Northern General not accepting referrals till April?

[peak-polly 10]

I am in need of a Trochleoplasty procedure on my knee. I was originally sent to Norwich as another specialist claimed there was no one local who had performed the procedure before.

 

However i did some ringing around of medical secretaries and found a orthopaedic surgeon who peforms this surgery at the northern general. I was informed by this surgeons assistant to go to my GP and request a referral as a new system with the NHS means i can choose where i have treatment.

 

So i saw my GP yesterday who informed me at the present time the Northern General are not accepting any orthopaedic or dermatology referrals untill April at the earliest.

 

Dont get me wrong, im not complaining about any of my treatment, id just like to know if anyone can confirm or has heard of this before i have to travel to Norwich. Im happy to travel if it means i get my surgery done, but would prefer to have it done closer to home if possible.

[julado 10]

My partner was referred to dermatology last August...still waiting...and when we chased it up with his GP he was told that no referrals are being accepted till the new financial year.....so he has to suffer then does he?????

 

Not impressed!

[peak-polly 10]

My partner was referred to dermatology last August...still waiting...and when we chased it up with his GP he was told that no referrals are being accepted till the new financial year.....so he has to suffer then does he?????

 

Not impressed!

 

Precisely what i was told Julado. Not untill the new financial year would they be taking new referrals. Thanks for the info.

[Blackbeard 10]

The last government set up targets about long it should take for an ambulance to arrive, how long you should wait to see a doctor, how long you should wait to get an appointment at a hospital or been seen at A&E. One of the first things to happen when the coalition took over was for this to be reviewed.

Do a search on the internet to see how things have changed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10478574

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8214402/NHS-must-focus-on-improving-health-not-meeting-time-limits-Andrew-Lansley.html

[Funky_Gibbon 42]

A lot of non-emergency surgery etc has been pushed back to the next financial year as a way to save money.

 

I had a biopsy done last June for something which returned an inconclusive result so they told me to wait 3 months and come back for another one. 3 months later I received my appointment to see the consultant. That appointment lasted about 2 minutes in total. He simply asked me if I was in pain which I wasn't so he told me that they'd give it another 6 months instead of arranging another biopsy.

 

Two days later the media were reporting how hospitals were deferring non-emergency operations in order to meet the government's requirement to save £20billion.

[Kat326 10]

non urgent operations have been cancelled due to swine flu admissions as far as I am aware

[ChrisT70 10]

government cuts starting to bite, financial rescue plans in action for the year end, without a doubt. swine flu and other bugs will only affect admissions for short periods, in specific areas, this is obviously the start of budget rationing by the PCTs as they draw up battle plans for 2011-12

[biotechpete 10]

government cuts starting to bite, financial rescue plans in action for the year end, without a doubt. swine flu and other bugs will only affect admissions for short periods, in specific areas, this is obviously the start of budget rationing by the PCTs as they draw up battle plans for 2011-12

 

It's budget rationing by the hospitals! They are being asked to make "efficiency" savings to save millions of ££/yr. I know at one hospital making 15% cuts.

[freaklikeme 10]

non urgent operations have been cancelled due to swine flu admissions as far as I am aware

 

Yes this is correct. As far as I'm aware many wards are closed down over the winter months for the admission of such as swine flu and Norovirus patients.

 

I have a relative awaiting non-urgent surgery and she was told this by staff.

[ChrisT70 10]

the PCTS are the actual money holders tho who decide what goes where, the hospitals have to react to where they see the money going/or not. Labour f***ed up many things in their time in power but the improved NHS was one of their few sucesses imho.

Tories now have probably their best ever chance to spend the next 4 yrs selling off and privatising the NHS under the guise of budget balancing while still proclaiming they are protecting the NHS in real terms!

 

i've recently seen NHS rationing at very close call, my mother is ill and has been refused a certain drug based on cost. :-(

[peak-polly 10]

Norwich it is then. I should thank my lucky stars that ive been offered the surgery else where. It sounds like there are many people who are suffering and will be for a long period of time.....

[Sam4037 10]

ChrisT70 is right - I've heard its not the hospital thats turning people away it's the PCT that won't pay for the treatment. So the hospital is not allowed to treat people as the PCT won't fund the care. They carn't do it for free I can understand this - how will they pay the nurses, Drs and other staff.

A sad reflection of the cuts.