How long should I have to wait??

[Florence]

In Feb last year I went to see my GP about having  surgery on my feet.  since then I have had a letter saying my referral letter had been received then in August a letter saying the Dept was closing down and did I still want to stay on the list!!. I replied that I did and just before Christmas another letter came saying please ring early January for a choice of hospital for your referral. Now I have chosen a hospital I am told I will have to wait 11 wks for an assessment and 26 wks for the op. In the meantime my feet have got considerably worse and I am in constant pain.  What a shambles I thought the govt were reducing waiting times !!!!

Florence

[Sally]

This is disgraceful Florence.  The Government has set guidelines by which hospitals must meet their targets.  The length of time you are waiting seems far too long.
I was on a waiting list too for minor surgery.  When I was kept waiting what I thought was too long, I phoned the consultant's secretary and asked her "Can you tell me what the Govt guidelines are on the length of time I should be waiting".  She said she'd get back to me.  The next day I got a letter telling me to go into our local private hospital to have it done. (It was the same consultant who operated by the way - the one who who have done it on the NHS!) The poor NHS is spending far too much money on sending people into the private sector, but what can we do?

[Florence]

Sally

I know

I rang my GP she sympathized but said podiatry surgery has always been a low priority. I have now decided to have a private initial appointment and then go on the NHS waiting list for another 26wks, that way at least I cut out 11wks waiting. You hear so many stories like this these days unfortunately!!

Florence

[Finn]

The central point surely is: why do we have a private medical system that causes problems for the state system to which everyone subscribes?

[waghorn]

I'm sorry Finn I don't get your central point. I thought the point was to get treatment asap  when required by the patient on the NHS. If they can't then why. Like Florence I have opted to go private on occasion rather than wait. who says money can't buy health? Oh yes it can.
Joyce

[Finn]

My point is that I disagree with the privatisation of health care as I also do with education.

The National Health Service should provide medical care for everyone free of charge when required. It manifestly does not and society fudges the issue by permitting the existence of a health service which provides care relative to wealth.

Resources are thus diverted from the NHS which creates the problems. Why should I as a taxpayer pay for a doctor's education and then not reap the benefit?

[waghorn]

Your point is well argued and highly commendable, but none of these will get Florence out of pain. And if I were Florence that would be my priority.
Nothing changes if nothing changes and as long as the British public think that the medical and nursing staff are the holy cow. Above reproach and greed they will remain unaccountable to mere mortals.
The cry always goes up underpaid and understaffed and the British public believe this without any audits or working capacity evidence to prove their case.
From personal experience the dept I worked in was overpaid and overstaffed in every area.
Joyce

[Finn]

Of course we all go for expediency which is how governments survive.

The problem you describe in the NHS is to do with poor management which flourishes when no one attacks matters at root and branch level.

[waghorn]

Absolutely, and unless we as the tax payers are willing to challenge this abuse of public funds by lobbying our MPs and writing to our councilors. This situation will go on ad infinitum

[Jualsy]

It's the classic age syndrome....they are not interested in very much about us once we are over the age of 55 apparently, or so a doctor friend told me once. They even give uinferior medication to older people.

from that point I went down the natural route and detoxified with foot patches and took vitamin supplements in mega doses, and started doing research and things started to improve dramatically. I never go near a doctor now.

try some natural remedies and see if they work. Research!!