Just a general moan

[puma86]

I visited my doctor last Monday as I am suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome (34 weeks pregnant).
I was given a telephone number for a phsiotherapist who I was asked to call to arrange an appt.
I did this and was told I would need to wait for a letter with appt details. 'no probs' I thought!!!

Went to midwife appt on the Wednesday and told her of doc appt etc. She informed me that I should have been able to make an appt over the phone. She gave me a different telephone number to try.
When I did this the lady on the end of the line told me they cant make appts over the phone and to wait for my appt letter. Again 'ok no probs' ...................

Letter arrived Saturday, and instead of my appt details it askes me to call another number to make an appointment over the phone........................................
..................
why could I not have had that number when I phoned the first time???!!!!! why wait for a letter giving me another number???!!!! So after a week I still as yet have no appt and the waiting lists to see a physio are a nightmare and so will be waiting some time! Aaaaaaarrrrrrrgh

Kate :o)

[China Doll]

You have to be registered to the service which means a letter of referral and then registering at the hospital. We have to offer you 'patient choice' (a load of balls in my opinion) so the out-patients department/contact centre have to write to you to ask you to call them in order to make a mutually conveniant appointment.

Sorry but you did ask...

[mccfluff]

and its all China's fault as she set up the system when she was in a bad mood......


(hope you get it sorted soon Kate)

[puma86]

:o(

oh I see. Thanks China
x

[rinkins]

Hi again Kate x I had to wait 3 months for a physio appointment, absolutely ridiculous. I'm sure some time ago I could just phone up straightaway and get an appointment. I'm sure my treatment is now taking longer because I had to wait so long.

[puma86]

3 months :o(

I only want a splint for my wrist. Would prob only take them 5 mins to see me :o(

boo hoo

[China Doll]

China's the very nice PA who if she can see that there's a letter scaned on to the system will make you an appt... ;0P

The admin staff just can't do anything until they see a letter. And I doubt you'd ever have just been able to make an appointment rinkins. Docs always have to refer in some way. Even if you're urgent, I'll still need a bit of paper, I can register you etc.. over the phone and make you an appt but I will still want something from the docs faxed over.

Best advice I can give is check that your GP has actually done your letter of referral, get a fax number from hospital and ask them to fax it again.... And hope there's a half decent PA at the end of it.

[China Doll]

'Would prob only take them 5 mins to see me...'

^^^ Yep, they probably have a few hundred patients who think the same thing I'm afraid. You can see how the maths works out.

If you can afford it go private, it'll be quicker.

[rinkins]

I think it was a trial/experiment china, it obviously wasn't successful!! Thank you for explaining. I do understand that it's very busy and there are people being added on the list all the time.

[puma86]

Oh yes I do understand that there are lots of peeps waiting etc. But I didn't think that for a splint I would need to have an appt.
Can I not buy one from anywhere?
Its just that (and again I know lots of women will be having the same problem) I am getting all of about 2-3 hours max of broken sleep a night due to it being so painful now and am still working full time. Finding it a bit hard to cope with.

[mccfluff]

http://www.google.co....nts+for+carpal+tunnel


there are quite a lot here!

[China Doll]

I don't know much about carpel tunnel stuff, not really my area but I'm sure I managed a woman who had it a few years back and she had to have minor surgery for it I think so it wasn't quite as simple as just a five minute job... Although obviously I could have completely the wrong diagnosis.

Can you not get your GP to sign you off work due to it? Or your Occupational Health Dept? Doesn't sound like you're healthy enough to be working on a lack of sleep if you're also pregnant.

[puma86]

Thank you fluff :o)

China - yes thats right. apparently after pregnancy if the symptoms dont go away they will look into surgery, but at the mo its because of my wrists swelling due to the pregnancy, common in later weeks so i've been told.
I think I could get signed off and probably should just to get some rest, but work is making my days go by sooner I guess. I would be so bored sitting at home alone. Although at the same time with being so tired and hormones I think, I am also nearly brought to tears every morning at the thought of having to go to work :o(

Whinge Whinge Whinge - I know sorry :o)