funding and waiting times

[michala]

i first went to heartlands in jan 2010 and met with a member of mr taheris team (he wasnt very supportive and there were tears). i went againin april and also met mr kumar the surgeon who agreed to do a gastric bypass hopefully b4 the end of the year.my paperwork i was told for funding didnt go off til 3 wks later due to staff shortages so that would have been may 2010. i rang the bariatric team aagain this week to be told funding still pending and that they will ask finances to chase it up, they told me that twice in the last 10 wks. does anyone have any advice about funding/ surgery waiting times.my friend was referred to gloucester and from start to finish it was 3 months. my nest apt with mr tahiris team is not till jan 2011. i live in hereford
:8855:

 

[bubblyangie]

I really understand your frustrations, I too had a really long wait @ heartlands, but I now currently work for heartlands and I have had the opportunity to see behind the scenes, and due to the massive influx of referrals I think the wait for anyone will be inevitable. I know Dr Thaheri can be very blunt and I have seen him upset people, I wanted to cry with the one lady he saw, but i do see that he doesn't do it to be nasty, he just trys to get us to realise that WE HAVE TO CHANGE, people ask for these operations out of desperation, I know that I was there too, but if we don't change our thinking and work with the doctors the surgery alone won't be enough long term, we can lose our health, regain weight etc.... Sorry for going on, but I think that if you saw the bigger picture, and choose to hang in there and work with the consultants and health professionals you will have your operation and achieve your dream of a healthier slimmer you!! Also I strongly urge you to go to a support group.

Hope I haven't offended you feel free to get back to me if you want to.

 

[gingernutter]

I am sorry that you are having to wait. I waited over 2 years just to be accepted for the surgery. The lack of funding in my area meant I had to find another path. I know only too well how it it feel to wait and wait. The good thing is you have already been accepted for the surgery and hopefully the funding will follow soon. Can your MP help speed things along? I know it is very worrying with all the pending cuts by the government. The recent good news has proven that this type of surgery will save the NHS lots of money in the future. It makes me laugh when people think it is the easy option for us obese people! No one would have this type of surgery unless they really needed it. Good luck with your funding. I know it is hard but try to keep smiling. You will get there!!!!

 

[michala]

thanx guys for ur replies and support. i cant go to the support groups as its a 110 mile round trip and i dont drive, but i am going to try really hard to get active and make changes to my diet and lifestyle to prove that im serious about the surgery and that im listening to all there advice.

 

[phatmomma]

Sorry i can't help with regards to Heartlands and waiting times/funding etc...

But i do congratulate you on taking the decision to do something pro active to help yourself along the surgery path. My GP said 30 minutes walking a day would do me wonders in readiness for my op.

Our lovely Beverlie has helped herself along and is exercising and dieting in readiness xx

 

[Laura b]

hi hun
im too under heartlands, i went to my gp 3 weeks ago my letter got sent 31st august, just waiting to hear off them now, iv been told by a few ppl heartlands is good with waiting times and dates ect could be just wishful thinking, not sure if ill go down a differant route to ur self as i was refered a couple of yrs ago to the weight management team at heartlands i seen dr taiheri i think at his clinic where i saw him every month for about a yr aswell as a dietician he is very abrupt but he just tells u how it is and i think sometimes thats what we need to shock us into reality of how big we r and why we need this surgery and also he will suggest every other ways of means of loosing weight and he expects u to try hard, which i did do and i did loose weight but its all back on which was my problem in the first place, this time im goin for surgery and theres no talking me out of it i hope i see that dr again because i thought he was really nice i really had lovely conversations with him, as ive done all the weight management stuff not sure if i will go down a differnat path to u or the same?? i know the wait will be a long one but it will come and it will be our turn and we will be posting pics of how great we look and also be helping ppl like us that r just starting off, good luck hun hope u dont have to wait too much longer xx