Long post, rant. Please do not feel that you have to read or respond.
Some of you may know about the problems my daughter has been facing, trying to see an ENT consultant through the NHS. This all started last October, when my daughter was given telephone consultations for 3 months with her GP, and endless antibiotics before I stepped in and insisted she was seen in January. One look at her throat and she was put on a 2 week referral to ENT. They diagnosed an embedded tonsil stone, gave her medication and said they would see her again in 4 weeks time. In April after not hearing from them, she phoned to say that her symptoms had got worse, she was now losing weight and finding it hard to swallow. 2 days later an appointment arrived……The appointment was made for her for the previous March. Dated the 22nd April, but the appointment was for 3 weeks previously.The hospital have admitted this mistake, but say that as she missed her appointment they now cannot see her until August 2023. Even though it was pointed out that my daughter is not a time traveller so would never been able to get to her appointment.
She has been in so much pain, and now has ulcers all across her throat as well as swollen tonsils. We have complained to PALS who are carrying out an investigation, they can see that the March appointment was not made until April, but currently her appointment is still for 15 months time with Doctor P.
Today I phoned a private clinic and have now got her an appointment for 2 weeks time……with Doctor P. The same consultant who cannot see her through the NHS until August of next year.
When did our NHS become so bad? How many people who have cancer symptoms are being fobbed off with telephone consultations without seeing the doctor. I myself have not seen my GP or consultant for 2 years. I have had blood tests, ct scans, X-rays, but all consultations are over the phone. Not one person in all this time has listened to my wheezy chest or carried out any physical examination. I phoned my GP this week to say I needed some inhalers, and as these were not on my repeat prescription the receptionist would not let me order them. I still cannot believe that my GP asked me what I thought was causing my breathlessness…..”oh I don’t know”, said I, “maybe my lung cancer! “
That is so horribly awful, having to deal with idiocy and incompetence whilst your daughter is suffering. Best of luck with the private appointment. I am sad and angry that it is the only way you can get the attention that your daughter obviously needs.
Love and hugs to you both 
️
Sarah
We have had an update. A letter of apology from PALS, explaining that when the appointment was made in April for March 2022, they had actually thought they were booking an appointment for March 2023. However, the earliest appointment is indeed August 2023 due to poor capacity in the ENT department.
We still have the private consultation on 6th June with the same consultant that we cannot see with the NHS until August 2023, and I have been beating myself up thinking am I adding to the problem by going private? Is this what they want? Is this the end of our NHS? To see this consultant privately it is going to cost £250. If she has to have her tonsils removed, it will cost just shy of 5 thousand pounds. My daughter would not be able to fund this by herself, and that also worries me, how many people do not have the luxury to be able to fund their own treatment and have to wait 18 months to see someone. At my daughter's initial consultation in January, they said that they do not think the lump on her tonsil is cancer, but no biopsy has been done, I cannot take that risk and wait.
I worry for the people who are caught up in this Covid backlog, the ones that can't get a doctor's appointment, and cannot find their voice to shout out when they need to get an appointment.
