Is It Nhs Policy To Put Off

[nailedit]

Properly investigating a health proplem for as long as possible?

It was only after my 4th trip (in 2 months) to A&E with severe abdominable pain that I was eventually given a scan and admitted to hospital with hepatitis. Previous 3 times I was just dismissed and told to take pain killers.

 

Now, after several trips to A&E, my mate has just been told that he has a 3x4 inch tumour on his pancreas. Its not looking good.  He first presented at A&E 6 months ago as he was coughing up blood. As time went on, he lost 3 stone in weight in a short period of time, he could rarley keep food down, he had constant diarrhoea and abdominal and back pain. Like myself, eventually given a scan and diagnosed.

 

I know the NHS is struggling, but wouldnt it be more expedient to scan people like me and my mate the first time that we present at A&E rather that take up resorces by repeated visits with obvious symptons that something is amiss?

[davebro3]

Dunno about A&E but I saw my GP last week and he has referred me for a scan - just waiting for an appointment.

I expect scanners are too fully booked just to take random patients from A&E.

[davebro3]

PS. Our scanning facility isn't at the A&E hospital.

[ToraToraTora]

Look me old china, as much as I sympathise with your issues it's a bit rich moaning about the NHS. You've had more NHS/societal resources thrown at you than most. Just get off the sherbet and fix yourself. I have mostly been a sympathiser up to now but you are starting to get on my nerves. Just meet the system half way for gawd sake.

[barry1010]

Seemingly every day there is a report in the press about the NHS ignoring a problem until it is too far gone for treatment, like this one re pancreatic cancer

https://mol.im/a/14359057

I'm sure it's not policy, I don't know if it's happening more than it used to but it's worrying.

 

[calmck]

As a nurse who trained in the 60s your friend should have been fast tracked with those symptoms. Did his GP not press for tests etc?

Re the NHS and hospitals I think that taking the running of the hospital and staff training away from Matrons and creating Trusts was a big error of judgement. 

[calmck]

Also reading about the inability to discharge patients to suitable places the abolish of convalescent home was also a mistake

[Hymie]

I’ve not seen a GP at my surgery in more than 5 years; unless the Labour government can make good on its promise to sort the mess left by 14 years of Tory corruption (as someone who is fast approaching 70), I’m not expecting to see a GP again, until two of them sign me off as dead.

[naomi24]

I think a lot of people are being neglected.

[wolf63]

I think it depends on how well your doctor knows you.  I have had doctors tell me that it is all down to stress, depression etc.

A couple of years ago I went to my usual GP about a vague problem which included shaking limbs.  He knew that I hated going to see him and took it seriously.  I had a brain scan and relevant treatment within a week.

My GP has now retired and I have little or no faith in the rest of the practice.

 

[Peter Pedant]

I expect scanners are too fully booked just to take random patients from A&E.

( er yes) - xc a ref from A+E isnt really random

What was thequestion - wdnt it makes sense to scan more and ealier

no( or yes) time and money

You mate - you wouldneed to look  at the notes. Ignoring coughing up blood is a bit of a stretch. Ignoring three stone (15kg ) weight loss is chancing it a bit too

 

[Peter Pedant]

as someone who is fast approaching 70

youhave fifteen more years in you ( actuarially -yeah yeah I know long word)

[DDIL]

I haven't followed whats going on here, but apart from being frequent flyers at A&E did you seek help from your GP practitioners?

[FoxLee2]

Maybe it depends on the type of scan required but on two occasions i have gone to A & E in pain and been sent for a CT scan within a short time of the dr requesting it.  It was then a long wait to see the dr for the result.

[nicebloke1]

Maybe if less turned up at A&E when there's little wrong with them, or something they could have done for themselfs by OTCM.

Maybe if ambulances didn't have to be scooping drunks and druggies up off the street night after night and transporting them to A&E. There's lots of ifs, but theres one thing for sure its not neglect, it's sheer numbers attending and thats not neglect by staff, its called be over run by a great number of idiots. And those great numbers of idiots are costing billions, and in some cases lives.

[newmodarmy]

^Yes the system is abused, but that's no consolation to those who genuinely need the service. If it was you or your mum getting a poor service you might see it differently

[Peter Pedant]

but apart from being frequent flyers at A&E did you seek help 

nope Frequent flyers are those who goto Casulty without reason - these two has reasons whichweremissed

ergo not Frequent FLyer

One of my neighbours was a frequent flyer ( you get a chitty and need permission to go -  yeah "please miss" etc...bit like AB.)

and was dead with 18 months ( aged 54) - and I wondered ( as everyone knows on AB I am a thinker) - whatthe ong term outcmoe of FFwas ? easy stuff - you get the FF docket  and count how many seem to have stopped flying

I thought it might be a flag for early death ( I didnt think if was worth taking further for him - smoked diabetic, wdnt keep to diet, glucose always gtr 20 )

[davebro3]

An aside - The TV progs "24 hours in A&E" and the other one at Bradford - does anyone here have an A&E that operates so smoothly? They seem like another world to me.

[davebro3]

or is it Barnsley - can't remember

[nicebloke1]

My mum dont try and drink or drug herself to death, that maybe why shes got too 104, along with not being neglected by NHS. Look after youself and you will get looked after when you most need.

[bednobs]

you told us you'd had CT scans and xrays when you'd visited a+E with pain  twice.

A+E is NOT the conduit to get answers to long standing problems, yet they tried AND they scanned you.  They told you it was down to drinking, and guess what, you've got hepatitis and its down to drinking.  I would say you've had EXCELLENT and appropriate service from the NHS yet you still complain