Coronavirus outbreak

[Milzy]

The government are easing restrictions too early.

 

[Rusty Nails]

You lot must be unlucky,In the last 12 months I've had countless blood's taken, numerous hospital visits including a chest x-ray and a camera investigation and I'm about to undergo intravenous treatment which will be 3x4hr visits over the next 6 weeks, all due to an inflammatory bowel condition.
On top of that I'm in need of a 2nd knee replacement that's scheduled in for this year.
I did pay privately for the knee consultation in November but the X-rays (January) and final operation will be on the NHS.

A friend of mine is also scheduled in for a hip transplant in 3 mths time, she saw her consultant in December.

One of the problems is consistency. I've been treated OK but a friend of mine who was due to start radiotherapy for prostate cancer in a couple of weeks has just been told it will have to be put back for up to two months because of staff shortages and the backlog.
My cousin was due to have a knee replacement next week, after an increasingly painful four year wait, but she has just been told it will have to be delayed for two weeks.
Both of them in different hospitals to each other and to me.
Not all hospitals and trusts are facing the same issues at exactly the same time, but the problems are still there and genuine.

 

[pawl]

To be fair, deaths will always be the last thing to rise - always later, and sometimes much later, than rises in infections and hospitalisations. People're usually in hospital for quite some time before they die.
So it's at least conceivable that deaths could continue at quite a high rate after new infections have fallen off a cliff.
Cynic that I am, though, I too believe that this lifting of restrictions so soon and so quickly is in very large part an attempt at deflection.

And come March if not before we will not have to self isolate if i am reading the report correctly if we have Covid Seems somewhat odd decision

 

[fossyant]

The government are easing restrictions too early.

Quite, caught us all out. I'll be back in work Feb, not next week as the car needs a MOT on thursday, one of my work days.... but I'd booked in as at home... fortunately work is OK with this.

 

[Johnno260]

You lot must be unlucky,In the last 12 months I've had countless blood's taken, numerous hospital visits including a chest x-ray and a camera investigation and I'm about to undergo intravenous treatment which will be 3x4hr visits over the next 6 weeks, all due to an inflammatory bowel condition.
On top of that I'm in need of a 2nd knee replacement that's scheduled in for this year.
I did pay privately for the knee consultation in November but the X-rays (January) and final operation will be on the NHS.

A friend of mine is also scheduled in for a hip transplant in 3 mths time, she saw her consultant in December.

It may depend on the region people live in, I have been lucky and not needed to see a GP during the pandemic, but I needed to speak with one recently and that’s been relatively quick.

My daughter had a cardio issue pre pandemic and she only had the holter monitor relatively recently, and we are still waiting for another follow up appointment for that.

 

[Deleted User]

It may depend on the region people live in, I have been lucky and not needed to see a GP during the pandemic, but I needed to speak with one recently and that’s been relatively quick.

My daughter had a cardio issue pre pandemic and she only had the holter monitor relatively recently, and we are still waiting for another follow up appointment for that.

GP's are another matter entirely, I couldn't get to see one at all and even got a referral to see the Consultant (which I paid for) following a phone interview which was ridiculous. This was for my knee.

I'm lucky that we have a dedicated IBD helpline which respond within 24hrs of calling them which then instigates any further treatment which may be required.

We've been fortunate it seems.

 

[PK99]

GP's are another matter entirely, I couldn't get to see one at all and even got a referral to see the Consultant (which I paid for) following a phone interview which was ridiculous. This was for my knee.

Not at all ridiculous IMHO. From my experience of knee and hand issues long pre-pandemic, even in face to face issues referral to an Authropod was based wholly on my verbal description of symptoms and Q&A with the GP, not physical examination.

If I want a hands-on diagnosis for a muscle or joint issue a sports physio is my first port of call.

 

[vickster]

GP's are another matter entirely, I couldn't get to see one at all and even got a referral to see the Consultant (which I paid for) following a phone interview which was ridiculous. This was for my knee.

Not really given you were paying to see the Consultant (the referral pretty much a formality) and clearly have a long standing history of arthritic knees given you’ve already had a TKR and presumably already had a history of arthritis issues too related to the second knee too.
It sounds like you weren’t looking for the GP to provide anything beyond a referral letter so why did you need a face to face appointment?

 

[vickster]

Not at all ridiculous IMHO. From my experience of knee and hand issues long pre-pandemic, even in face to face issues referral to an Authropod was based wholly on my verbal description of symptoms and Q&A with the GP, not physical examination.

If I want a hands-on diagnosis for a muscle or joint issue a sports physio is my first port of call.

Isn’t that some sort of insect? (Orthopod is the affectionate term for an orthopaedic surgeon)

 

[Ajax Bay]

Pulling this across from the 'how are we doing' thread

the ZOE study said the same

Thought I'd just paste in what I think is the relevant text in that (NB Oct 2021, pre-Omicron so %ages now not as good):

"We know that it’s possible to be reinfected with COVID-19 after either vaccination or natural infection. Our data shows that two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine give 71% protection against infection, while two doses of the Pfizer vaccine provide 87% protection.
"By contrast, an unvaccinated person with a previous COVID infection has only 65% protection against catching it again, clearly shown that if considered separately - vaccines offer greater protection against COVID-19 than natural antibodies
"However, we also found that being double vaccinated on top of having previously had COVID-19 actually provided an extra protection boost. "

 

[Deleted User]

Not at all ridiculous IMHO. From my experience of knee and hand issues long pre-pandemic, even in face to face issues referral to an Authropod was based wholly on my verbal description of symptoms and Q&A with the GP, not physical examination.

If I want a hands-on diagnosis for a muscle or joint issue a sports physio is my first port of call.

I'll tell you why it's ridiculous, in my case anyway, bear with this if you can.

2 and a half yrs ago I needed a knee replacement on my Left leg (this was due to a Motorcycle accident 30yrs previously) I saw the GP and got referred privately to see a Consultant which resulted in a Total Knee Replacement on the NHS, happy days.

Previous to this I had a Cartilage repair on my Right Knee and was told that the inner surface was almost bone on bone, the knee was also very 'crunchy' for want of a better description.

Late last year I felt it was now time to address my Right knee knowing full well what the damage was so attempted to repeat the referral process I had previously followed, but not now.

I explained in no uncertain terms my previous history Inc all treatment, ops and the 'crunchy ' feeling on bending so therefore felt it was very similar symptoms to the other knee.

I also informed him I wanted referring privately to the same Consultant as before as I have built a certain rapport over the years.

2 weeks later I receive a call from a private physio team that are being used by the NHS for referrals offering me an appointment?

Seems after everything I said the GP saw fit to ignore what I had told him and send me to Physio.

Following a call to the GP and my eventual referral I'm now booked in for my Knee replacement opp.

So, In MY Opinion sending someone to physio when they clearly need a knee replacement is the wrong decision and if he had seen, felt and heard my knee he would have known it wasn't muscular.

Pretty cool story eh? Bro.

 

[vickster]

I'll tell you why it's ridiculous, in my case anyway, bear with this if you can.

2 and a half yrs ago I needed a knee replacement on my Left leg (this was due to a Motorcycle accident 30yrs previously) I saw the GP and got referred privately to see a Consultant which resulted in a Total Knee Replacement on the NHS, happy days.

Previous to this I had a Cartilage repair on my Right Knee and was told that the inner surface was almost bone on bone, the knee was also very 'crunchy' for want of a better description.

Late last year I felt it was now time to address my Right knee knowing full well what the damage was so attempted to repeat the referral process I had previously followed, but not now.

I explained in no uncertain terms my previous history Inc all treatment, ops and the 'crunchy ' feeling on bending so therefore felt it was very similar symptoms to the other knee.

I also informed him I wanted referring privately to the same Consultant as before as I have built a certain rapport over the years.

2 weeks later I receive a call from a private physio team that are being used by the NHS for referrals offering me an appointment?

Seems after everything I said the GP saw fit to ignore what I had told him and send me to Physio.

Following a call to the GP and my eventual referral I'm now booked in for my Knee replacement opp.

So, In MY Opinion sending someone to physio when they clearly need a knee replacement is the wrong decision and if he had seen, felt and heard my knee he would have known it wasn't muscular.

Pretty cool story eh? Bro.

Did you actually need a referral to the same surgeon, did you check first with the secretary (private HC companies need a referral from a GP before they’ll fund but if self paying that often isn’t the case)?
I took my mum for a private consult for her hip, no referral needed. I just asked the surgeon’s secretary if she could get the NHS X-ray in advance of the appointment.

The NHS has a set treatment pathway for many ortho issues, usually starting with physio. That’s what the GP was following (physio can also be effective for OA pain).

Anyhow this is somewhat off topic on a Covid thread

 

[Deleted User]

Did you actually need a referral to the same surgeon, did you check first with the secretary (private HC companies need a referral from a GP before they’ll fund but if self paying that often isn’t the case)?

The NHS has a set treatment pathway for many ortho issues, usually starting with physio. That’s what the GP was following (physio can also be effective for OA pain).

Anyhow this is somewhat off topic on a Covid thread

As stated I wanted to see the same Consultant as he's operated on me twice before and as I was paying I feel I should be able to.

The GP either chose to ignore this fact or just didn't listen?

I understand the Physio referral option but my point is if he had seen me in person he would have known it wasn't muscular but the worst part is if I wasn't paying then how much longer and how much wasted money would it have taken to eventually see a consultant?

 

[vickster]

As stated I wanted to see the same Consultant as he's operated on me twice before and as I was paying I feel I should be able to.

The GP either chose to ignore this fact or just didn't listen?

I understand the Physio referral option but my point is if he had seen me in person he would have known it wasn't muscular but the worst part is if I wasn't paying then how much longer and how much wasted money would it have taken to eventually see a consultant?

What I mean is if you’ve see the Consultant before and are self paying, I’m surprised you needed a formal GP referral. A call to his secretary or the hospital should have been sufficient. GP referral is needed for NHS specialist consult, not usually private (unless requested by the likes of Bupa who are paying, in fact for Bupa a quick call with one of the private Babylon GPs is sufficient, no need to see an NHS GP anymore).

Physios don’t just deal with muscular injuries

 

[Deleted User]

What I mean is if you’ve see the Consultant before and are self paying, I’m surprised you needed a formal GP referral. A call to his secretary or the hospital should have been sufficient. GP referral is needed for NHS specialist consult, not usually private (unless requested by the likes of Bupa who are paying, in fact for Bupa a quick call with one of the private Babylon GPs is sufficient, no need to see an NHS GP anymore).

Physios don’t just deal with muscular injuries

I've had a few ops completely private and 2 where I've just paid for the consultation, on every occasion I've needed a letter from the GP to the Consultants secretary.

You still seem to be missing my point, I clearly need a knee replacement but the GP sent me to physio rather than a Surgeon because he spoke to me over the phone rather than seeing me in person, you do get this don't you?