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Post by moonraker on Apr 27, 2023 10:46:33 GMT
Someone I know well has a sudden hearing difficulty in one ear. Last week she could only get an appointment with the nurse who said it should clear up by itself. Now its getting worse - harder to hear in that ear - and again could not get to see a GP so has another appointment today with the nurse. Lets hope she escalates and is able to book a (short) GP appointment. Have a feeling this sort of thing is normal now. I had a clogged-up ear just as we were emerging from full Lockdown, which was a bit of a problem as I'm completely deaf in the other. My GP practice nurse had syringed it once or twice before, but was unable to do so this time, whether this was directly because of the risk of Covid or because of pressure on her time.
Specsavers could have done the necessary in 17 days' time, but I opted to have the procedure at a private hospital, where it was carried out by a doctor. I still had to pay the "both ears" fee.
There was also a visiting de-waxer whose treatment was applauded on local social media.
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Post by moonraker on Apr 27, 2023 11:01:46 GMT
The "private" operation that I'm contemplating is complex and offered by only a few NHS and private hospitals (though the "mortality" risk is low).
On Radio Four yesterday a GP was explaining how she mixed private and NHS work, the former allowing her to spend more time with a patient (increasing job satisfaction) but not offering her a pension or holidays (which, of course, she gets from the NHS). I saw the consultant on Tuesday. We discussed whether I should "wait & see" about my condition, but after a useful discussion we agreed on an NHS operation. He said that the waiting list was three months, but he'd already had to cancel several such ops because of the NHS strikes and a shortage of beds.
I asked him about "going private" and he quoted me £75K  and he could do it in a week or so. Local anaesthetic, a couple of days in hospital, then I walk out (hopefully). He's based in Harley Street. A private hospital in the Home Counties quoted about £42K and a month's wait. (The gizmo that's to be installed is very expensive.)
I don't mind waiting three months if the NHS op does go ahead and would also be prepared to cough up £42K if necessary, but then there's the 10% possibility of my needing a complementary procedure that won't be complimentary. I have this vision of the surgeon presenting a card-reader to me on the operating table and asking for the extra payment there and then!
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Post by bracknellboy on Apr 27, 2023 16:33:35 GMT
Someone I know well has a sudden hearing difficulty in one ear. Last week she could only get an appointment with the nurse who said it should clear up by itself. Now its getting worse - harder to hear in that ear - and again could not get to see a GP so has another appointment today with the nurse. Lets hope she escalates and is able to book a (short) GP appointment. Have a feeling this sort of thing is normal now. I had a clogged-up ear just as we were emerging from full Lockdown, which was a bit of a problem as I'm completely deaf in the other. My GP practice nurse had syringed it once or twice before, but was unable to do so this time, whether this was directly because of the risk of Covid or because of pressure on her time.
Specsavers could have done the necessary in 17 days' time, but I opted to have the procedure at a private hospital, where it was carried out by a doctor. I still had to pay the "both ears" fee.
There was also a visiting de-waxer whose treatment was applauded on local social media.
It might be because it was no longer offered. I think a lot of practices are no longer offering ear syringing as a FOC service, or at all. My father's surgery didn't offer it as FOC - which implies it is not a required NHS service. But it could nonetheless be done within the walls of the practise by a nurse for a fee of £50.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2023 16:38:07 GMT
Someone I know well has a sudden hearing difficulty in one ear. Last week she could only get an appointment with the nurse who said it should clear up by itself. Now its getting worse - harder to hear in that ear - and again could not get to see a GP so has another appointment today with the nurse. Lets hope she escalates and is able to book a (short) GP appointment. Have a feeling this sort of thing is normal now. I had a clogged-up ear just as we were emerging from full Lockdown, which was a bit of a problem as I'm completely deaf in the other. My GP practice nurse had syringed it once or twice before, but was unable to do so this time, whether this was directly because of the risk of Covid or because of pressure on her time.
Specsavers could have done the necessary in 17 days' time, but I opted to have the procedure at a private hospital, where it was carried out by a doctor. I still had to pay the "both ears" fee.
There was also a visiting de-waxer whose treatment was applauded on local social media.
Just cause I'm bored
Years ago I went to a spa in Italy and soaked in hot mud up to my face.... Any ear wax melted and pooled in an inaccessible space Lost hearing in one ear so went to the GP's nurse She got out a hair drier and warmed my head, then pulled my ear lobe Suddenly I could hear again So pull you ear lobe!
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09dolphin
Member of DD Central
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Post by 09dolphin on Apr 27, 2023 21:48:41 GMT
My experience of a GP surgery in the past year is mixed.
As someone with COPD I'd much rather see a specialist nurse rather than a GP because the nurse seems more competent than a GP as these patients are all they deal with day by day.
I found it really difficult to access healthcare after sustaining a 3rd degree burn, which became infected, to a lower limb and had to threaten to make a complaint before being able to access treatment. When I was able to access treatment it was excellent and provided by practice nurses although a GP did authorise pain medication.
When I had what was diagnosed as a TIA I was seen by a GP and student the same day, referred to a specialist and had tests within 48 hours to enable a diagnosis and treatment.
It seems to me that if I have a serious medical emergency my GP is great. If my problem is not an emergency but requires ongoing care it's much more difficult to access care and that specialist nurses are able to routinely treat common problems.
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Post by bracknellboy on Apr 28, 2023 5:52:27 GMT
My experience of a GP surgery in the past year is mixed. As someone with COPD I'd much rather see a specialist nurse rather than a GP because the nurse seems more competent than a GP as these patients are all they deal with day by day. I found it really difficult to access healthcare after sustaining a 3rd degree burn, which became infected, to a lower limb and had to threaten to make a complaint before being able to access treatment. When I was able to access treatment it was excellent and provided by practice nurses although a GP did authorise pain medication. When I had what was diagnosed as a TIA I was seen by a GP and student the same day, referred to a specialist and had tests within 48 hours to enable a diagnosis and treatment. It seems to me that if I have a serious medical emergency my GP is great. If my problem is not an emergency but requires ongoing care it's much more difficult to access care and that specialist nurses are able to routinely treat common problems. Very sorry to hear you have COPD. I hope its not too severe and is being reasonably managed. re. respiratory diseases and specialist nurses. Bang on. My thoughts and experience entirely. See my earlier comments about GPs often not being the best/most appropriate person in many cases because they simply lack the depth of skills and uptodate knowledge (and it should be added, time). A few years ago but relatively recently, I was significantly struggling with a new to me problem. I saw several GPs in succession. I was essentially misdiagnosed, and not given the right treatment plan. I was given inhalers and short term steroids. I'd improve rapidly and then once the oral steroids course finished I'd start to deteriorate again, with the general over time trend downwards. It was an unpleasant and scary period. A specialist nurse at the practise then got me an appointment with a visiting specialist nurse, and only then did things get on a path to being sorted out - although not without a meltdown and AE visit on the way. She correctly diagnosed and chucked out one of the inhaler's I was given by the GP ("we don't use those anymore...."). Even since at the specialist clinic I was referred onto, much of my "quality time" has actually been with specialist nursing staff, not just the consultant.
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keitha
Member of DD Central
2024, hopefully the year I get out of P2P
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Post by keitha on Apr 28, 2023 10:24:42 GMT
Something else that needs to be done far more often is medication reviews with a pharmacist ( again they tend to have better knowledge than GP's)
a few years ago my late father in law had a medication review with a pharmacist at the insistence of my wife ( Nurse ) as she was convinced that a lot of the drugs he was taking were to counteract the side effects of others.
Sure enough she recommended that he changed one of his heart drugs to another, that then meant that he could stop taking 3 other drugs that were treating side effects of the original heart drug and each other, I'm sure that at the time she said the changes were saving the NHS over £1,000 a year
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2023 14:42:13 GMT
I did this last week, only a minor interataction but once I pointed it out to the Chemist (not sure I want to use Pharmacist) she moved the timing of the medication with significant results.
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Greenwood2
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Post by Greenwood2 on Apr 28, 2023 14:55:19 GMT
For some reason we seem to get hounded for medication reviews, phone call with the GP practice pharmacist, they now want to do them every 6 months, totally unnecessary. I hope we've finally got them to reduce it to yearly.
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agent69
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Post by agent69 on Apr 28, 2023 16:51:56 GMT
Slightly off topic, but I guess that running the NHS isn't helped by the fact that there are 14 different unions to negotiate with. Earlier today the GMB members accepted the 5% pay rise that was offered to all staff, meaning that significantly more than 50% of NHS employees have agreed to the deal.
Union sources say it is "almost certain" that at a meeting of the NHS Staff Council the deal will be ratified, prompting the government to sanction the 5% pay increase and one-off payment of at least £1,655 for 2022-23.
Members of Unite and RCN are the only two major unions to reject the deal, but future strike action is likely to be far less disruptive than in the past.
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Post by martin44 on Apr 28, 2023 20:41:14 GMT
gods .. id love a dentist appointment.
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keitha
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2024, hopefully the year I get out of P2P
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Post by keitha on Apr 28, 2023 21:04:49 GMT
gods .. id love a dentist appointment. That was me for several years in England, I moved to Wales and within months was registered and seeing an NHS dentist. Still costs me over £40 every time I go though
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registerme
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Post by registerme on Apr 28, 2023 21:41:28 GMT
The last time I tired to register with a dentist the person in reception (who I assumed was an actual dentist) laughed at me.  it. I'll die with bad teeth. |
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michaelc
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Say No To T.D.S.
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Post by michaelc on Apr 28, 2023 21:46:44 GMT
Which reminds me. Why is NHS dental NOT free at the point of use?
I'd think it was a good model for the rest of the NHS if the service was any good but sadly it isn't. Presumably because dentistry is funded centrally even less than the rest of the NHS.
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registerme
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Post by registerme on Apr 29, 2023 7:55:27 GMT
Which reminds me. Why is NHS dental NOT free at the point of use? I asked a doctor friend of mine exactly that question a few years ago. His answer was that when the NHS was set up the nation's teeth were in such bad shape that the country simply couldn't afford to provide a similar service for dentistry.
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and he could do it in a week or so. Local anaesthetic, a couple of days in hospital, then I walk out (hopefully). He's based in Harley Street. A private hospital in the Home Counties quoted about £42K and a month's wait. (The gizmo that's to be installed is very expensive.)
it. I'll die with bad teeth.