Where Does My Referral Go?

[xmidgetgemx]

Hiya,

I was wondering if anyone could help?

I completed Tier 3 at The Weigh Ahead with Spire Southampton (I live in Bournemouth) in July.. They sent a letter to my GP recommending surgery and as far as I was aware, my GP surgery sent a referral for Bariatric surgery on September 5th..

However, after speaking with the secretary at my surgery today, my referral didn't actually go anywhere, the secretary has left messages with Royal Bournemouth Hospital asking where to send my referral.. She is going to chase it up and try and contact them again and call me next Monday (fingers crossed).

They also said that they knew what to do with Tiers 1-3 but not 4, and said that RBH were also rejecting referrals after a certain date..

So confusing...

If anyone could offer any advice/support it would be great fully received

Thanks

Gemma

 

[Hannah2]

Do you know which surgeon, or the name of any surgeon that does the bariatric surgery? If you do then phone hospital switchboard and ask for their secretary. Then you can ask them.

If you don't know the surgeon try contacting switchboard and asking - or try contacting PALS and see if they can help. You should find contact details for PALS on the hospital website.

Or you could try asking for the bariatric specialist nurse?

Good luck!

 

[xmidgetgemx]

I don't know the name of the surgeon, I didn't even know they done it at Bournemouth, (still don't know for sure?)

I'll try PALS and see if I get any luck..

Thankyou

 

[xmidgetgemx]

Since having my Tier 3 Weight Management with Spire Southampton, I just assumed that weight loss surgery would be with Spire at Southampton

 

[Hannah2]

Have you contacted the spires to ask them? They would be able to confirm if they did NHS WLS there? Might be worth a try! They might have contact details for the NHS team?

 

[Hannah2]

@xmidgetgemx have you done a search on here for Southampton spires and NHS? I had a quick look and think @beepbeepcat had her op there - she might be able to help. Maybe post on her diary?

 

[xmidgetgemx]

@Hannah2 thanks for your reply, I contacted Spire as I did my Tier 3 there.. She said to contact the surgeons secretary at RBH, or ever Spire as they do the surgery (as I knew) she also said I could request where my referral went.. So I called my GP surgery and asked if they could send the referral to Spire which she agreed to.. What I don't know is what happens next.. Time will tell x

 

[Hannah2]

Yeah! Glad you got somewhere! If you know the surgeon at the spire I would contact their secretary there and explain you have requested a referral and ask them to keep an eye out for it and update you on things. That way you can check when the referral goes through. Good luck!

 

[xmidgetgemx]

I don't know of any surgeons lol.. So wouldn't know where to start

Thankyou

 

[xmidgetgemx]

On Spire Southampton website there is a link to 3 obesity surgeons with their secretaries details, but as I don't know which one shall I leave it a while before I contact them?

 

[Hannah2]

Personally I would ring one of them and explain that you don't know how it works but that you are being referred on the NHS and could they please tell you who the point of contact would be. The spires hospital I had my op at have one person who deals with NHS referrals so they might have the same.

The worst case scenario is that they say they don't know and can't help!

Worth a try!

 

[xmidgetgemx]

Ah okay excellent,

Yeah I will give them a ring tomorrow

 

[xmidgetgemx]

Just had a letter from Bournemouth Hospital, and I have an appointment through at the diabetes and endocrine centre, to see a member of the Upper Gastro Surgery team on 21st September.. I will probably receive a letter from Spire Southampton as well as I think I was referred to both (what one should I go to?) it said I should allow up to two hours for my appointment any ideas what would happen? I need to lose 13kg to get down to the weight I was when I left tier 3