on letters was going to cause problems, simply because the administration staff were undervalued, underpaid and the first to axe so that ‘front line services’ could be maintained. No-one seems to look at the system as a whole and if and when they do, seem to become overwhelmed by the size and the complexity.

The computerisation, whilst speeding up many processes, has caused other problems of course…….it means that doctors and nurses are tethered to their computers and move around with them on table tops so tend to be looking at the computer and not the patient - which makes you feel more like an object than a person!

[Hammerboy in reply to CDreamer]

I agree totally , when I spoke to the secretary I asked why the result couldn't be emailed directly to the GP she couldn't tell me ?I have the patient access app on my phone which allows me to book appointments, read my medical record and order prescriptions online so why not allow me to access my hospital results directly .

I think part of this is the old way of thinking that we as patients need to be kept in the dark .

I also get annoyed that my GP always expects me to chase the hospital when he has far more clout than me and can bypass receptionists etc .

The whole system is flawed and old fashioned still and many people will suffer just as much by late reporting as not being seen quickly enough.

[CDreamer in reply to Hammerboy]

The hospital is secondary care so doesn’t come under the computerised system that the GPs use. GPs are way ahead of the hospitals in computerising, at least most are.

MyCare is the system that our hospital uses is a completely separate system and you have log in through a dedicated, secure portal - you can’t use the NHS app. As far as I am aware there is only 5-6 hospitals in the UK using this system - trialled by Cambridge it’s not without its pitfalls but lots of positives. It was a HUGE investment for our hospital which is now rolling it out to the satellite hospitals but they haven’t invested in the trained staff to ensure a smooth transition.

Remember that GPs are private businesses on the whole, completely self financed and are paid via contracting to the NHS. Some hospitals are directly funded and controlled by the NHS whereas others who have Foundation Trust status have more independence at how their budgets are allocated.

Emails are very, very insecure so no organisation is allowed to send private or sensitive information via email unless through a secure portal. Financial institutions similar.

[Hammerboy in reply to CDreamer]

That's very interesting thank you .I'm sure this situation is going to cause a lot of extra suffering in time to come .Nothings perfect I know buts very frustrating

[Buffafly]

Our experience has been that if anything serious is seen the info moves very quickly. My husband had scans recently and was whizzed through the system. Hopefully in your case ‘no news is good news’ but do let us know how you get on.

[Hammerboy in reply to Buffafly]

I'm sure your probably right and thanks , I know I'm not the only person waiting .

[Hidden]

Hi Hammerboy it’s openly acknowledged that there is a huge backlog and worrying delay for AF patients waiting for hospital appointments and procedures and if you use the link in TracyAdmin’s post of today (Tuesday 16th November) promoting Global AF Awareness Week, you can read a segment about this very problem and the efforts being made on our behalf to try to help remedy this.

[Hammerboy in reply to Hidden]

Thank you I'll read it

[Hammerboy in reply to Hidden]

As I said there has been very little delay in my getting seen and procedures carried out for which I'm very grateful but if the follow up is severely delayed by administration I've gained nothing by being seen early .I do genuinely understand the difficulties but wonder if more can be done to speed up this aspect of care

[Hidden]

Based on my own experience with an entirely different medical condition which has just taken a nosedive due to lack of timely follow-up, I doubt it. I'd like to think that pressure groups could do something for us, but alas the situation within the NHS before the pandemic was pretty dire, and now we are all clamouring for help. I fear that many of us will have to go once round on the wheel again and it may take some time even for that.

[Hammerboy in reply to Hidden]

I'm sorry to hear of your situation , there will be many more like you I'm sure . Life is a lottery most of the time , take care

[Singwell]

Contact patient liaison and follow up in writing. I think you'll get a response. I've found NHS seem very overwhelmed but if you keep on your case they'll come through.

[Hammerboy in reply to Singwell]

Thats an thanks, I'll follow that up

[Desanthony]

You are right Admin is not good. All you can do is keep pushing for the reuslts and ask for them to be mailed to you and then make an appointment to see your Doc when you have them and take them with you just in case he hasn't received them. A friend of mine suffering form an unusual form of prostate cancer waited 9 months for his scan to be read - this was before the pandemic. He had had to go away for a particular scan and when it was sent back to his cancer centre no one could understand it as it was so unusual so the scan went back and forth between hospitals for months.

[Hammerboy in reply to Desanthony]

It's such a frustrating part of the NHS system because we are not asking for more professional people here , just competent admin staff to work full time getting reports back to GP's .Surely with the employment situation in this country now and the amount of money being thrown at the NHS it can't be hard to get the admin up to scratch , even with the genuine backlog there is .