impatient

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

Liz
we are all human and we all feel like venting sometimes, a few times I have felt like it seeing some comments on how 'rubbish' the hospital is and if people genuinely feel its that bad they are free to go elsewhere and see if they fair any better!

Hiya Denise thankyou for commenting on this thread, you know how it is with working at Srh, demand is very high as you well know and people become very frustrated, the hospital isnt rubbish its the demand thats high 90-100 referals a month is a hell of alot for 4 surgeons to get through, they are doing there best to do so though.

Working at SRH I will come to the defence of all our surgeons (and anaesthetists) who work extremely hard doing long hours and often even coming in on days off to check their patients.

i fully agree with you, all the team at Srh work very hard to give a good standard of care to the patients including your self so thankyou for that, what i do is just volentry but it doesnt mean its any less close to my heart, i care very much about how people cope before and after there ops thats why ive took on the support group as support is in my opinion a major key to sucess. People that have patient support go on to have better sucesses than those that choose to go it alone.
I wish people would remember the surgeons do the surgery and the business managers control the finances so waiting lists can vary especially in an over stretched NHS which is facing continued budget and staffing cuts.
Although I do appreciate how frustrating it can be when it happens, it annoys me when some people blame the surgeons for postponing surgery or when operations are cancelled because of other unforseen problems such as emergencies/theatre problems (should have had mine originally in September/October).

this is what i was trying to vent about earlier in my thread but people just dont get it, thanks for speaking up Denise, you understand my concerns completley x

My rant over for now

how are you after your recent op are you ajusting ok ?

Liz x

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

I'm probably not going to be popular for saying this but I feel really sorry for all the secretaries!!

they are part of the team too, they work hard also

How can they possibly do all their work if they are being phoned for dates all the time?
totally agree, this isnt just at Srh, but all nhs hospitals.

How can they list patients if they have constant interruptions? They are only human!!

yeah this can cause major problems.

Yes I am post-op so have had my surgery but at the time I breached the 18 week guideline - and waited nearly 3 years in total.

xxx

3 years is becoming more common, its hard but people will be done eventually x

 

[cherry]

hmmmmm ill be keeping my mouth shut!

 

[Denise Morris]

Hi Liz
like a tortoise getting there slowly but surely, and I am remiss I forgot to include our secretaries and in fact all other staff involved (incl myself). I don't think people appreciate the stress until they have worked in NHS as it is now.
A few years ago in preassessment we only had 4 nurses (1 part time) and 1 part time clerk and when we had F/T member of staff off long term sick and at same time the clerk moved to new job we could not get any help to make appointments so I have done my share of working from 8.30-5.30 preassessing patients then continuing on (unpaid) until 9pm sorting out, phoning patients and making appointments so we could get them in for preassessment (all on half hour break when I was lucky).
Many times I have come out after working late to find hubby had fallen asleep waiting hours for me "just to finish up".
If I'd had any sense at the time I would have left it till there were no patients booked in and that might have stirred management up to hire a new clerk.
If someone had been able to show me a window into the future 14 years ago I probably wouldn't have become a nurse despite wanting to do it since I was 16, and thats sad.

 

[MORNINGSTAR]

Well said Denise

 

[Linski]

I can see both sides of this discussion to be perfectly honest. Not wishing to sound harsh but it is usually those who have had surgery who say be patient etc and those of us waiting for movement let alone a date who moan. |C|an everyone of you who have now had surgery honestly say you were not a tad impatient? I am impatient I admit it and won't apologise for being so. My life is on hold until I get this bypass and I know it is my fault I am this big and feel so crap about myself let alone how ill I feel half the time. I am always pleased when soemone on here gets a date and I am genuinly interested in everyone who is post op and their progress and wish them everything they wish themselves. We all know it's no fun playing the waiting game and personally I feel for everyone waiting for that special date.

All nursing staff and doctors are angels in disguise but it doesn't make the waiting any easier.

No offence intended, just my humble opinion.

Linski xx

 

[Grace]

I agree!
With everyone!
I was very impatient myself pre-op, but in all honesty, only up until getting put on the waiting list. I don't think it was actually impatience, so much as anxiety - would it (the surgery) really and truly ever happen?

Once I was put on the waiting list and knew I had a rough time scale to work to, I calmed right down and actually tried very had not to think about it (the surgery)- I knew it would happen eventually, and even when the waiting list was extended, I dealt with it and just philosophically waited. I was actually gob-smacked when my date finally arrived: it was such a shock!

But it is a hard process when we're waiting, because we all so desperately want to be 'done' and be able to get on with the rest of our lives!

Well, having just spent my 3rd stint on Sunderland's bariatric ward, and being an ex-nurse too, I have to say in all honesty, the staff genuinely DO CARE.

I will include all the staff, but in my opinion the surgeons are quite outstanding in their approach. My surgeon now operates every day, including weekends, because the list is so big and demand so high. That is some amazing level of dedication. When I was poorly last time, he or Mr Balapuri or often both, came to see me every day, often several times a day. It was clear they really cared. I was very touched.

This time when I was having problems, again, there was no messing about from Mr S. As soon as I rang, he arranged for me to see him, and then admitted me straight away to have all my investigations done so he could be totally sure everything was ok.

I had to wait almost a week for my CT scan, to be sure, which was frustrating. BUT not the doctors fault. Again its just a case of demand outstripping supply.

And being able to watch the ward staff, in a state of relative health, and seeing the demands on them, I have to say, they were brilliant too. I know I personally had a bad time on my first stay, and I don't know why, unless they were just very very busy, but they were absolutely lovely this time. I couldn't fault them and they work under such extreme pressure all the time.

As Mr S (my surgeon) said to me, for every operation they do, they get 5 more referrals, as friends and relatives see amazing success and realise there is a way out of the prison of obesity. This is bound to cause a ridiculous level of demand on the system, and the staff are doing their best to meet it.

But when you, as an individual, want and need the surgery, it's very very hard to have to wait, cope with put off and delayed appointments, etc. You don't know and understand the system from the inside, and it's easy to take it personally and get very upset. Because for you, it IS personal!

So I say again. I see both sides and get it completely.
I now have large splinters in my botty from sitting on the fence ! LOL !

Hugs to you Liz. Thanks so much for popping into see me. Its such a shame I missed you; it would've been brilliant to see how you're doing.
Grace xxx

 

[keeley86]

hmmmmm ill be keeping my mouth shut!

Me 2 x

 

[DaisyMaesy]

At clinic on Tuesday we had a meet the surgeon session and he seemed to think that all those in the pipeline will get their ops. He did say though anyone new will have difficulty because of the changes to the system. I was also told that although currently the 18 week rule is in place (only just) they are finding it impossible to stick to because of the shear volume of referrals.
I am starting to get impatient because frankly as my funding was assured last July I can see it disappearing in the vast cuts being made to the NHS at the end of this financial year.
But on talking to other people in the group they have been waiting longer and much as I know that I really deserve this operation, I would not begrudge others theirs and would in no way try and jump the queue (although the thought has been there, believe me, I am not perfect!) I did phone the hospital admissions and had a lovely chat with the lady there. My turn will come but it does not alter the fact that I can if I wish be really impatient about it, but neither should we begrudge people who wish to vent their anger at what seems like really pushy people trying to jump queues etc. I have noticed certain posts on Facebook lately which have made me think 'why should you be a priority over someone else?'
I fully support anyone's right to rant as much as other's right to bemoan their lot. let us not get upset over this and not censure people because they have an opinion.

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

Hugs to you Liz. Thanks so much for popping into see me. Its such a shame I missed you; it would've been brilliant to see how you're doing.
Grace xxx

i was in having my review so i thought id pop in and see how you were doing, we will catch up again no doubt at some point in the near future, im doing ok thanks, ive been lucky everything so far for me has been very much straight forward thankyou for asking x

 

[phatmomma]

Liz i'm honoured to have known you even if only cyberly...

One day i hope to meet all of my cyber friends and see how truly beautiful you all are xx

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

Liz i'm honoured to have known you even if only cyberly...

One day i hope to meet all of my cyber friends and see how truly beautiful you all are xx

id like to meet you too Julie that would be Lovely x

 

[Big an Bouncy]

Grace Im with you,its not impatience it is anxiety.Thinking it will never happen,worrying you wont get referred,panicing over funding,news government making cuts and so on.Not till you get that date do you actually relax and think'this is going to happen'Living like that for over two years is hard.Maz x

 

[Big an Bouncy]

Daisy I was exactly where you are till this week.My funding was approved last June and I thought it would be taken away with the cutbacks.It does seem those in the system will be ok but I fear the goalposts are moving and future surgery will be restricted to just a few.Only my opinion.Maz x

 

[Grace]

agreed Maz. The thing is, I think that people find it hard to step into other peoples' shoes. When you're on one side, that's what you see. When you're on the other, that's what you understand.
I think I can see both sides because I'm an ex-nurse and midwife. I've worked in the NHS and I understand what a strain it and its staff are under. But as a patient, I get how painful and stressful the whole WLS journey is too.

I guess none of us like to feel we have no control.

But.....the fact that WLS is available AT ALL on the NHS is simply amazing to me. And truly a gift from God!

 

[Denise Morris]

Its not just the NHS facing cutbacks its the whole country, its easy to blame the current government but lets remember they have inherited a mountain of debt courtesy of our last government, reckon it will get worse before it gets better, we need to brace ourselves for the coming storm.

 

[Grace]

I don't like talking politics on this forum Denise. We don't all have the same politics and it can lead to nasty and unnecessary arguments. Just my opinion.

 

[Mazza]

I don't like talking politics on this forum Denise. We don't all have the same politics and it can lead to nasty and unnecessary arguments. Just my opinion.

Mine too Grace, this isn't the place for a political debate! x

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

jeeez i wish id not started this thread look what its dun x

 

[Grace]

jeeez i wish id not started this thread look what its dun x

LOl Liz, chill honey! Actually I think it's a really useful thread!