At long last got a date through to see consultant at Sheffield Spinal Unit.........10h November. Just got to see my way through the next two months.

Because my injury started in 1984 from an RTA they maintain that my current state, L4 L5 complete para isn't a fresh injury, So they won't see me any sooner. Yeh Right, suppose the two ops in 2001 when It herniated didn't leave scaring on the spinal cord either .

All I know is that the appointment can't be bought forward / altered in anyway because the consutant has cleared the rest of his appointment for that day to spend it all with me. Should I be honoured, gratefull?

They say the first eight weeks are crutial to regain any function, well thats been and gone and no inprovements sofar. I want to start and move forward, get the car altered to hand controls, get some damm physio on my legs, get some gym work on upper body. But NO NO NO. Wait till you've been to Sheffield is all I have heard since 6th august.

I am so fed up of spending a max of 6 hrs in my chair,(then its to uncomfortable on base of spine) and the rest of the day on the settee, legs raised trying to get my now badly swollen-purple feet looking something like 'normal' .

I Laughed when they even denied me access to my local hydrotherapy pool. Because I live Nottinghamshire, but on the boarders of Nott's // Derbys, My nearest pool 5 mins away is in derbyshire. Nott's health trust, won't refer / fund cross border treatment! The hydro pool in Notingham is 30 mins away, but won't accept a GP's referal for use, it has to a second referal from a consultant, So can't do anything till-----Been to sheffield. This whole NHS system is laughable, farsical, pathetic.

I can't stray to far from a toilet, cause I have no bowel control, district nurse wants me to use a persteen pump, but can't get me one till---Ive been to sheffield.

Keep having bad UTI's, bladder spasms, catheter problems but can't get see a urologist till.....been to bloody sheffield. Three weeks ago when cath had to be changed, I had three district nurses in tears, who thought they were hurting me when bladder spasmed and locked tight on the cath half way out. Right leg joined in the fun and spasmed too, followed by the right side muscles in the spine and back, severely twisting my spine, causing alot of pain! I didn't know if to laugh - cry - scream . Ambulance arrived at home, the crew had to tie my legs down onto the evac chair cause they couldn't get me throught the door with my leg ridged, and spent 7 hrs in hospital till bladder released the catheter, and a new one put in !

Through all of this,I am expected to just hang around, twiddle my thumbs, smile and keep waiting till I have been to Sheffield.

To top it all off, I've sprained my right wrist, so even moving my chair from room to room, and transfering is bloody painfull and difficult ! LOL

Is it just me being synical, or has anyone else had to fight - push -shout and scream to get anywhere?

Is this a typical experience ?

I've had to can a couple of docs and a few nurses over the years, due either to their incompetence or my impatience. Hell, they've canned me for insolence, inebriation and, on at least one occasion threats of violence. There are a lot of really good, experienced, caring health care workers out there, but by the law of averages some of them are going to be nothing more than talking monkeys. I don't think there's any system of medicine that is going to be without frustration, whether it's national coverage or abject poverty with no coverage.

On an unrelated note, I must admit I've not seen the word "farcical" in a damned long time. Kinda made me chuckle.




King Arthur: I am your king.
Woman: Well I didn't vote for you.
King Arthur: You don't vote for kings.
Woman: Well how'd you become king then?
[Angelic music plays... ]
King Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king.
Dennis: [interrupting] Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
Dennis: Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.
Dennis: Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away.
Dennis: Come and see the violence inherent in the system. Help! Help! I'm being repressed!

I've had my own fair share of problems with the NHS aswell. Its a farcical system, you are right on the money. My problems aren't so much with the nursing/medical care side of things, although thats not to say I haven't had some bad experiences here. My problems are mostly with OTs and they've reported me at least once for being 'threatening' on the phone when I'm trying to get vital equipment.

My advice, allister, is to consider actions like going to the head of your trust, a lawyer, social worker or even the press. If you have been unable to get them to co-operate when you most need them, then they have a serious case to answer for.

(PS: Never take any shit from them and never back down. Good luck.)

I've just been to Sheffield SU Allister, but it took 3 postponed appointments, even though I hadn't been for 2 years.
I mentioned the postponed appointments to the Consultant and was told. "I'm allowed 10 minutes with each patient; the Government call it efficiency. If a patient has to travel 100 miles to see me and has health problems then I'm not sending them away after 10 minutes".

Too many SCI patients and not enough SU's or Consultants.

It doesn't matter who wins the next election, there'll still be big cuts in spending so expect it to get worse...
I'll vote for the Raving Looney Party as Greybeards standing, well sitting

About a week or so before your appointment be prepared for a strange Automated phone call from them, which asks if its you, (Just say yes otherwise it cuts off) It then asks if you'll attend the clinic. (just say yes, otherwise it cuts off)

I know they have people who don't turn up, and that appointment could have gone to another patient.

Good luck.

Mike

[quote name='pecefrogg' date='Sep 18 2009, 06:07 AM' post='130712']


On an unrelated note, I must admit I've not seen the word "farcical" in a damned long time. Kinda made me chuckle.




Glad to know It made your day and raisd a chuckle lol

Al

[quote name='Scribbler' date='Sep 18 2009, 08:12 PM' post='130790']

I'll vote for the Raving Looney Party as Greybeards standing, well sitting !!

I'll vote for you to Greaybeard..

About a week or so before your appointment be prepared for a strange Automated phone call from them, which asks if its you, (Just say yes otherwise it cuts off) It then asks if you'll attend the clinic. (just say yes, otherwise it cuts off)
Thanks for that Mike.
Al

Now, these are the kind of stories that have been spread here in the states, by those who don't want a national health system. It would seem that they are right.

Am I to believe that this is the general rule??? Are these lengthy waits the norm? I have a month's wait to see my urologist,, but I can always try another,,,, but that's how I found this one.

I guess all that can be said to those in either system is,,," be careful what you wish for"
ed

I have the same questions as you, ed. I've got a small collection of similar posts from folks in the UK made over the last couple weeks. It's got me wondering if maybe my concerns aren't just my own paranoia after all.

My sympothies as to how things are going.

Well I can already tell you that here in the U.S. it's often difficult to get proper help. I don't know that there is a "good system"........but I also agree with scribbs; be expecting more & more cuts & for them to come at our expense.

Quote: "Am I to believe that this is the general rule??? Are these lengthy waits the norm?"

In my experience, the answer is a resounding "NO". Whenever I've needed hospital treatment, I've received it promptly.

For much of my life I had private health insurance but found that the care given and the waiting times were no different than from the NHS. In fact the quality of care was frequently better with the NHS. Usually you saw the same consultants anyway, and they all received their training under the NHS.

Much of the waiting time would be cut dramatically if people used the health services properly. A&E departments are overloaded with trivia that really could, and should, have been dealt with by general practitioners, or self-inflicted ailments caused by booze or drugs. The number of people who fail to show for appointments with specialists, I believe, is quite high.

My conclusion is that having health care available to all, regardless of wealth, is a huge benefit to society. It is not the fault of the health service that it is frequently abused by the people it is there to help. I cannot see how such a system could be made to work other than by being state funded and run. Any private, profit making, company would inevitably put cash before patients' needs.

Having said that, any state funded system is open to abuse and needs very firm oversight to prevent wasteful spending on anything other than patient care. Unfortunately in the UK, it is this oversight that we have not been very good at. Health care administrators have generally made the mistake of believing their own advertising and now spend much of time safeguarding their own little empires. For years, supply companies have been allowed to obscenely overcharge for equipment and services. The list of faults goes on and on but all are curable given the will. For all its faults, I would not like to be without the safety net provided by our National Health Service.

Ok lets not turn this into a slanging match on the NHS.

Allister I think you have 2 choices. If you can get there at short notice I would phone every day to see if someone has cancelled. There are considerate people who actually bother to let people know they cant keep their appt! Or if you want a long appt then accept you have to wait a few more months.

There really is no reason why you shouldnt see a urologist in the meantime if only to help your symptoms while you wait. Chances are get your referal now and it will come along about the same time as you go to Sheffield.

Considering you had your accident in 84 and then an op in 2001 then no you are not an urgent case. Unfortunalty this is true. In theory you could have been refered to any spinal unit as there is such a thing as patient choice. Obviously most people prefer to go to their nearest and there is no likelihood that another would see you any quicker.

I have battled with doctors and appointments for 5 years now.

I'm now so down and depressed I've just had enough.

My last appointment with my spinal consultant .. talking about a referal ..

I was given the name and address to chase the appointment.


When you are very ill and very very low and depressed the last thing you need is to chase appointments.

Or have to phone daily to get an appointment.

I spent 15 years as a happy wheelchair user.

I've spent the last 5 years slowly going down hill.

I looked at a bottle of Diazepam and was actually scared as I found myself thinking about taking them