Since Christmas I've had a pain all around the top of my leg close to my pelvis. It's left me struggling to walk even worse than before. I don't go out because of my mobility and becoming breathless. But this has also stopped me going for investigations into a constant UTI. I told them there was no way I can move my leg around as they want me to. I've reported this to my GP who wants me to go for an x-ray on my hip. But because I can't get to the surgery to see a doctor he just said if he thinks what it is is correct I couldn't get down for physio and that was it. I feel totally let down by my doctors and don't think they realise just how bad I am. I've not had the full course of COVID injections because to get there it would cost me £30 for a taxi it's the same with the flu jab. The practice nurse phoned me last week to see if I wanted the flu jab. When I explained I couldn't get down to the surgery as I've no one to help me now my brother has moved away and taxis now put a big charge on before they start a journey. She just said that the flu period was coming to an end so I may as well wait and have one next year. None of them has ever offered to come out to me instead. I could go on about my daily living but after all this I just wondered if anyone has ever had this pain in the top of my leg. Thank you
Just another pain: Since Christmas I've had a pain all... - NRAS
Just another pain
Try speaking to your practice manager about not being able to get out and see if they can help you with visits from the nurse.xxxx
Just to let you know you are not alone re having to pay cab fares every time you need to get to appointments (I also have mobility problems). I paid £40 each way in order to attend a rheumatology appointment. Previously I booked hospital transport but in addition to long waiting times for return journeys (up to 3 hours), I am unable to access people carriers.
I’m sorry you haven’t had the help you need and hope you can find someone to help you. Ajay and sylvi have given some good advice, maybe you could ring/email the CAB, or AGE UK if you receive State Pension.
Wishing you well.
Your doctors are neglecting you, I can’t believe they can’t find some way to get you to the hospital for your UTI tests and you sound like you need that hip X-ray after that you really need to be assessed by someone so that you can get a programme of gentle exercises that you can do and that will help you move. Not moving is the very worst thing you can do and eventually when you do move you get breathless. It doesn’t take long without exercise for you to get very out of condition. As for not getting your vaccinations, you’d think the pre must be a district / community nurse or something like that who could come in and do it - actually one of the doctors needs to do a home visit!
Are there not any hospital cars in the area - where volunteers drive patients to their appointments etc? Or you could try your local branch of Help the Aged or Age Concern. There has to be something out there other than paying for taxis.
just based on my experience but you could ask for GP to class you as housebound. Then the help/jabs etc has to come to you. Agree with others here. Keep fighting. You could as a last resort write to PALS.
I told my GP I was housebound but he would not agree to a nurse coming to take blood. He told me to get a rollator when I had already told him that I couldn’t stand for long.
Thats disgraceful!
I still feel angry about it. He’s my designated doctor and I’ve never seen him, he told me he doesn’t do any face to face appointments, only by telephone. 🤷♀️
I'm speechless!
I know from reading comments on various forums that there are people in a worse situation than me.
you are being treated appallingly. Ask to see a different doctor.
Thank you, we have part time locums who do face to face appointments if they feel it’s necessary. You have to navigate reception first.
I would be inclined to speak to the practice manager and be reassigned a different GP. The best way of getting somewhere I’ve found is to put it in writing and mention the one thing they can’t ignore and that’s ‘duty of care’. That’s helped me in the past after trying unsuccessfully to get an appointment when I’ve been really sick and couldn’t get out of the chair let alone to the surgery. I seem to have been put on a priority register at my GP’s now and recently I had the on call doc ring me. Took 2 minutes of his time and they absolutely know I never go or ask for an appointment unless I’m absolutely desperate. I have had the nurse visit me at home before too but that was more down to covid pandemic and the severe immune suppression. Go fight for yourself and ignore the receptionists even if they use the excuse of following docs orders.
Thank you for your help Leics. I will write to the practice manager as I also have several other queries I would like to have addressed.
I’m glad your care has improved due to being on a priority register, not something I had heard of before.
Best wishes.
Yeah I didn’t know it existed either but in my case I think immunology have made it clear to them and also because I made an informal complaint. I’m lucky I don’t ask them for much at all but rapid treatment for infection is a must for me. Thankfully doesn’t happen much.
It sounds to me like you have a problem with your hip. I would get them to refer you for an X-ray you don’t have to see them for that and then ask if they could arrange for hospital transport to get you there. Failing that contact your rheumy team they can refer you for X-rays and scans and probably have more sway than GP’s perhaps would be easier to get transport arranged too.
I was watching a Teams meeting last evening organised by our local NHS to talk about our GP Surgery closure and what they can do in the short and long term to keep services in the village.
One person queried GP home visits as in do they still happen and the doctor from the NHS assured the meeting that they do still visit at home where there is a need.
Have you specifically asked for a home visit to sort out all your outstanding issues? If they have refused, contact your local CCG/Integrated Care Board and also Healthwatch. Maybe write or email the Practice Manager to explain all your mobility issues and difficulties getting to the surgery and ask what they can do to help. Good luck!
Sorry to hear this, i think its got to be your hip, i myself are waiting for a new hip. I hobbled around for months , and the pain just got worse, i am on steroids so they kept the real pain at bay, the feeling in my pelvis and groin is unbearable, i get what they say about moving your hip , at some point you are going to have to have an X ray.Ring your GP and ask if thy have any help to get you there. Good luck!
In some areas transport for people with difficulties is arranged through Age Concern - they can supply volunteer drivers to get you to hospital appointments and to the surgery. It does vary from area to area who organises it. You need to find out what is available in your area as you definitely need some help. The receptionists at my surgery know about the scheme and give out the contact details.
You should also be registered at the surgery as housebound and without a carer. You should be having a referral to social services for an assessment for aids to help you get around and a district nurse to give you your vaccinations.
A polite letter to the practice manager explaining your difficulties and asking what help the surgery can give seem one thing you could do. Does your council have a 'one-stop shop' that you can contact?
You definitely should get home visits with your lack of mobility. Most areas now have a Community service for times when Drs lists are full. Mayb you have one of those nearby? What about neighbours? Do you have the Next Door app? (Worth downloading if u havent) We had someone who kindly did our shopping …there are some helpful people around who might be able to take you for an appointment.
Lots of people have had really good ideas, and I hope at least one of them works. Another to add to the mix is asking your surgery for a referral to the social prescriber. Every area has to have one now, and they should know about all the services i the area that are available. They may also be able to navigate the system to get you registered as housebound, and it might even be that you would qualify for the frailty service.
Don't be put off by the name frailty. I was involved as a patient in setting up the service in my area years ago and I begged them to not call it the frailty team. But they didn't listen. And when they started it i had several feisty 80 year olds on the phone to me telling me that they declined their services because they weren't frail!
You don't have to be old or frail, you just need a little more support than others.
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