Phone number or email for bariatric team at Birmingham Heartlands??

[SCOOBYDOOBYDOO]

Hi all,
My G.p has referred me to Birmingham Heartlands and my funding has already been secured.
With the postal strike looming I wanted to ring them to see when they would be offering me my first appointment. There was a phone number on the letter but I'm not sure its the right one as I got a very ill informed young girl on the end who couldn't seem to work out what I was asking for. She said 'You have to see a doctor first.' I said 'yes I have'. Then she said she wouldn't be able to give my any information as there are lots of doctors and she didn't know which one I would be under.
For any of you that went to Birmingham, how soon after referral were you offered your initial appointment?
Thanks for your help
Leanne x

 

[Fashionably Late]

I will find my last letter and give you their number.

My referral was the beginning of June and my initial appointment the 6th or 7th of July. I called and they gave me my appointment over the phone. They are apparently much more backlogged now than they were a few months ago.

 

[Fashionably Late]

Here are the numbers I have.

0121 424 2074
0121 424 2234
0121 424 0234

 

[SCOOBYDOOBYDOO]

Thankyou, I will give them a try xxx

 

[Jezabelle]

Did you get any joy Scooby??

Heartlands now have a new Diabetic centre where all wls patients are seen. When I phoned 2 weeks ago for a cancellation app they told me they were now booking into March next year, I obviously kept to my original app of 5th Nov to see if they are going to refer me to the surgeon or not!

The young girl was probably right not knowing which Dr you are to see 1st. It will depend on the surgeon when he reads your referal as to what he wants. With me they sent me to Dr Taheri 1st and he wants me to lose between 1-2 stone to show commitment, he said he will then refer me to the surgeon. My app is on the 5th Nov and I am keeping everything crossed because I have done what he wants me to do.

Good luck with your journey.

 

[claire36uk]

Scooby, i hope you got to hear what you wanted when they rang you back, i got referred end of April and my 1st appointment was June 1st, pre op appointment 24th August and Surgery 29th September, hope all goes well with your journey keep us all posted X

 

[Fashionably Late]

I found out that Heartlands works on a BMI scale. If your BMI was over 50 at referral, you are on a much quicker route. If it was under 50, you have to prove your commitment and have a few appointments. I had my initial appointment in July, another in August, another in September, one next month and a meeting with the dietician in March.

Speaking of which, there will be a cancellation with Mr Taheri for next month when I cancel with him.

 

[EMPRESS PAULA]

Hi
I went to Heartlands and i had a bmi of under 50, was referred by the doctor in march, had my apointment with the surgeon and dietician in june and was straight away told i could have the surgery with no suggestion of showing any commitment apart from following the pre-op diet when i got my appointment for surgery through! My pre-op assesment was a ten minute appointment with a nurse who checked blood pressure etc in september and my op was on october 9th with Dr Super.
It seems that it is different for everyone, and i am surprised i got through to surgery so quickly with no mention of trying to follow dietry advice first like i see others who post on here have to do! The only thing i can think is that during the first appointment we talked about all the diets etc i have tried over many years with no success and they thought it would make no difference following the weight management clinics advice as it had not worked for me before! Good luck!

 

[Fashionably Late]

I wonder how one hospital can have such different rules for everybody. No standard operating procedure. It makes my blood boil.

 

[SCOOBYDOOBYDOO]

Thanks to everyone that has replied on this thread. It is very much appreciated.
Haven't got round to phoning again yet as have been ill all week and also feel as though I may be getting a little impatient! As soon as my funding was approved I just wanted to get on with it.
My BMI is about 58 so hopefully once I get my first appointment I won't have to hang around too long and have already tried every diet club, slimfast, lighter life, counselling, slimming pills etc....all with varying degrees of success...or not!!
Will keep you posted.
And thanks again
Leanne x

 

[tutusueshropshire]

hi scooby im waiting for a ppointment to see mr taheri in january feels like months away ive waitid since july for this appointment, ive had my funding in place 2 (so the pct woman says) my bmi is 53 and i have also had appointment with mr siggiurdson at telford but he lost the funding so were are being sent to the heartlands, ive been told so many diffrent things that they do and dont do bypass at the heartlands even when ive phoned the hospital the young girl on the end of the phone says "i duno im only receptionist" ive tried to get cancelation appointment but in her word we dunna do them here!!
banging me head aginst the wall... the shropshire pct woman is so annoyed with me ringing shes either at lunch or at a meeting, been a month now ive been ringing some lunch break hey! x

 

[Fashionably Late]

They definitely do the bypass at Heartlands. The bypass surgeon is Mr Harish Kumar.

 

[tutusueshropshire]

They definitely do the bypass at Heartlands. The bypass surgeon is Mr Harish Kumar.

Thanks for that hunni, its just so confusing u have told me this before so i do apreciate it, when i talk to people on face book they say a big NO!! so thanks for ur reply xx