Wow four weeks later and still no referral? 🤬

[Arsepain]

So it's got to the stage where I have now been referred to stanmore orthopaedic hospital. That's great considering they're supposed to be one of the best back orthopaedic hospitals in the country which I'm happy with. Back to phone up Barnet general hospital and find out that from the 31st of December they haven't even sent a referral letter to stanmore? The only problem with the NHS is the people that work in it, they do not give a flying s*** about anybody if you don't phone up and pursue your appointments or your referral they will leave you sitting in pain for months and months and months. that's not going to happen believe me it's not going to happen I am not going to be one of those two patients that sits there for 6/8 months down the line in pain and I can't do anything. F*** that! So if there are any consultant secretaries reading this I suggest you pull your finger out of your ass and start sending off people's referrals and start booking people's appointments because it may well be easy for you to sit there behind the desk but it is incredibly hard for us to try and live our lives with the pain we have every second of every day !!! I'm so angry 😡

[cyberbarn]

Don't get angry, get onto PALS! Go to the website for the health trust that the hospital consultant is in, and look up their PALS office. Send an email or ring them up and tell them what has happened. You can also contact your local Healthwatch and let them know too. If there are enough people that contact Healthwatch with the same problem they have statutory duties and can go in and find out what is going on and make them change.

[Arsepain]

Thank you both ( have calmed down) it's not that it's that for my diagnosis I am in pain every second every day. I've had several injections in my lower back that have lasted either 8 years 3 months 2 weeks 4 days . I don't want to feel as if I've been passed on to another department and have to wait 6 to 8 months for another batch of injections or diagnosis. I've done all of that it's the waiting game that I really cannot get to grips with because I can't wait 6-months or 8 months.

[cyberbarn]

I have used PALS several times. Each area will be different but I have successfully used them to make a formal complaint about a consultant who misdiagnosed me. The consultant apologised and removed the diagnosis. I have also used them to find out what happened to a missing referral and it was sorted immediately. Once when I was struggling to sort out physio for my son I had the head physio ring me up within the hour after speaking to PALS.

If they just repeat the hospital response back, write to them again and say that you are not satisfied with the reply. And copy in Healthwatch.

[strongmouse in reply to cyberbarn]

You could write to your MP - I have. Ot the hospitital's Chief Executive.

It isn't acceptable treatment but there has been serious underfunding of NHS services for a number of years. Some hospitals manage better than others.

We are still waiting for some results of my husbands blood done back in November when we promised them before Christmas. He has an appointment in March. So I think we will just sit there until someone finds them!

It is possible to speak to the Consultant's secretary as they will know what is happening - or not. Just phone up the hospital and ask to speak to them or email.

Sorry to hear that you are being treated so badly. Yes take any action you can to make sure you are heard. At the end of the day you are the person suffering, but it is pretty bad that you have to resort to taking action.

[Cb1963]

Don't be surprised, you might find that your referral letter has actually been typed up in a different country, I had to chase up my mums referral letter and find out why for such a delay, apparently its cheaper and 'quicker' to get letters typed up in Malaysia and sent back to the uk using this system hmm,now this is why people are getting frustrated, angry and not so reliable source,this might be happening with your health trust possibly.

[Hidden]

You could always threaten to sue, seems a lot of people have done that, according to recent news.

I'm familiar with Barnet Hospital and try to avoid it. The NHS waiting game has cost me dearly so I have lost all confidence in it.

[Arsepain]

I'm very sure it's not gone abroad. I've spoken to the secretary at Barnet general hospital . Whilst on the phone to the secretary at the stanmore hospital she sent an email over with the referral whilst I was on the phone to the new secretary.

😲

[strongmouse]

Ah that explains the delay in receiving letters!!!!!

[Arsepain]

What ? A lazy arsed receptionist or we have to remind them to do it in the first place !

[Hidden]

'treatment' often consisting of physio for 6 weeks where they won't touch you, just give leaflets with exercises. Now I want to know what treatment options are before going down the rabbit hole. Despite this I'm sucked in, most recently with podiatry had 3 appointments and no solutions.

[Hidden]

It's not just underfunding, the NHS has a toxic inefficient culture. It's in the staff's interest never to solve anything and procrastinate. That way they can boast of their waiting lists, and needing more funding. All I've experienced is eternal waiting and no solutions.

[Hidden]

Try having your psychiatrist yelling at you and being in major pain for a year from his medications hurting me top to bottom without pain killers. They can be a nightmare these doctors then leaving you to pick up their mistakes. I’ve been through your situation needing surgeries back to back since 2008. It makes me wish I rich had private health care insurance my x American boyfriend saw a specialist within 3 days and had surgery in one week. Wtf right ???!!