Booking an appointment.

[lazyherbert 10]

Made a visit to the doctor and the outcome was,I have to have an examination by a specialist.The doctor printed me a form off the computer which enabled me to book an appointment myself.By phone,by text phone or via the internet.I tried the internet but it stated that the Hallamshire were not taking any bookings at the moment.So it was the telephone next.Got through almost straight away,to a call centre on the Indian sub-continent(I think).After a great many ,I beg your pardon what did you say,the eventual outcome was that she would contact the Hallamshire & they will send me a letter. Within the next 14 days.What it will contain I do not know but I have no great expectations of my appointment being inside it.Now for the good news.I had to make another appointment at the X-Ray clinic & I phoned this evening at 19-00 got straight through and got my appointment set up for this Wednesday.If one department can do it so quickly why can`t they all.

[purdyamos 10]

I had to do the Choose and Book thing a few weeks ago. The funniest thing was watching the GP's face and grumbling under her breath as she sorted out the paperwork. It was obvious she thought it was a ridiculous system. She said to me in a voice heavy with sarcasm 'Now obviously you don't really want to go to Jessop's do you, you'd be so much happier going all the way to Rotherham or Orkeney.*'

 

Then she made a very apologetic display of putting the survey form in front of me and asking if I would take several minutes to fill out this long complicated form that had two tick boxes on, one of which was 'I am a woman'.

 

The stupidest thing was that for all the government faff about consumer choice, there was absolutely no way at that time that I could have *decided* to go here or there for treatment anyway, as I didn't at that time know exactly what was wrong - which was the whole point of seeing the specialist in the first place.

 

My phone call went smoothly and I got an appointment there and then. However, the option of which consultant to see (or rather, the one not to see) did not fall within the remit of the Choose and Book system, so I had to phone the hospital anyway and sort it out with them. I never had a confirmation letter as promised. Luckily when I turned up when my diary told me to, a lady with the same name as me was down to see the Mister, so it all turned out well.

 

As an exercise in patients having the opportunity to carefully select their hospital treatment like they were booking a holiday, I thought it was pants, and didn't blame the GP at all for her hilarious attitude.

 

I hope your letter turns up, lazyherbert, and that whatever it is you're being treated for goes OK.

 

 

 

 

*I don't know if she did say Orkeney, but she was taking the P so much it wouldn't surprise me.

[ladyacademic 10]

I needed minor surgery last year. I had the choice of waiting 3 mths just to see a specialist at Hallamshire or an immediate appointment at Rotherham. I saw the specialist the following week in Rotherham and had surgery within 6 weeks, 6 weeks sooner than the wait for an initial assessment in Sheffield. The Orkneys might be a bit of a hike, but for that kind of difference in time, I was happy to travel to Rotherham, and would probably have gone as far as Nottingham or Leeds.

[Shaney 10]

I supervise the xray appointments call centre at the Hallamshire, its nice to hear that you had a good experience from us!!!

[happyhippy 11]

Are the two bookings related? If you needed a specialist to look at possible problems with internal organs, it might take some time, but having something as simple as a few x-rays done, to do with something else could be different.

 

Not being funny, but different departments work in different ways.

[pennypie 10]

*I don't know if she did say Orkeney, but she was taking the P so much it wouldn't surprise me.

 

Its likely, they gave me a booklet with the national hospitals that dealt with what I was going for, I remember the doc saying I was best going to the NG as it was nearer, unless I fancied trekking to Derby or Bristol"!!!!

 

Does seem a bit pointless, but would be grateful I supposed if I lived near Rotherham hospital, would rather not bother than go there!!!

[pete_jim 10]

I discovered I had a Hernia a year or so back and said to my GP at the annual Blood Pressure check I would like to sort the hernia out sometime this year. She said she would do it with the Choose & Book system, less than a week later letter came with appointment at Claremont with the specialist. Saw the specialist on Friday last week he's operating next Monday, in Claremont. The whole thing in less than a month.

 

I wonder why your GP made you do the whole booking thing yourself? That seems to be where you have come unstuck. It doesn't seem fair to me that you had to do all that and I didn't. Good luck with the outcome!