Is it usual to have huge delays?

[Cat Mando]

I understand the NHS are overworked, underfunded and kinda busy but...

I saw my doctor, told her i thought it was OSA as when id mentioned snoring in the past it had been dismissed. she referred me to the consulant at the hospoital, which took only 4 or 5 months, he ordered a sleep test which i did at home a few days later. 2 months later i got to see the consulant again and he made sure i was imediately put on CPAP (2 days for equipment to arrive).

But the question is, If my results were that dramatic that i was starving my brain of oxygen for 3 minutes at a time and the consulant that sees these things every day was shocked, why waqsnt someone doing something in the 2 months that my results were known???

Thats 2 months of me presumably knocking off brain cells by oxygen starvation (luckily i have a substantial IQ so i can spare a few), 2 months of risking serious health problems that i have been dicing with up untill that point anyway. 2 months when i could have been spared these problems. and presumably they were downloaded then sat in a file awaiting posting to my consulatant...

If only a doctor that knew what he was doing could process them and highlight the problem cases that need urgent attention and fast track them.

just my 2 cents

[Tigers Fan]

If only ....

Hi Cat (which ones don't have a high IQ?)

You describe the NHS we'd all like! The delay that gets to me is the Consultant between my GP's referral and actually getting the job done. My GP wants a sleep study done so he refers me to the hospital. Weeks later I get an appointment to see Mr Bloggs, Consultant. I get to see him and he agrees with my GP - I need a sleep study. Two months have passed and we are no further forward - I'm referred for a sleep study.

In the event the Consultant screwed up the paperwork and it took nine weeks and many phone calls to secretaries to get the referral to the Sleep Centre. The PCT CEO was on the case by then, so things moved thereafter.

I recall it took five and a half months to get the Study done and a further three weeks for another Consultant to watch the movie/see the data from my sleep-in.

Remember, all this time ( six months) I have OSA - just that it had not been diagnosed. Un-diagnosed OSA doesn't make me any safer as a driver than a diagnosed OSA driver! At this point we come to the DVLA, of course, who give us four weeks to get compliant on CPAP therapy or take your licence away.

Now, as NHS and DVLA are both Government run, in my ideal world they would have joined up thinking and fast track people with OSA and expecially people like you, Cat. In the real world, let's leave well alone or they'll take our licences at the point of GP referral!! Ouch!!!

Tigers Fan

[Poppy56]

It shouldn't be a post code lottery - although I guess everything else in the NHS is unfortunately. I feel very lucky - I went to my doctor who referred me directly to the sleep clinic. They sent me a questionnaire within a couple of weeks and, based on that, booked me into a sleep study almost immediately. Based on the results of that I was booked into another overnight stay to try out the CPAP and went home with it the next day. I still haven't seen a doctor - only sleep technicians. I have a one month follow-up appointment next week and will apparently see the consultant then. I wish all primary care trusts were this efficient.

[leswaller]

TigersFan
Take it from me as an insider - NHS + joined up thinking = oxymoron

[Joanna]

London waiting times

I have waited 16 months from the moment of GP referral till I laid my hands on the CPAP machine. St Mary's Hospital's Sleep Clinic in Paddington is barely able to cope. Horror story.

[dravidio]

The NHS is like the curate's egg. Good in parts. I worked overseas for most of my working life and was covered by private health insurance from my employer - so I guess I was spoilt. Coming back to UK and retired - I have had good and bad experiences in the NHS. I am lucky that I have enough money to choose whether to go private or not. Needing another hernia operation I would have had to wait for 8 months on the NHS so I paid to have it done privately. But recently I had two carpal tunnel operations done at the local NHS hospital and the service was brilliant. I went down the private route for CPAP.

My 90 year old father is well served by the local hospital for outpatients services - but having to spend 10 days on a ward the cracks show. Nurses simply do not do personal care any more and I saw elderly and mentally ill patients neglected. One man suffering from dementia simply had his food tray plonked down in front of him - so he could later throw it all over the floor. An elderly friend of mine who was 89 had vomited over her nightdress and was left overnight before anyone cleaned the mess up. Meanwhile the nurses station is a gossip centre.....

You don't like to complain because you are worried about abuse of your elderly relatives - well that's my say...

[Floatyboaty]

I thought it was just me! When I was last in hospital I kept ringing the bell to get a nurse to see to the other patients because they would not come to some of the more needy, it was just as you describe, they moved me into a side ward so I would not keep calling them! Dreadful place, I dread having to go there!

[Debbie]

I feel so lucky to be in Manchester. I had a home sleep test & was referred to the clinic and had my diagnosis within 4 weeks. I managed to get a cancellation for the CPAP fitting and 2 weeks later and few hours sleep in the clinic, my life was changed.

It is so unfair that where you live can delay a cure for so many. We all pay the same tax rates.....

[Theresa Penney]

My husband and I live in france and he have just completed a home sleep test. We have been amazed at how quickly he was seen. We visited our doctor last Thursday who gave us a letter to give to our local pulmonologist. We rang on Monday for an appointment and were seen last night, Wednesday. We saw the consultant who fitted my husband with the necessary test equipment for the test to be done last night. We returned to the consultant this morning where the results were analysed while we waited. Her was told he had severe sleep apnea. We will be getting a home visit to fit up and teach us how to use a CPAP. That is what I call service and why France's health system is the best in the world. I feel sorry for people stuck on the NHS system having to wait for months to even get tests done, especially as this is potentially a very serious condition. One reason why we decided to move to france. We do pay a top up health insurance which is reasonable as most of the costs are covered by the french health system anyway. So although not totally free as in the UK, I'd much rather pay a bit to get this top class treatment.

[Biggles]

Delays

I had my sleep test in February which was about 4 years after I had asked the GP for some help with my very, very bad snoring. Had to jump through various hoops before being sent to see somebody else. In the October I thought it was strange I had not heard anything so spoke with the Consultant's secretary who was basically quite rude and unhelpful and told me the results were still being waited upon. I rang back a couple of weeks later and thought it was about time I was a bit forceful myself. The following day, a blustering secretary is asking me to visit, like NOW. Records had been mislaid.

Very nice consultant who explained the condition, various treatments and the benefits of paying privately for CPAP. Fortunately I was in the position to be able to pay. It was sad to be told by the consultant that the government is just not putting any money into this health area as the bulk of the money is going to cancer and heart treatments. Anyhow, it is now more than 5 years since I was diagnosed, I have now relocated to France. Last December I had my first appointment with a French sleep specialist, taking my records provided by my UK chappie. In less than a week a technician arrived at my home with my new equipment. 3 weeks later the technician visited again to check everything was OK. I'm now waiting for another visit quite soon. I do have to say that I'm very impressed with the service level here in France and I'm no longer paying the monthly fee to the UK equipment provider. The French authorities appear to understand how serious a problem this condition is and treat it accordingly. When the apnea condition is treated it may well reduce or negate other health problems further down the road.