My husband, who’s registered blind, receives appointment letters for various eye conditions (glaucoma, macular degeneration and a problem with blocked veins at the back of his eyes - can’t remember the technical term), which never make it clear which treatment he’s attending for: I have to call and ask. Appointments may be on adjacent days, or just two or three days apart. They can’t co-ordinate them. We also receive texts with exactly the same info. It’s so wasteful of everyone’s time and energy.
AE twice last year. Once broken smallbone on foot. They managed tomess upxrays 3 times. Treatment consisted of, " Tape it up yourself" . And " Buy the tape too"
2nd time was vision issue lateone night. Spent from 11pmto 930am.sat on arse. Some idiot took my bp. I was sitting down with my arms folded and cuff fell off which idiot put on the idiot insisted on recording rezults. Dr was actually v good. Arranged specialist optician same day. Equally good. Nhs is like airport departure in 3rd world country. Dirty tatty run doqn inept and incompetent. When i had xray/ mri done privately it was clean polite polished and profezzional.
The NHS app is all well and good when it works. Just received a text informing me that an appointment on 23/1 has been rescheduled for 17/1 and I should refer to the app for details. But the app has no appointments for me at all and the text doesn’t tell me which medical establishment is expecting me!
My better half and I unfortunately have more than our fair share of contact with the NHS. Our experience with the digital side has been both good and less so.
- I have an ICD which connects online with the cardiac department of a major teaching hospital reporting issues with my heart. It triggered a call from an on call consultant on Boxing day about an issue I needed urgent attention for. ( I happened to be aware because my Apple Watch had triggered an alarm . Treatment from the local hospital was great ( although they were struggling for beds which meant four bed changes in a 4 day stay.
- A fall on the ice in early December resulted to a trip to a minor injuries clinic in miles from where I live. The treatment was swift, they had access to my medical records, and they executed a referral to a local fracture clinic . That referral was picked up , I received an email appointment for the second working day after the accident for a remote / online clinic, they were looking at the X-rays taken while discussing the injury with me and followed up by email the same day.
- my better half is currently under a very eminent Dr ( and academic ) who leads a national service. from a a London Teaching Hospital. Appointments are over video, he mostly arranges the follow up appt on the call, he schedules appointments with admin time included and letters are emailed to us within the working day and the electronic appointment follows in a day or so. He expects ( demands ! ) email updates between appointments and his response often by return.
- I regard myself as pretty IT literate but I frankly I struggle with the mix of apps, texts and letters we now have - (MyChart for me from three different trusts , same for my wife, NHS apps for both , text, app and letter confirmations of appointments.).
- At times I am carer for my wife and the authorisation for access or right to discuss her case which she freely gives me is problematic for some and simple for others. - GP clearly has a flag on their system as they tell me they are authorised to talk to me, compared to "we need an up to date letter" for partner who is sedated.
I had an appt to see surgeon made last sept for dec 23. Surg canx it in oct. Gp couldnt understand why. 3 copies of same letter canx appt. Gp v helpful getting new appt. Mar 24. Ok. Not urgent. New appt letter 4 times.
Most annoying part. Ive seen the surgeon last summer. Paid privately. So nhs makes me wait to see same surg ive already seen about same hip problem. Which hes diagnosed and couldve operated last nov privately. If i had £10k spare.
If this was usa my health ins wouldve gone from GP to Operation in 2 months. And for this Im taxed, rich people or self employed dont pay NI btw....
Have a look at MyChart from Addenbrookes my local hospital. Once registered this sends me appointments and test results. When I was in A&E I was getting all the results at the same time as the medic. It’s brilliant and at them even of electronic messaging I can cope with! But no idea whether this is confined to one hospital
My husband, who’s registered blind, receives appointment letters for various eye conditions (glaucoma, macular degeneration and a problem with blocked veins at the back of his eyes - can’t remember the technical term), which never make it clear which treatment he’s attending for: I have to call and ask. Appointments may be on adjacent days, or just two or three days apart. They can’t co-ordinate them. We also receive texts with exactly the same info. It’s so wasteful of everyone’s time and energy.
AE twice last year. Once broken smallbone on foot. They managed tomess upxrays 3 times. Treatment consisted of, " Tape it up yourself" . And " Buy the tape too"
2nd time was vision issue lateone night. Spent from 11pmto 930am.sat on arse. Some idiot took my bp. I was sitting down with my arms folded and cuff fell off which idiot put on the idiot insisted on recording rezults. Dr was actually v good. Arranged specialist optician same day. Equally good. Nhs is like airport departure in 3rd world country. Dirty tatty run doqn inept and incompetent. When i had xray/ mri done privately it was clean polite polished and profezzional.
The NHS app is all well and good when it works. Just received a text informing me that an appointment on 23/1 has been rescheduled for 17/1 and I should refer to the app for details. But the app has no appointments for me at all and the text doesn’t tell me which medical establishment is expecting me!
My better half and I unfortunately have more than our fair share of contact with the NHS. Our experience with the digital side has been both good and less so.
- I have an ICD which connects online with the cardiac department of a major teaching hospital reporting issues with my heart. It triggered a call from an on call consultant on Boxing day about an issue I needed urgent attention for. ( I happened to be aware because my Apple Watch had triggered an alarm . Treatment from the local hospital was great ( although they were struggling for beds which meant four bed changes in a 4 day stay.
- A fall on the ice in early December resulted to a trip to a minor injuries clinic in miles from where I live. The treatment was swift, they had access to my medical records, and they executed a referral to a local fracture clinic . That referral was picked up , I received an email appointment for the second working day after the accident for a remote / online clinic, they were looking at the X-rays taken while discussing the injury with me and followed up by email the same day.
- my better half is currently under a very eminent Dr ( and academic ) who leads a national service. from a a London Teaching Hospital. Appointments are over video, he mostly arranges the follow up appt on the call, he schedules appointments with admin time included and letters are emailed to us within the working day and the electronic appointment follows in a day or so. He expects ( demands ! ) email updates between appointments and his response often by return.
- I regard myself as pretty IT literate but I frankly I struggle with the mix of apps, texts and letters we now have - (MyChart for me from three different trusts , same for my wife, NHS apps for both , text, app and letter confirmations of appointments.).
- At times I am carer for my wife and the authorisation for access or right to discuss her case which she freely gives me is problematic for some and simple for others. - GP clearly has a flag on their system as they tell me they are authorised to talk to me, compared to "we need an up to date letter" for partner who is sedated.
I had an appt to see surgeon made last sept for dec 23. Surg canx it in oct. Gp couldnt understand why. 3 copies of same letter canx appt. Gp v helpful getting new appt. Mar 24. Ok. Not urgent. New appt letter 4 times.
Most annoying part. Ive seen the surgeon last summer. Paid privately. So nhs makes me wait to see same surg ive already seen about same hip problem. Which hes diagnosed and couldve operated last nov privately. If i had £10k spare.
If this was usa my health ins wouldve gone from GP to Operation in 2 months. And for this Im taxed, rich people or self employed dont pay NI btw....
Self employed do pay NI
Benefits dont either in my experience.
Voluntary isnt?. Cash in hand dont..
Have a look at MyChart from Addenbrookes my local hospital. Once registered this sends me appointments and test results. When I was in A&E I was getting all the results at the same time as the medic. It’s brilliant and at them even of electronic messaging I can cope with! But no idea whether this is confined to one hospital
Is it the fact that the NHS is woefully under managed that prevents the organisation from seeing clearly the point that you make in this post?
No. Its woefully over managed.