My recent disillusionment with the HSE

banie01

Public consultants having private lists is a pathway to corruption of the healthcare system at point of service.

Dr hoRse

I had a read of your initial post before your edit -
When you asked the registrar for a private referral what were you hoping was going to happen?
Firstly, I understand your frustration at the lack of resources, I work in the system so I understand how this impacts patients, but I don't have private health insurance as a point of principle and I have never or do I think I would ever work in a private service, again as a point of principle. But you obviously understood that seeking a referral for a scan privately would draw attention to the fact that you have the means to go privately.
The consultants that do private lists / clinics are working within their contract.
I don't agree with it but if you're going to acquire private health insurance you can't jump the queue for a scan and then give out about how having private health insurance gives people the opportunity to jump the queue for a scan.

banie01

Dr hoRse wrote: »

I had a read of your initial post before your edit -
When you asked the registrar for a private referral what were you hoping was going to happen?
Firstly, I understand your frustration at the lack of resources, I work in the system so I understand how this impacts patients, but I don't have private health insurance as a point of principle and I have never or do I think I would ever work in a private service, again as a point of principle. But you obviously understood that seeking a referral for a scan privately would draw attention to the fact that you have the means to go privately.
The consultants that do private lists / clinics are working within their contract.
I don't agree with it but if you're going to acquire private health insurance you can't jump the queue for a scan and then give out about how having private health insurance gives people the opportunity to jump the queue for a scan.

Thank you for the reply

The referral asked for was for the scan.
I could then forward that to the scan centre, have the scan and the report would be forwarded back to the hospital.
As has been done previously at other OP clinics.

Just to be crystal clear, the only referral requested was for the scan.
The registrar said my GP can order that, then gave the alternate private consultant contact details and told me that quicker treatment would be gotten via him rather than using the system as designed.

There was no exam, nothing to assure or offer any prognosis other than "we are still waiting on the urgently requested scan".

I'm lucky enough to have both medical card and P.I (or unlucky enough I suppose if the medical conditions leading to my retention of the Medical card are considered).

I attend specialist clinic for review via public system at least 3 times a year.
This particular visit honestly just felt like a shakedown.
I still have had no referral for the scan, rather than that I was given the details for the private consultant.
My own GP can't order the particular scan requested, or rather if its ordered by a GP I'm not covered under my P.I. as its only covered for specialist ordered scan.

That the consultants are working within the terms of their contract isn't really my issue.
Its more that the layering of the 2 tier system, has led to the gaming of the healthcare system by both sides.
Doctors and patients.

I have a couple of long term chronic conditions that are well managed thanks to the public system.
I am suffering at the moment from fairly acute groin/renal pain that is being treated with opiods and nueropathic meds, that the opiods are now extending into a 4th month and if I stay with the public system it will be likely January before review and then however long again before surgery is really forcing my hand.

I don't say it lightly, I know people will always say they have a good pain tolerance and when they encounter something outside their experience its a 10...
But last year as an example, I sprained my right thumb or at least I thought I did.
Turns out I dislocated it, tore the radial and ulnar ligament and fractured the volar plate I didn't seek treatment for 5 weeks as I powered thru thinking it was a sprain and treated with RICE.

My reaching a point where I attended my GP and then hospital didn't come lightly, its not a tummy ache.
I do however appreciate the way our health system in particular triage and acute treatment work.
I feel however that I am being left to cope with continuing long term, disabling and acute pain rather than being treated as an acute patient, that forces a choice to be made to push forward for treatment as quickly as possible.

Luckily for me, I have that option.
For many, many others with similar illnesses or prognosis that option isn't available to them.

iamwhoiam

Do you have Laya ? If so they cover MRI scans in Affidea with a GP referral

banie01

iamwhoiam wrote: »

Do you have Laya ? If so they cover MRI scans in Affidea with a GP referral

Its not for MRI unfortunately.