Re: Re: new to site, fell off a cliff

[Guest guest]

Zoe,

I read you post with interest as I have been through a similar experience with

my GP and the NHS. I feel that most of the time, all you get is 'flannel' from

these so-called professionals. They tell you to wait for a year (or however long

their waiting list is), re-assuring you that everything will be OK but it's only

because they know they cannot get to you any earlier. I recently read in an

authorative journal that because of the dire situation in the UK with the long,

long waiting lists for orthopaedic surgery, the Government have funded DTC's

Diagnostic & Treatment Centres for fast-tracking orthopaedic surgery (and

cataracts also, as it so happens). Some of these DTC's are private but most are

NHS and to date there are TWENTY FOUR of these centres throughout the UK with a

further 25 expected to open by 2005. They have so far completed over 66,000

orthopaedic surgeries!! This is huge and should be there to help us all BUT,

you try finding out about these DTC's!!! I called NHS Direct and PPP (private

patient care) both said 'Duh??!', BUPA did at least tell me about one of their

DTC's in Cambridge where I phoned and found that a hip resurfacing costs

£12.500. I did eventually find a website but your GP always has to refer you and

he/she will have to apply to the local NHS Trust for permission to send you out

of your area and this will be totally resisted if they think you can be 'fixed'

in your own area, even though it means a long wait with your condition is likely

to be deteriorating daily. Most of the OS's who are experienced in hip

re-surfacing and have a good 'rep' have waiting lists of 2-4 months for you to

be seen and then 2-4 months to have surgery privately. Not a long time compared

with NHS waiting lists I know, but still a good reason for me to go to Belgium

where the hospitals seem superior to British ones, especially in not having

MRSA! and they have no waiting lists at best, or maybe a week or two wait time

at the most.

I know some people who have 'posted' here, have been lucky to get to see the

'OS of their dreams' and not had to wait too long for surgery, but for the

majority of us this is sadly, not the case.

Sue

Re: new to site, fell off a cliff

Dear all,

Today I went to see My GP to ask if she would refer me to

see MR.Treacy in Birmingham. At first she said that our local health

authority had such a funding crisis at the moment that they had

cancelled all elective surgery for the rest of this year(I'm

assuming she ment financial year April 5th) she also said that the

referrals she had done for patients to Leeds had been 'turned back'

by Leeds as their waiting list was so long they were only doing

operations in their Local area. I explained how important it was for

me to stay active and not have to take things easy for the rest of

my life. She didn't agree with this and said I should remember that

I damaged my hip badly in an acccident and to stop pushing

pushchairs up hills etc. She also read out what my consultant had

written in December when I saw him last. He said that a hip

replacement was not indicated as yet. This was why she said she

couldn't refer me and my OS whould have referred me to see a BHR

specilliat if it was right for my situation but probably wasn't. I

explained that THR was not indicated because the consultant wanted

to wait until the very last moment due to my age and non-sutability

for a THR. I also felt that because my surgeon had be trained where

there was NO hip resurfacing and didn't have the experience to

deceide on my sutabillity for BHR and the only person that should be

saying yes or no to me about BHR was somebody like Mr Treacy who had

performed so many. I mentioned Dr De.Smet and the 6 month choice

recomendations and how I would go to Belgium and have it done their

in an ideal world. I said please please please please please. I

wouldn't leave her office until she wrote down on her pad Mr Treacy,

Birmingham royal Orthapeadic hospital.She agreed to refer me which

she did reluctantly saying don't be suprised if it gets knocked back

from somewhere. If it does, I will get busking and go to Belgium. I

am sending Dr DeSmet my exrays(I luckerly have copys), just in case

it can be done there.

I still have 2x@5inch screws going through my femur that attached

the ball back on after the accident so they need to be removed and

the rest of the metal work at some point. Keep your fingers crossed

for me. Thank-you for all your excellent advice that got my referral.

Loads of Love

Zoe

> > > > > > > > Hi all, nice to read some of the things on

this

> > > website.

> > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > >

> > > > > > > > My name is Zoe and I fell off a 45ft cliff 1

year

> > > ago. Im only 32

> > > > > > > > and after fracturing my pelvis in 7 place, 5

> where

> > > my leg shot

> > > > > > > > through the asitablium{ soz about my spelling }

I

> > > also broke the

> > > > ball

> > > > > > > > right off the top of my femur. This has all

been

> > > screwwed back

> > > > > > > > together and now im leading an active life

> looking

> > > after my two

> > > > > > > > highly demanding todlers with little or no

help.

> my

> > > doc says i

> > > > need

> > > > > > > > a THR but wants me to limit my exercise to a

> > minimum

> > > to delay the

> > > > > > > > opp due to my age. Im taking massive amounts

of

> > > tramedol and want

> > > > to

> > > > > > > > have a resurfacing done as soon as poss but

doc

> > says

> > > avascular

> > > > > > > > necreosis has deteriorated to much due to ball

> > > snapping. IS THIS

> > > > > > > > RIGHT?? Is the only option available to me a

> > > THR???? please is

> > > > you

> > > > > > > > get time can you answer my question thanks Zoe

> > > Huddersfield UK xx

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > >