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Hospital Waiting Lists - Tralee

  • 05-01-2016 01:41PM
    #1
    Zelda247
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,157 ✭✭✭


    My husband has been referred to Tralee General as he has a problem with his knee, he is in constant pain and can barely walk about 50 yards without needing to sit down. He has one replacement knee and now it looks like the other is about to go, he is 68 years old so I guess its part of growing old. He also needs to take a huge amount of painkillers daily order to cope with the pain of the knee. His doctor referred him to Tralee General in November 2015 and we have just been told today by the hospital that his appointment is likely to be in November/December 2016 if not later!.... is this acceptable? are they hoping he will be dead by then I have to ask? They also suggested we go private, and oh how I wish we could do that but we are pensions and can barely pay our utility bills never mind private health care. Is this normal?


Comments

  • #2
    cassid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 811 ✭✭✭cassid


    I have apts for one of my children for 2017, only one specialists in the country and he does part time hours only in public. Would you ring around a few hospitals in the country ? I had a hip replacement done in the sports clinic but had insurance and am in my late 30's but would have cost a fortune. Try Cappagha in Dublin as well, its public. I used crutches to walk for about a year, really helped support, as could barely walk. Hope he gets some luck, awful tanked up on drugs all the time xx


  • #3
    Zelda247
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,157 ✭✭✭Zelda247


    cassid wrote: »
    I have apts for one of my children for 2017, only one specialists in the country and he does part time hours only in public. Would you ring around a few hospitals in the country ? I had a hip replacement done in the sports clinic but had insurance and am in my late 30's but would have cost a fortune. Try Cappagha in Dublin as well, its public. I used crutches to walk for about a year, really helped support, as could barely walk. Hope he gets some luck, awful tanked up on drugs all the time xx

    Sorry I am not very well up on the system in Ireland (been in the UK for past 20 years... Oh how I miss the NHS, sob sob) Do you mean that a person can phone around hospitals to see if you can get an earlier appointment. I am afraid we can't afford private health care, we are pensioners, but really any ideas on what we could (if anything) do would be appreciated.

    It makes my blood boil to think of the money the country is spending on 1916 when we virtually have a 3rd world health service.


  • #4
    Corruptedmorals
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,195 ✭✭✭Corruptedmorals


    Yes, unfortunately. Some waiting lists are years long and there is a HSE scheme in operation whereby they pay for them to be seen privately but that is for those waiting 2-3 years or more. There aren't near enough consultants and orthopaedics is under particular pressure.

    If you cannot afford private it is best to ring around, although letters are triaged in public hospitals so it's hard for staff to tell you exactly until that happens.

    What CAN expedite appointments is if the GP or another consultant if he sees one writes a letter to the consultant explaining the deterioration etc., the information they judged the urgency of the appointment on is 2 months old. If they classed him as routine/next available it could 'bump' him as more of a priority. If he had a scan double-check the referring doctor sent the report with the referral letter.


  • #5
    Zelda247
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,157 ✭✭✭Zelda247


    Corruptedmorals wrote: »
    Yes, unfortunately. Some waiting lists are years long and there is a HSE scheme in operation whereby they pay for them to be seen privately but that is for those waiting 2-3 years or more. There aren't near enough consultants and orthopaedics is under particular pressure.

    If you cannot afford private it is best to ring around, although letters are triaged in public hospitals so it's hard for staff to tell you exactly until that happens.

    What CAN expedite appointments is if the GP or another consultant if he sees one writes a letter to the consultant explaining the deterioration etc., the information they judged the urgency of the appointment on is 2 months old. If they classed him as routine/next available it could 'bump' him as more of a priority. If he had a scan double-check the referring doctor sent the report with the referral letter.

    Gosh its a nightmare.... can't believe how the country is spending millions on celebrating 1916 when the health service is practically 3rd world ... unreal!


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