How to get the attention of the NHS?
Discussion
Sorry, need to vent as this is getting to me. Really looking for any clues as to how to get the NHS to get my OH booked in for an MRI. They seem to be treading a well-worn path (I've been through similar with shoulder injuries previously) where they go to extraordinary lengths to do everything short of quickly identifying the issue...
- Sunday - 2 weeks ago today - we're skiing and some plonker clatters into my OH from behind and she falls awkwardly, twisting her right knee.
- Monday - we see French doctor who is excellent; very thorough, takes X-rays, runs through a battery of tests and concludes that my wife has likely torn 2 ligaments (ACL AND MCL I think). Gives OH a full-leg splint to stabilise the knee.
- She writes a detailed summary; ending with "an MRI scan is imperative on return to UK, surgical opinion is imperative".
- On our return (Good Friday), after checking NHS website we call 111 to make an appointment for A&E.
- Helpline operator is stroppy "you can't just ring up and demand an MRI scan", but makes us an appointment next day at a Minor Injuries Unit.
- Saturday - We attend MIU, where they do a couple of the tests done by the French doc, are complementary about the French report but say they don't have the authority to refer for an MRI and OH needs to see our GP. Surgery is closed.
- Tuesday (after Easter), can't get through to surgery first thing, so drive her in to make appointment.
- Unsympathetic (as always) receptionist says they weren't answering phone as all appointments were gone. Fab.
- Explain situation, receptionist says only OH's own GP can make referral... and he's on holiday for the rest of the week. Go away.
- Explain situation again, receptionist eventually offers that OH can upload her report and x-rays, and "someone might be able to look at it earlier".
- Wednesday - at last (!), someone who appears to care rings up. A stand-in/locum GP who wants to know why my wife is in a splint as "we only use those for fractures", so says she'll refer her for more X-rays.
- Friday we get an X-ray appointment for following morning,.. and a GP appointment for the following Friday to review!
- Saturday (yesterday) - radiographer says X-rays have to go to GP, who may refer OH to Orthopaedic... who may refer for an MRI!
- Sunday (today) - OH goes to put plate in dishwasher and experiences excruciating pain from knee.
Would it be worth just going to A&E, or would they just push us back to the elusive GP? Or best to just say 'sod it' and go private (which we can't easily afford at the moment)?
Thanks for listening... bah...
- Sunday - 2 weeks ago today - we're skiing and some plonker clatters into my OH from behind and she falls awkwardly, twisting her right knee.
- Monday - we see French doctor who is excellent; very thorough, takes X-rays, runs through a battery of tests and concludes that my wife has likely torn 2 ligaments (ACL AND MCL I think). Gives OH a full-leg splint to stabilise the knee.
- She writes a detailed summary; ending with "an MRI scan is imperative on return to UK, surgical opinion is imperative".
- On our return (Good Friday), after checking NHS website we call 111 to make an appointment for A&E.
- Helpline operator is stroppy "you can't just ring up and demand an MRI scan", but makes us an appointment next day at a Minor Injuries Unit.
- Saturday - We attend MIU, where they do a couple of the tests done by the French doc, are complementary about the French report but say they don't have the authority to refer for an MRI and OH needs to see our GP. Surgery is closed.
- Tuesday (after Easter), can't get through to surgery first thing, so drive her in to make appointment.
- Unsympathetic (as always) receptionist says they weren't answering phone as all appointments were gone. Fab.
- Explain situation, receptionist says only OH's own GP can make referral... and he's on holiday for the rest of the week. Go away.
- Explain situation again, receptionist eventually offers that OH can upload her report and x-rays, and "someone might be able to look at it earlier".
- Wednesday - at last (!), someone who appears to care rings up. A stand-in/locum GP who wants to know why my wife is in a splint as "we only use those for fractures", so says she'll refer her for more X-rays.
- Friday we get an X-ray appointment for following morning,.. and a GP appointment for the following Friday to review!
- Saturday (yesterday) - radiographer says X-rays have to go to GP, who may refer OH to Orthopaedic... who may refer for an MRI!
- Sunday (today) - OH goes to put plate in dishwasher and experiences excruciating pain from knee.
Would it be worth just going to A&E, or would they just push us back to the elusive GP? Or best to just say 'sod it' and go private (which we can't easily afford at the moment)?
Thanks for listening... bah...
Honestly I would just wait for the appointment with the gp next week. Might be worth seeing if you can self refer to physio to get that in the pipeline. Im sure the doc will be along soon and he's a knee surgeon but ACL/PCL is not necessarily something that needs sorting quickly and pros and cons to Conservative vs operative management.
Get in with the GP
I did private also about 8 years ago - i think it was 300 odd to see surgeon and 250 for MRI
Try and find a place that will do the MRI first so you can see the surgeon after to discuss the result rather than paying twice - once before to see the surgeon and once after to get the results.
the private surgeon can refer you back to the NHS so you don't have to have an Op with private
also worth seeing a private physio for the sake of 45-60 quid as they can give some advice on not to make it worse etc. A physio may also be bale to bump an MRI forward by at least telling your GP its needed?
I did private also about 8 years ago - i think it was 300 odd to see surgeon and 250 for MRI
Try and find a place that will do the MRI first so you can see the surgeon after to discuss the result rather than paying twice - once before to see the surgeon and once after to get the results.
the private surgeon can refer you back to the NHS so you don't have to have an Op with private
also worth seeing a private physio for the sake of 45-60 quid as they can give some advice on not to make it worse etc. A physio may also be bale to bump an MRI forward by at least telling your GP its needed?
Last mri I had was after telling my gp about an eileptic fit I had at thd start of the first lockdown. Got reffered and scanned within a 10 days at the height of lockdown.
Changed my medication because of it and can drive again now after fighting with the dvla to give me it back after a year fit free.
I think the OP would have been better in their situation to just go to A&E and start treatment on the nhs like it was a new injury. A long boring wait to be seen at a&e but you would have been at least reffered by now if not scanned yet.
Changed my medication because of it and can drive again now after fighting with the dvla to give me it back after a year fit free.
I think the OP would have been better in their situation to just go to A&E and start treatment on the nhs like it was a new injury. A long boring wait to be seen at a&e but you would have been at least reffered by now if not scanned yet.
It may be worth trying to access NHS MSK services more effectively via VirtualLucy. I've not had to use it myself, but it's similar to private virtual GP services and is available for NHS patients.
NHS put me in a splint for Achilles at A&E then had to wait 2 weeks for an ultrasound and appointment to see the specialist and this was before covid.
It’s crap. The only decent thing was the chap who did my physio but that was only once every 4 weeks and got cancelled when Covid arrived.
Pay for it yourself if you want anything like they used to provide.
It’s crap. The only decent thing was the chap who did my physio but that was only once every 4 weeks and got cancelled when Covid arrived.
Pay for it yourself if you want anything like they used to provide.
Mojooo said:
A physio may also be bale to bump an MRI forward by at least telling your GP its needed?
Good luck with that one. I rolled my ankle pretty badly a few years ago and went to A&E as I couldn't put any weight on it. They x-rayed it, said it wasn't broken and sent me on my way with a comment that there could be ligament damage but without checking with an ultrasound they wouldn't know. When asked why don't they ultrasound it they replied no need in this case!Anyway skip forward a few weeks and i'm booked in with a private physio to see if they can help with recovery time. She takes one look at it and says i've damaged my ligaments and that it needs scanning. I go the GP with a note written by her and he literally says "What does she know, she's only a physio. You've managed to walk in so you're fine". I was so dumbfounded I didn't know what to say in response!
You just have to keep pestering and do what your doing. The nhs is fantastic and some stuff and poor at others and you just have to scream and shout all day long. It’s wrong and you shouldn’t have to but that’s the choice. Sit quietly and wait or kick up a fuss constantly as you are referred from person to person. You just have to keep pestering, be nice to some people and kick off at others.
If you go private it’ll be circa £250 ish for first private doctor appointment then cheaper after that around £180. Mri vary in cost massively some can charge a grand or more depending and other private mri places can book you for one for as little as £200. (Prices vary that’s just my experience).
If you go private it’ll be circa £250 ish for first private doctor appointment then cheaper after that around £180. Mri vary in cost massively some can charge a grand or more depending and other private mri places can book you for one for as little as £200. (Prices vary that’s just my experience).
A ski instructor friend ruptured knee ligaments in Austria. Was insured and over there was diagnosed and operated in the same week.
I believe the protocol in the UK is to let the swelling die down before any ops.
Anyhow I had a ruptured ACL playing rugby. It was a long road from start to finish X weeks for an MRI, another X weeks to see a specialist then another X amount of weeks for the operation. I had to have two separate operations coincidently in the end the surgeon is a fellow PH poster. No quarms with the surgery itself but the wait for appointments all adds up. I was quite fortunate that I get good paid sickness from work and did some WFH at the time. Of my livelihood depended on it I'd have been screwed.
Its all a bit of a post code lottery. It was an eye opener for me to get insured. I've been fortunate that I've not needed it in 5 years but never again. If I have something wrong with me that's impacting my quality of life I want to be seen by a specialist and sorted.
Get an open referral from a GP would be my advice and go private if you can afford to.
I believe the protocol in the UK is to let the swelling die down before any ops.
Anyhow I had a ruptured ACL playing rugby. It was a long road from start to finish X weeks for an MRI, another X weeks to see a specialist then another X amount of weeks for the operation. I had to have two separate operations coincidently in the end the surgeon is a fellow PH poster. No quarms with the surgery itself but the wait for appointments all adds up. I was quite fortunate that I get good paid sickness from work and did some WFH at the time. Of my livelihood depended on it I'd have been screwed.
Its all a bit of a post code lottery. It was an eye opener for me to get insured. I've been fortunate that I've not needed it in 5 years but never again. If I have something wrong with me that's impacting my quality of life I want to be seen by a specialist and sorted.
Get an open referral from a GP would be my advice and go private if you can afford to.
I’ve been back from France two weeks and seeing Specialist privately this week followed by MRI scan on my knee. French end was brilliant, stretcher, ambulance, xrayed, knee splint etc all within one hour. They too said I needed an MRI scan when I got home.
I’d have waited ages on NHS but one call to my insurer and it was all sorted. Could have gone 10 days ago but the Specialist I wanted to see was on holiday. NHS can be good for the serious stuff but is terrible for lots of things.
I’d have waited ages on NHS but one call to my insurer and it was all sorted. Could have gone 10 days ago but the Specialist I wanted to see was on holiday. NHS can be good for the serious stuff but is terrible for lots of things.
Thanks for all the input chaps; really helpful in getting our thoughts organised and in perspective.
Despite the best efforts of the receptionist*, OH got to see a sympathetic and thorough GP this morning. He's confident, having pretty much repeated the tests the French doc did, that the ligaments are intact and stable - if a little damaged - and has referred her across to Musculo-skeletal with a physio appointment next week, with a smaller knee support.
So we'll roll with that for now, but keep the private option as a backup plan.
Despite the best efforts of the receptionist*, OH got to see a sympathetic and thorough GP this morning. He's confident, having pretty much repeated the tests the French doc did, that the ligaments are intact and stable - if a little damaged - and has referred her across to Musculo-skeletal with a physio appointment next week, with a smaller knee support.
So we'll roll with that for now, but keep the private option as a backup plan.
- are surgery receptionists actually trained to be belligerent and obstructive? In any other 'customer facing' role this one would be on a final warning just from our experience... just as well they're not dealing with people who may be in pain or distressed...
Recently retired medic, with a good number of orthopaedic problems. These include a previous ACL reconstruction. You need to see an orthopod, an MRI on it's own is just another test, It's an aid to planning a course of treatment.
Regrettably, these days you are probably best organising a private appointment to get a specialist opinion, you need to look to see who is a knee specialist, word of mouth or a discussion with the GP is probably going to help with selection. It's a cliché but GPs do a lot of skiing, ask who they would see for themselves or family! Get it examined, then appropriate imaging and discuss what options are available.
Sorry to say but an NHS route is likely to take a long time these days. A referral will likely get you to see a physio first so the trust is able to say the targets have been met, seeing a surgeon a lot longer, backlogs are not good to say the least.
Regrettably, these days you are probably best organising a private appointment to get a specialist opinion, you need to look to see who is a knee specialist, word of mouth or a discussion with the GP is probably going to help with selection. It's a cliché but GPs do a lot of skiing, ask who they would see for themselves or family! Get it examined, then appropriate imaging and discuss what options are available.
Sorry to say but an NHS route is likely to take a long time these days. A referral will likely get you to see a physio first so the trust is able to say the targets have been met, seeing a surgeon a lot longer, backlogs are not good to say the least.
Dave2P said:
Thanks for all the input chaps; really helpful in getting our thoughts organised and in perspective.
Despite the best efforts of the receptionist*, OH got to see a sympathetic and thorough GP this morning. He's confident, having pretty much repeated the tests the French doc did, that the ligaments are intact and stable - if a little damaged - and has referred her across to Musculo-skeletal with a physio appointment next week, with a smaller knee support.
So we'll roll with that for now, but keep the private option as a backup plan.
I understand where you are coming from but you fail to understand how much stick surgery receptionists have been taking. I've also been a victim - but even so.......Despite the best efforts of the receptionist*, OH got to see a sympathetic and thorough GP this morning. He's confident, having pretty much repeated the tests the French doc did, that the ligaments are intact and stable - if a little damaged - and has referred her across to Musculo-skeletal with a physio appointment next week, with a smaller knee support.
So we'll roll with that for now, but keep the private option as a backup plan.
- are surgery receptionists actually trained to be belligerent and obstructive? In any other 'customer facing' role this one would be on a final warning just from our experience... just as well they're not dealing with people who may be in pain or distressed...
Been through this recently. Just go private. MRI is 300-500 quid. You know exactly what is wrong then.
I had knackered cartilage in my knee form rowing and cycling. Occurred just before lock down.
I ended up private knee surgery - cost 7k IIRC as there was a > 12 month waiting list. Screw that.
I couldn't walk more than about 100m at the time and couldn't drive. The fact I couldn't get to work or walk had little bearing on my position in the queue.
It was worth every penny.
I had knackered cartilage in my knee form rowing and cycling. Occurred just before lock down.
I ended up private knee surgery - cost 7k IIRC as there was a > 12 month waiting list. Screw that.
I couldn't walk more than about 100m at the time and couldn't drive. The fact I couldn't get to work or walk had little bearing on my position in the queue.
It was worth every penny.
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