# doctors and waiting



## whistlinggypsy (May 1, 2005)

Today i was at the hospital for my 6 monthly checkup for my prostate cancer treatment, my appointment was moved from the 28th Aug too todays date by them and was for 10.45am. 

Well is was there for 10.35am booked in and sat and sat until 13.00hrs before i was called in to see the doctor, when i queried the long wait i was told the doctor had a busy schedule today, so why was my appointment change too today i asked, i do not know said the desk clerk. 

When i was eventually called in the doctor said sorry for the wait i have had a busy morning, well why am i here when my appointment was for the 28th. 
well we had a cancellation for the 13th and you where next on the list. 

What was the bl**dy point of changing it if he was already that busy and do not these people think we have also a life and do not need to sit around in there waiting rooms for over 2 1/2 hrs. 

I am so grateful for the treatment i received but surely if a list for a particular day is extra long why add to it. 

Rant over, sorry. 

Bob


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## carolgavin (May 9, 2005)

Sorry you had such a long wait Bob and can surely understand your frustration. We also move peoples apointments around to maximise the service we can give. We always try to ensure we have the maximum number of people we can cope with on any given day. This ensures we can(try!!) to keep our waiting lists down. They were not really adding to their day by filling a cancellation but they were surely adding to yours. Hopefully they apologised for the long delay!!!! Wishing you well in your continuing recovery


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## JackieP (Oct 15, 2006)

Can understand the frustration though. If that was the service you got from a business you wouldn't put up with it - you'd move to another - only it's a bit difficult when it's the NHS.

Any private business operating like that would be _out_ of business pretty damn quick.

Grrrrrr... on your behalf WG.


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

I was at my local hospital just recently with an 8.30am appointment.Great i thought,in and out :roll: Wrong.I gave it half an hour then I started to stew,went up to counter to complain and was told "no doctors in yet" Yep,you heard right NO DOCTORS with the S on the end.Not just one doctor didn`t turn up but two 8O Typical,I get an 8.30 appointment which made me first on the list and it all went pear shaped.Anyway,I had a right old moan and told them exactly what I thought of the system (not that it did any good) and re-appointed for september.I had paid for the carpark and everything,now I got to do it all again.What a farsicle. :evil: 

steve


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

To hell with the waiting time Bob, what's the important thing here?

How did the check-up go?


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## krull (Jul 22, 2006)

I have routine hospital check-ups.

I ask for a late afternoon appointment. They want to get home so you don't have to wait long. Before that, no matter how early the appointment was, I always used to get out the same time in the afternoon. 

On a more technical note, they often have to wait for blood test results before seeing you.


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## whistlinggypsy (May 1, 2005)

Ken, i am really grateful for the treatment and the aftercare thats not my point, if the doctors got too much on in a single day why do they add to the turmoil and have 8 patients waiting around for 2. 30min to 3.00hrs, if was that late i would probably lose my appointment or the very least be there all day waiting, they can keep you waiting around without a explanation and expect you to to be grateful they stayed to see you. 

After quite an invasive examination (rubber glove job) he told me all was as well as he had expected and i had no worries, a slight rise in the PSA but thats all, he then said see you in 6 months so i said would that be 6 months and 3hrs. and we both had a giggle. (he is a great guy but oh that ruddy waiting around :evil: :evil: ) 

Bob

Krull, i have my blood tests done a week before the appt. so no excuse there.


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

and of course, theres the possiblity, depending on the specialty, of

Trauma and orthopods needed in A&E, and the same goes for cardiology, chest physicians, veins and arteries, renal, hepatic and oncology. 

Then of course, emergency surgury, which can involve all the above. mind you some or all the above specialties can be involved with the paediatric units and special care baby units. then of course these specialists could be involved in organ harvesst or translpants. 


Having said that, of course, theres nothing so terrible or annoying than having to wait for a couple of hours for an appointment, when theres sooo much else to do.


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

Bandaid, where do you get your insight?
Can you pass it on to others?
Take a book to all appointments and enjoy the time away from phones (oh yes, you should switch them off).


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

I was very impressed when I had to go to Cookridge Hospital at Leeds regarding prostate cancer. They organised for me to have a MRI scan, a scan to assess the size of the prostate, blood tests, tests for suitability for the operation and Consultant interview all in one day. Each appointment followed the other like clockwork. Since the brachytherapy procedure the Consultant phones me every 6 months to check on my progress, this saves me having to travel to Leeds. I could not have asked for more from a hospital.


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## whistlinggypsy (May 1, 2005)

Adrian, we all know the workings of our hospitals, and your sarcasm becomes you, this doctor comes from the oncology unit of Clatterbridge Hospital once a week for these appointments ONLY and it NOT involved with the daily running of Southport G.H.

We all know and appreciate the hard work the staff of any hosital do and i am not knocking that.

Bob


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Come from 25 year working in the NHS, and seeing, over the same amount of time the Outpatients clinics fill, empty and fill again.

also spend morre time requalifiying annually in theatres and flebotomy than I care to remember. 

There are humungous problems in the NHS, and waiting in outpatients has always been someting of a bette-noire, but when all is said and done, theres no answer to this problem which is policitcally acceptable.

We have always held the NHS as the great Britih triumph, and it may have been when in the planning stage, in the early 40's. Since its beginning however, its always been skint and getting steadily skinter since.

Oh and incidentally, I wasnt being sarcastic, what I posted about the hospitals is true, and there isnt as an individual, anything quite as much a pain as sitting in a waiting room of an outpatients when there is, other things more interesting, entertaining, and sometimes more pressing to do.
I spend hours waiting for appointment in varying clinics, over the last couple of years to find out if and when I would be wheelchair bound. Certainly something I would have preferred to have been told about on time, rather than 4 hours or so after the appointment time.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

I was booked in for a bit of 'exploration' after a recurring problem 'down there'.
Laid on the table I was comforted by a latex gloved doctor with those immortal words, "this may be a bit uncomfortable but try and relax"
I ask you.

Anyway, back to the point, I just wanted to give my support to the NHS, I have nothing but praise for them, they certainly sorted me out, even if we do have to endure the occasional wait.

Hope everythings ok Bob.

pete


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

Having enjoyed an Angioplasty on my 44th birthday and been enthralled by the professionalism of all I live in hope of never hearing the words "this may be a bit uncomfortable but try and relax" . 
We have an underfunded but fantastic Health Service which is still the envy of the world.
With such a complex system there will always be individual stories of wasted time and even offhand treatment but do we really want to consider the alternative as demonstrated by , say, the USA?

I have spent hours waiting for routine checks but would rather do that than fund shareholders bonuses by being seen right away as trumpeted by the supporters of private medicine who depend on NHS trained doctors for their treatment and to pick up the pieces when 'private' goes wrong.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

whistlinggypsy said:


> he told me all was as well as he had expected and i had no worries


That's the important bit Bob. :wink:

Well done, these hospital waits are horrendous, been there myself too many times recently, but if all is well then the rest of it is just an annoying nuisance. It's strange isn't it, I get worked up and angry every time but if the outcome is good I suddenly forget all about the inconvenience and discomfort. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Well I had appointment at Harrogate in July not only did I take a day off work but got there for 3.30 appt had to park up miles away took me 2 hours to get there from East Leeds because of blinking traffic eventually got to see slimy consultant who examined me from chesticles down to below me grundies for a gallstone I really think that was not necessary to ask about my erm ....cough cough .... sex life and how I delivered my babies. When I got in at 4.20 there was no apology and to say he looked like Boris Johnson was an understatement.

He then said could I come back in a months time because no one had sent him any scans or done blood tests. He then said I could have op but did I really want it - errr no cos I always go for ops (never had one in my life) so cancelled next appt and they now sent me another for September again another day off and waiting round for Christmas - I don't want the op and I don't want to go so guess what - think will cancel and tell em to put me on hold - not had any pain since think its scared into submission.

Good one Bob - just imagine being a girl - invasive exams our middle names! The twang of those gloves makes me cringe!

Greenie


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## kbheal (May 25, 2007)

I'm not an expert in the outpatient side of things, but there is a slight possibility that someone may had more of a problem than could fit into the allocated slot, thus putting all the appointments back??

at least in the end it was good news

and you kept out of the rain!!!!!!! :lol:


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## whistlinggypsy (May 1, 2005)

That was the flipping problem, it was a beautiful sunny day here in Southport.

don't get me wrong folks , i do appreciate the wonderful work of the docs. and staff working under harsh conditions i was just having a moan so lets hear a big HOORAY for the NHS.

Bob


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

Hi
I had a 1.30 appointment to see my cardiologist, I was told that there will be a bit of a delay, well the time rolled on and on I eventually got to see the doc at 7.00pm he apologised due to the fact that they had had a few emergency cases that had to be dealt with. People were moaning about the wait but I was very patient because I thought that I might need that urgent treatment one day, that was a few years ago then this year that happened I needed the fast treatment.
So the moral of the story is I just sit and wait.

Ron


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

whistlinggypsy, I don't think anyone got you wrong. There are just so many 'good news' stories for all the long waits that some of us feel a bit defensive about the only real asset Maggie didn't manage to sell off - not for the want of trying.


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## Invicta (Feb 9, 2006)

I have seen the NHS in action and sometimes lack of it,both as an employee (32 years between child rearing) and in later years as a carer and a patient myself.

The worst experience I ever had was as a carer some 7 years ago. My late husband was in heart and renal failure and was sent into the local hospital by his GP as an emergency. We arrived at 9 pm on a very hot summer's evening. All the cubicles were full so my husband had to wait on a trolley in the corridor to be seen by a doctor as did many other patients. The staff were running around in no other words to describe the situation than like headless chicken. My husband, due to his condition, was quite confused and kept trying to climb off the trolley and walk out.

Eventually he was seen by a junior doctor at 3am and admitted to the only ward where there was a bed, a Care of the Elderly ward and not where he should have been on a Renal ward. That night was a living nightmare and one I can never forget.

What did I do about it? I became even more actively involved than I was already in a local campaigning group called CHEK (Concern for Health in East Kent). A look at the web site www.chek.org.uk gives a little insight to what we got up to and what we achieved. Instead of the Kent & Canterbury hospital being downgraded to a 65 bedded Care of the Elderly hospital with a Minor Injuries Unit and despite loosing its 24 hour Casualty Department it has grown and increased services in many areas. The Renal Centre for Kent is there together with several other specialities including Cancer, Urology, Neurophysiology. Its Vascular Surgery Unit is now one of the leading ones in the UK.

Why am I telling you all this? Well we saved the hospital by People Power! Of course the place is still not 100% perfect, when dealing with matters of life and death no place can be but it is vastly improved. All the managers who were involved when the hospital hit the headlines after the Trevor McDonald TV programme 'Corridors of Shame' have long since gone. There has recently been an increase in the numbers of nursing staff and with the reduction in Junior Doctors' hours (EEC regulations ) the consultants are seeing more patients themselves.

We no longer have Community Health Councils as a watchdog of the NHS more is the pity (I was a member of my local one for 8 years) but there are in their place PPIFs (Patient Public Involvement Forums) the phone numbers of which can be found by ringing one's local hospital. This is the organisation to go to with any complaint and people with one should certainly do so.

I know some people are frightened to complain as they feel they may be victimised. I can assure them that in many cases the clinical staff welcome complaints from patients. This is sometimes the only way that Management will take notice when there are problems.

Meanwhile I wish everyone who has written here and all the many other MHF'ers with health problems a speedy recovery and if that is not possible that at least everyone experiences the care and compassion that is rightly theirs from the so called 'Caring Society' in which we live.

Our NHS is still the envy of the world I can assure everyone as I found out when I attended an International Council of Nurses Congress at which there were over 10,000 nurses from every corner of the globe.


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

This waiting seems to happen in every hospital. Our district hospital is next to a golf course,so the consultants are keen to get their games in am and pm.
Why can't they have the system that theme parks use with properly timed appointments and maybe pagers to notify you. That way you could go for a walk,if possible or some refreshments if that is possible or maybe some shopping;instead of a row of chairs in an already overcrowded corridor.
I now know why you are called patients or is that patience!!


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## whistlinggypsy (May 1, 2005)

bigfoot, the pager idea would be great because my whinge was not directed at the doctors or staff it was because it was a lovely sunny day and the grounds of our hospital are really nice.

So instead of being cooped up in the hot and stuffy waiting room i could have have a nice walk around or gone too the cafe for a brew and when paged return to the w/room for my appointment.

Think i will write too the administrators and put in the idea, not holding my breath meanwhile :wink: 

Bob


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## 101578 (Oct 28, 2006)

brushteeth Getting registered with a dentist is a struggle,my nearest one is 15 miles away.Then there is the cost of treatment.. 8O


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## annetony (May 1, 2005)

we must have had the longest wait in history,

my Daughters appointment with the paediatric doc. was at 10-0 clock in the morning, was still waiting at 5-0 clock 8O 8O 

apparently the notes were at Preston and the appointment was at Chorley, we were assured that the notes were in a taxi on the way but they never arrived

so we had to go back the following week, Tony said to make sure we were the first in and that the notes were there, as he had already lost 1 days wages, " no problem leave it with us"

we arrived early for the appointment and yes you've guessed no notes they were at Preston, I wont repeat what Tony said, :evil: anyway the notes arrived and she was seen at 1-0 clock.

that was 2 days wages lost and we were :evil: :evil: :evil: 

anyway that was a long time ago and we shouldn't have blamed the OP staff,

I now work at the hospital so can see the other side, they all do a fantastic job under a lot of pressure

Anne


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## bigbazza (Mar 6, 2008)

*Waiting*

On the few occasions I've had to attend my local hospital I've expected to have to wait a short while because of priorities etc. , what amazed me was the notice displaying the number of appointments each month and what amazed me more was the number of non-cancelled missed appointments. 200 in the month I was their!!!
The doctors have to wait then!!
Bazza


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

peejay said:


> I was booked in for a bit of 'exploration' after a recurring problem 'down there'. Laid on the table I was comforted by a latex gloved doctor with those immortal words, "this may be a bit uncomfortable but try and relax" . . .
> pete


I know what you mean, after that sort of invasion, my Doctor & I are engaged 8O


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## mangothemadmonk (Aug 6, 2006)

What else have you got do with your time Bob? You know you like the feel of lubricated rubber 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 

You should have asked me at Southport I would gladly have supplied large quantities of gloves and lube

Glad your alright mate.

Johnny F


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