First of all, I would like to state that I fully support the National Health Service (NHS), especially the University College Hospital UCH which has been exemplary in caring for me as a registered person with disabilities. I have always supported the NHS and its workers’ fight for a decent level of pay.
But it seems like the NHS and its GP surgeries are putting up more and more barriers to patients seeking treatment, just as many other services are doing with their clients. You get automated messages with numerous options that lead to other automated messages that tell you to go back to where you started or to a website.
So where does this process leave people like me, patients with impairments? For one thing, I believe it has made it much harder for all patients to get the health care we need because of the maze of pathways that callers have to negotiate to get to the right person. For those of us with long term conditions or impairments, the resulting delays cause stress, aggravate our conditions and sap our very limited supply of energy.
Just take the example of what I had to go through when I developed a throat infection.
My throat infection started on the 27th December 2022 and at first, I gargled with salt water, iodine tincture, mouthwash and then more salt water. After a week, it was not going away and getting worse so I called my GP surgery.
I had a computer give me all sort of choices as well as music and adverts before I was told I was ‘caller number 13.’ And so I waited and finally was put through. This was ten o’clock in the morning. I spoke to the receptionist, who informed me that there was no doctor there today and so I should dial ‘111′ and they would ‘sort it out’ and give me a prescription……because only a doctor can do that.
I dialled ‘111’ and was informed that I was number fifty-seven in the queue! I could not believe it! But was suffering so I waited for it to go down from 57 to me! Finally, the receptionist answered and asked me all sorts of questions and said that someone would call me within the next two hours.
I had a computer give me all sort of choices, with music and adverts before I was told I was ‘caller number 13.’
Someone did call, but it was an administrative person who wanted the details that I had already given to the receptionist. He stated that someone would call back within the hour!
One and a half hours later, a ‘clinician’ called and I had to repeat all the information again and they stated that someone would call me in an hour or so.
Two hours later, another clinician called and I had to repeat all the information again! They said I would receive a call back.
I dialled ‘111’ and was informed that I was number fifty-seven in the queue! I could not believe it!
Finally, another person called, this time a nurse and so I had to repeat all the information again! She stated that someone would call me before 5pm!
Sure enough I received another call and this time, Alajuela – it was a doctor! I was so happy to finally get through to a doctor!
The doctor asked me to repeat all the information I had stated before and asked questions, but by this time I was so hoarse that I could barely speak.
At the end of my croaked spiel, she said that a doctor would have to ‘see’ my throat and so she was sending me back to my General Practitioner!
From 10am to 5pm and this is it?
I have numerous physical impairments, chronic pain and reduced mobility and all those delays I’d encountered that day made my pain worse and drained my energy. I was so exhausted at the end of it that all I could do was sleep.
The next morning, I went to my GP practice. There was a queue as usual and I stood there ‘sharing’ my saga with those waiting! At last, I was seen by the receptionist and it was stated that a doctor would see me in the afternoon and so I would have to come back.
I did and the good doctor prescribed an antibiotic and took a swab. I took the medication (and still gargled salt water in between) for five days and it did nothing!
So, I called back and told them and they stated that antibiotics are for ‘bacteria’ and that I have a virus! My throat is still hurting, affecting my left ear and eye and constantly feels sore.
And the drama continues as I have now been waiting for an appointment with the ENT specialist! Wish me luck!
