Waiting time for op?

[Hawko1989]

Hi ladies

I’ve been waiting for second lap since March. Been told I’m urgent , does anyone know If the nhs has a legal obligation to offer an op date within a certain number of weeks or months?

[PandoraPenguin]

The NHS letter I have says that treatment should be within 18 weeks. I know a friend whose ran over the time frame and her GP got on the case and she had her procedure completed in a Private Hospital.

Contact PALS at the hospital for advice.

[Hawko1989 in reply to PandoraPenguin]

Thanks , will investigate PALs if I’m waiting too much longer .

[weekari]

Hey, sorry you've been waiting so long. I know it's frustrating.

The NHS just has targets for waiting times but it's not a legal requirement. You can sue if there's been negligence but not just because you've had to wait. It's 18 weeks from referral to treatment but your treatment is recorded as starting when you saw the gynae, not the surgery. I am aware you have been told your surgery is urgent but as far as wait times go, urgent referrals for surgery are usually for life threatening treatment (ie cancer) and that's 2 weeks referral to treatment. Although endo can be hugely disabling, it's not life threatening.

You can contact the dept and ask about your wait time. They can tell you where you are in the waiting list and what the wait time is. At least that way you'll know how long you have to wait.

You can also complain to your health board about the wait time if you feel its excessive. And probably more helpfully you can complain to your local MP. The only reason we have long waits is because the NHS is hugely underfunded. The staff don't want patients to wait this long either and working in a service with a long wait time is horrible for the staff, who generally really do care about the patients.

Hopefully you'll get your surgery date soon.

[Hawko1989 in reply to weekari]

thanks so much for your reply. Totally get it that there’s loads of people with life threatening surgeries , perhaps if I get told what my number is in the queue it will be easier to manage my frustration, husband and I just want to get on with our lives and try for a family...

[weekari in reply to Hawko1989]

I totally get it. I've been on different waiting lists for the last 4 years and it's like life in limbo. Whenever I've phoned, they've been really good in letting me know where I am and that's been gynae, gastro and orthopaedics. At least you can just get on with life once you know you've got however long to wait. X

[Clover123]

I kept ringing the secretary every day to check for appointments and it sped up my time. I was trying to get it pushed through before I started a new job

[Hawko1989]

Thank you , I’ve left a message with the lady who books the gynae surgeries so here’s hoping she returns my call today. I will look into PALs if it goes on much longer as it’s having an effect on everything at the mo.

[Charliebh12]

Hi Hawko,

Hope you get a date soon. I know some surgeons there is a longer wait mainly because they are better and their lists are longer. My advice would be if your surgeon is a good one and you are happy with them don't change so as it can be sooner. I know the waiting is tough

You could ask the Secretary to let you know of cancellations if you are happy to go quickly.

Best of luck xx

[Hawko1989 in reply to Charliebh12]

Ah that is a good idea,I will definitely mention that to the staff. I see your point there, I have faith in the surgeon I’ve met. He said he only does the surgeries once a week so he must spend other time on research or teaching. Yeh the waiting is just awful really , you feel so out of control. Just trying to stay as busy as the condition will let me..

[Charliebh12 in reply to Hawko1989]

It is hard, at least if you can get a date out of them you will know where you are headed. Maybe tell them it's worrying you not knowing? Definitely keep as busy as you can and if you have faith in him positive thoughts this lap will make you feel a whole lot better in the end xx

[Hawko1989]

Thanks again everyone for your support. The hospital have just called me and offered me a cancellation for next week! Wow I am in a happy shock. Goes to show that phone calls can help and worth chasing your appointments. Good luck to everyone else waiting for surgeries, thank god for this support group x

[Charliebh12]

That's great! Good luck xx

[Chandler81]

I totally get this frustration. Actually dealing with the unknown is always hard in life especially when you have the extra pressure of work, an important event coming up, holidays or even starting a family. We all know the demands of the NHS (and how amazing they are!) and how difficult it is with emergencies and we understand... but it doesn’t make it easier to sit and wait. I have just been diagnosed with DIE again and have already had the anxiety of waiting for two ops and this will be my third again soon. As a Mum and a teacher I think this ‘waiting’ whether for appointments or ops does impact on quality of life just as pain does. I have always explained to my consultant please can you give me a rough time scale or plan as at least I feel I know what’s going on (even if they do change).

I’m so glad you called and got a cancellation ...great news! X

[Hawko1989 in reply to Chandler81]

Yes, totally agree with what you’re saying , I work part time and try hard to stay in employment however lots of, life events let’s say, have come at once. . My depression’s just about under control , again another chronic condition which I’m sure affects many many women in this group. I am impressed you hold down a career, massive achievement

[Hawko1989 in reply to Hawko1989]

Ps excuse my ignorance but I don’t know what DIE is ?

[Chandler81 in reply to Hawko1989]

It’s hard isn’t it! Teaching is a struggle at the best of times let alone with endo.

DIE is deep infiltrated endo which is in my ovaries, back of uterus and bowel.

[Hawko1989 in reply to Chandler81]

Oh right, I see . Mine’s in the pouch of Douglas, ovaries and there’s some suggestion that it’s in the bowel too but surgeon doesn’t want to go to the bowel as yet as he’s focusing on freeing my ovaries which are stuck to pelvic wall so as to prep me for optimum fertility (here’s hoping!!)