quote:

ORIGINAL: stella40

What is going on with the NHS?

I've just been sent an appointment for Speech Therapy... in my SEVENTH hospital.. the Hammersmith Hospital in West London, I also attend Charing Cross Hospital in West London for gender reassignment, the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in West London for ENT.

Moving across London from west to east I also attend the Dermatology Clinic at the Homerton Hospital, which is my only hospital in East London.

Moving across the River Thames to South London a growth on my foot is being seen to by a specialist at Lewisham Hospital, I attend the clinic of a dietician at Guy's Hospital, and I am also being seen by another specialist at St Thomas's Hospital.

WTF!!!!????

What is going on here? Now does either my GP or consultant like variety or what? Are they spreading the work around? Is there a Lottery of London Hospitals somewhere?

I imagine an office somewhere in Central London which is like the set off the Wheel of Fortune gameshow. There's two people.

"Got another referral from that Stella.."
"What's it for?"
"I think she's gone mad.. The referral says Psychiatry.."
"Oh good, no problem. Spin the wheel! Let's see what lucky hospital gets to treat Stella."

I'm scared to go out. I'm scared to go out in case I have an accident, or fall suddenly ill and need an ambulance to yet another hospital. I take great care when crossing the street. In fact I only use pelican crossings, I only cross when there's a green light and I run like hell when there is.

I have a phobia of doctors and nurses... and ambulances.. I keep getting needles and strange objects stuck in various holes and places of my body (I know, as a sub I shouldn't be complaining). I know know all my stats off by heart, blood pressure, temperature, cholesterol level, blood sugar level.

I feel like advertising myself in the British Medical Journal - 'Human Available For Practice In All Procedures. All Specialities. Experiments Welcome."

I'm even thinking of quitting public transport altogether and having a sponsored walk between all the hospitals to raise money. It doesn't have to be one cause either, going to the Hammersmith Hospital it could be in aid of deaf people and mutts (or is that mutes?)..you know, people who can't talk. Heading for the Chelsea and Westminster it could be for the blind, and the long walk across the Homerton Hospital could be for research into psoriasis, then to Lewisham raising money for the disabled, and so on...

Has anyone had any similar experiences? Is anybody out there an outpatient to more than 7 hospitals?

And no, I'm not into medical play, before you ask.

What do you...? No, I know some of you out there. I guess this is going to attract some medical jokes or doctor doctor ones... Oh pleeeaasee.

lol

quote:

ORIGINAL: Termyn8or

Wow. Nobody wants to touch this with a ten foot pole apparently.

Three things stick out here, one is speech therapy. Do you need that ? You seem to be quite articulate on the written page, if you need speech thereapy is it a physical defect or something ? If so, are they telling you something you can't figure out on your own ?

Then the dietician. Without further fact I can only assume you are overweight. And actually talking about diet is a good thing if that is true. It is attacking the cause of the problem.

Then there is the gender reassignment. That is one area in which not all hospitals specialize. Go figure.

So is it WTF about you or WTF about the system ? Your needs do seem a bit out of the ordinary. You want the care you want. Are you getting what you want, and more importantly, are you getting what you need ? And just what is that ?

T

quote:

ORIGINAL: stella40

I just wanted to edit... not quote myself..

I could start another thread about inanimate objects and computers..