Hip replacement

This week we had bad news regarding the Hip Replacement surgery my wife was supposed to have.

We found out that although she was supposedly ranked as PRIORITY, due to the bizarre machinations of the NHS, this had to go back to the GP's practise to be approved and subsequently paid for via the practise budget.

All very bureaucratically-loaded procedures, for some bloody-silly reason, but it turned out that the Practise Manager had ignored / forgotten this approval so it sat in the IN-TRAY for 7-bloody-weeks!

Not bloody happy at all so we made their lives a feckin' misery yesterday just to see if anything changed!

Today we got a date for the operation - at last - and my wife's going to get her hip "done"on the 25th of June.

Why oh bloody-why does it take this agro to get the NHS to move it's arse and treat people - those that pay for the NHS - as PATIENTS rather than morons? stevmk2

Re: Hip replacement

I think you're entitled to be angry Steve, mistakes like that are due to incompetence.

Re: Hip replacement

Sadly - you have to keep on at people these days to get things done - I'm absolutely fed up with it too, may as well talk to a chimp - they seem to have more sense .....

Re: Hip replacement

Oooh! I once had the great pleasure of talking to a Bonobo!

I was absolutely astounded at what she understood and even more astounded by the looks she gave - what a shrewd, intelligent lady! Lovely! stevmk2

Re: Hip replacement

Exactly ........
BTW - hope all goes well for your lady

Re: Hip replacement

That's dreadful!
My youngest was informed last week that she'd been taken off the ENT specialist's list because she hadn't replied to a letter telling her to phone for an appointment, I e-mailed saying we had been waiting for contact but never received anything, now she's got to go to end of list again. It makes you want to spit!

Re: Hip replacement

Sadly, that's exactly what I'm finding out too Patsy.
I am sick to death of having to argue with people who have either not done their jobs properly, or worse still, not done anything at all ! I am amazed at how much of this goes on.

Re: Hip replacement

No wonder you're angry Steve, but it doesn't surprise me. You did well to get it sorted.

Re: Hip replacement

All this silliness with the NHS seems to be yet another way to convince us that the government's ideas on improving the NHS are working and it's all more "transparent" now.

It isn't.

It's management is just as incompetent as it always was; perhaps even more so, because more and more bureaucrats have been shifted sideways to work on the never-ending reporting and targets the government expects them to do instead of dealing with patients.

I had an email address to contact my local Audiology and it worked just fine but it's been improved.

Now it takes a week to get an answer and they just tell you to call them on the 'phone.

I emailed because it was agreed with Audiology as I can't use the 'phone very well now.

Does nobody have any common sense anymore?! stevmk2

Re: Hip replacement

Right matey, as the resident 'expert' (have had three hip replacement operations), there are a number of things your OH needs to do and arrange BEFORE she goes into hospital. Firstly she'll need the services of the hospital occupational therapist to measure the chair she sits in and arrange to have it raised. Next she'll need a frame around the toilet and a raised toilet seat. If yoou have a shower cabinet, a seat inside the shower would be helpful.

Then there are the various aids to assist her - go visit the mobility section of: www.helpinghand.co.uk and you'll see what I mean about 'mobility aids'.

If you or your OH have any other questions or concerns, come back to me.

In the meantime, may I wish your OH good luck (not that she'll need it) with her operation.