Choose and *****!!

woodbon

The story so far.... On Wesnesday I saw my GP who refered me to the hospital Plastic Surgery Dept for possible carpel tunnel release surrgery. Plastics do it at our local hospital as they are specialist in hand surgery, and although quick, it is hard to get right.

She gave me the Choose & Book referal letter with the pass words and ref no on. As it was late afternoon before I got round to doing it, I chose the the internet option. After typing in the details the clinic came up on screen with the 'No available appointments for this clinic - try later'. I decided to phone, as the letter said you can until 10pm. The phone rang and rang but no answer. So I left it until the next morning. (Hope you're not bored :roll: ), Next morning I tried the internet again, with the same result and so phoned and spoke to someone. They told me the same. No appointments, so they would send the details to the hospital. This afternoon, the hospital rang. They have the details, and now will ring my GP and ask her to write a referel letter, they will assess it and send me an appointment. It will take longer to organize but they only release a few appointments to the c&B centre and when they are gone, they have to go back to the old system. :shock: :x :x I have had 3 referels this way and not one worked :x Gps here have to use the new system, I know at least 2 gps in my practice don't like it, but have no chocie. Am I alone in thinking what a waist of time and money this is? Sorry, for such a long rant and in the end, well, if you don't laugh you cry!!! Mad world.

lindah

You couldn't make it up!!!

Hope you don't wait too long.

Linda

suncatcher

Its a crazy world we live in. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :shock: :shock:
all best joanne

nearlybionic

Hi
I know where you`re coming from! I have used this ridiculous system 3 times now and it doesn`t improve! No appointments available, lost referral letters which are sent by GP, wrong appointments sent out after I had chosen and booked a suitable one. Of course the one I received was no good and I ahd to go through the whole process again. It is just an exercise in trying to cut waiting times by ticking government boxes re 18 week rule. In real life we still wait as long as ever though!!!
sorry to rant
NB

woodbon

I glad (or sad) I'm not the only one! All the money that must have been spent to set up a system like this, but it seems that its just a waste! Thats what bugs me most. I don't mind waiting, but I do hate the way things qre manipulated to produce figures that con people into thinking things are better then they are. People who use the systems are not fooled by figures - we know what happens we're not stupid or fools. OK rant over. Love Sue

colinone

Thats red tape taken to the extremes what a load of garbage
a total waist of time and money and guess whos paying
Colin

magenta

Hi Sue,
I've never heard of this and hopefully I'll never have to use it. Complete waste of time and only increases your stress levels trying to get an appointment. Hope you are feeling ok Sue. It's your appointment at hospital soon isn't it? Take care,
Magenta x

skezier

Hi Sue,
I hope it gets sorted soon. hang in there at some point it will get sorted. take care.

Hi nearly, hope your doing ok?

joanlawson

Hi Woodbon
What are they trying to do? Make our lives as complicated and stressful as possible? So lf the illness doesn't kill us, the system will
:roll: :roll:
We should all go and live in Belgium. I have a friend there and she is horrified at the way we are treated in this country. In Belgium, things like waiting lists, hospital infections etc are unheard of. If you need to see a specialist for any reason, it is only a matter of a few days, and any treatment follows immediately.
Good luck :!: It sounds as though you need it :roll:
Joan

woodbon

Hi,
Thank you all for your support, it really means a lot. I go to see the neurologist on 12th, which is Thursday, so I'm a bit nervous, but begining to feel a lot more positive about it. Anyway whatever, I'll cope. My husband is comming with me, so at least I'll have some support. I suppose it may mean more tests .

As for the Choose & Book, I chose to find it funny, as if not I would have blown my top!! Its the waste that gets me, then they haven't the money to pay for basics :? Oh Well.... Love Sue

brian35

In January I asked Choices why my local hospital did not feature in the hospital comparisons for TKR or THR as it did around 950 procedures for each in 2008.

I have just got this reply:

'You may remember raising a query about the hospitals displayed on NHS Choices back in January. May I offer my apologies for the long delay in responding to this.

Hospitals and procedures that display on NHS Choices are determined by a mapping of the listed clinics (using clinic types) to procedures. This mapping is provided by Choose and Book to NHS Choices. The clinic types provided by Choose and Book are displayed in the 'treatments offered' tab in the hospital profile pages and on the hospital scorecards. Hospitals can take steps to ensure that the information displayed on NHS Choices is up to date, by checking that the appropriate clinic types are listed with Choose and Book.

We are sorry that we are currently unable to provide comparative data about knee replacement services. We are working to improve the data that we can display about hospitals that are not currently listed on the Choose and Book system, which we plan to launch later on the site later this year.'

I have suggested that it would be better to include the hospital and say that the data is not available.

woodbon

VERY long-winded. Why use one word, when you can use 1000! :shock: Love Sue PS Do you remember 'Yes Minister'?

bigmomma

It's a nightmare trying to book hospital appointments with their new improved systems, isn't it? And how about trying to access medical treatment out of hours or at weekends? And there's the laughably entitled 'NHS Direct' help lines!! The whole system is completely up the Swanee if you ask me.
AGYG

vonski

Hi Sue

I used this option a few weeks ago but haven't had a letter to confirm it. Checked website and there are no other appointments available. I'm now going to ring tomorrow and make sure that I have the appointment. It would be easier if the Dr. just did it like they used to but would that make our lives :wink to easy

Hope you get things sorted out soon.

Love
Vonski x

colinone

Hi Woodbon

On Wednesday 8th April we are going to try and set a new record for most people being online at the same time on this site. I think the time is set for 6pm if you can join us please let BADGER know. If you cant locate him have a look on CHIT CHAT FORUM under are we going to break the record. We need your help to do this so please join us.

vonski

Hi

I did ring and check that I had an appointment booked through this system and yes I was told I had, no problem. This afternoon I got a call from his secretary saying she doesn't know how this has happened but he's away on holiday, my appointment was tomorrow 9.30 am :roll: How come she'd only just noticed? Now got one for 30th April, well maybe. Bring back the old fashioned way.

Love
Vonski x

livinglegend

I phoned to make a regular, annual, hospital appointment some time ago and when I requested an appointment, the appointments clerk said, "We can't make appointments just when patients feel like it." I replied, "Why does your department exist if not to make appointments when patients need them? Can you please pass me on to someone who is capable of understanding the concept" I was then passed on to 3 different polite, sympathetic secretaries, who I gleefully told about the attitude of the first one.

When I was high enough up the food chain, the consultants PA said, "I can give you an appointment time and date, a letter will be in the post this afternoon." Which it was.

Joseph 8)

weerosie

woodbon wrote:

Hi,
Thank you all for your support, it really means a lot. I go to see the neurologist on 12th, which is Thursday, so I'm a bit nervous, but begining to feel a lot more positive about it. Anyway whatever, I'll cope. My husband is comming with me, so at least I'll have some support. I suppose it may mean more tests .

As for the Choose & Book, I chose to find it funny, as if not I would have blown my top!! Its the waste that gets me, then they haven't the money to pay for basics :? Oh Well.... Love Sue

The Nhs really has a way of making life difficult for itself and everyone involved! I know we have to be grateful for what we are given...but sometimes you just think that a better service really wouldn't take that much more effort on the Nhs's side of things! I hope you get sorted soon Woodbon. x

mistywillow

weerosie wrote:

woodbon wrote:

Hi,
Thank you all for your support, it really means a lot. I go to see the neurologist on 12th, which is Thursday, so I'm a bit nervous, but begining to feel a lot more positive about it. Anyway whatever, I'll cope. My husband is comming with me, so at least I'll have some support. I suppose it may mean more tests .

As for the Choose & Book, I chose to find it funny, as if not I would have blown my top!! Its the waste that gets me, then they haven't the money to pay for basics :? Oh Well.... Love Sue

The Nhs really has a way of making life difficult for itself and everyone involved! I know we have to be grateful for what we are given...but sometimes you just think that a better service really wouldn't take that much more effort on the Nhs's side of things! I hope you get sorted soon Woodbon. x

Now if the system was simplified there would nt be the need for all those administrators and they would all be out of jobs and ruin the governments employment targets!!
Gillx