HSE - :( fukkk

Strumms · 09-09-2020 5:27pm #1

Can anybody shed any light, as to how there are so many inefficient incompetent individuals working in the HSE ? Like proper uncaring lazy...., earning in this case about 55 grand ? Of public money !

I was availing of a certain physical rehabilitative treatment that needed to end at the onset of covid, I spoke at the time to the therapist that I was due to have a minor procedure that would prevent me from attending further appointments for a time, they said theyd be in touch anyway once covid was looking better for them to check, see how things were going and reschedule etc.

Back from the gym now, letter on my doorstep saying I’ve been discharged from their services (“because ‘I’ hadn’t been in contact”).... no call, no anything to check... I’m in need of this assistance to nail the final leg of my recovery.... but this fûcking... My other half was at this appointment and confirmed what was said during the consultation... so not my imagination...

It’s just one speed bump after another with HSE people and their contractors.... been a taxpayer for 25 years yet up against an individual who can’t take a proper notation of an agreed pathway forward from a consultation... if there had been doubt, or question of why I hadn’t been in touch, maybe errr... lift the phone ? It took several minutes to type, print , process the letter, spending 45 seconds, lifting a phone, seeing what the issue was (ok, it’s them) “ hey Strumms, your next consultation, did we get wires crossed, we haven’t heard... ohhh ok, sorry wires crossed let’s schedule.... “ no drama...

Have I just been unlucky ? Genuine question, but through this treatment / recovery it’s a constant battle to obtain consistent degrees of competency, efficiency and fairness as well as just what you ‘need’ to get better....

Anybody’s thoughts, opinions, similar experiences welcome, am I just unlucky ? Thanks !

GooglePlus · 09-09-2020 5:31pm

Strumms wrote: »

Can anybody shed any light, as to how there are so many inefficient incompetent individuals working in the HSE ? Like proper uncaring lazy...., earning in this case about 55 grand ? Of public money !

I was availing of a certain physical rehabilitative treatment that needed to end at the onset of covid, I spoke at the time to the therapist that I was due to have a minor procedure that would prevent me from attending further appointments for a time, they said theyd be in touch anyway once covid was looking better for them to check, see how things were going and reschedule etc.

Back from the gym now, letter on my doorstep saying I’ve been discharged from their services (“because ‘I’ hadn’t been in contact”).... no call, no anything to check... I’m in need of this assistance to nail the final leg of my recovery.... but this fûcking... My other half was at this appointment and confirmed what was said during the consultation... so not my imagination...

It’s just one speed bump after another with HSE people and their contractors.... been a taxpayer for 25 years yet up against an individual who can’t take a proper notation of an agreed pathway forward from a consultation... if there had been doubt, or question of why I hadn’t been in touch, maybe errr... lift the phone ? It took several minutes to type, print , process the letter, spending 45 seconds, lifting a phone, seeing what the issue was (ok, it’s them) “ hey Strumms, your next consultation, did we get wires crossed, we haven’t heard... ohhh ok, sorry wires crossed let’s schedule.... “ no drama...

Have I just been unlucky ? Genuine question, but through this treatment / recovery it’s a constant battle to obtain consistent degrees of competency, efficiency and fairness as well as just what you ‘need’ to get better....

Anybody’s thoughts, opinions, similar experiences welcome, am I just unlucky ? Thanks !

This is probably just a clerical error, there isn't someone overseeing every letter that goes out and at times, communication can break down between medical professionals and Admin staff. There isn't capacity to phone every patient that doesn't make contact either.

Have you tried contacting them and explaining the situation?

Strumms · 09-09-2020 5:39pm

GooglePlus wrote: »

This is probably just a clerical error, there isn't someone overseeing every letter that goes out and at times, communication can break down between medical professionals and Admin staff. There isn't capacity to phone every patient that doesn't make contact either.

Have you tried contacting them and explaining the situation?

Thanks,

No I literally just checked the post about 30 minutes ago when I got back, so I’ll try ring tomorrow and negotiate another appointment if I can. I was on a waiting list for over six months and if I’ve been fûcked to the back of a Q... I’ll end up having to go private and saying goodbye to the best part of a grand or more...

Hopefully it is clerical, I guess tomorrow will tell...

thanks.

ThewhiteJesus · 09-09-2020 5:39pm

Yes honestly Strumms do you expect every single patient to be rung, it's just an impossibility and those letters are usually standard bar changing the name.
If there was a breakdown from the side of the hse, on the letter you received will be contact details.
Ring and ask to speak to the manager and get their email address and follow up the phone call with an email outlining the same,
that you wish to appeal for whatever reason.
This will get it resolved for you if you have grounds but tarring everyone in the hse as incompetent or uncaring is totally untrue and unfair.
I work for the HSE and have worked in the office all through covid like many others to get the hospital bills paid ect,
that's before you even talk about the nurses and doctors and cleaners ect in a hospital covid ward,
is there bad apples, of course there is like everywhere else in life.

Strumms · 09-09-2020 5:49pm

ThewhiteJesus wrote: »

Yes honestly Strumms do you expect every single patient to be rung, it's just an impossibility and those letters are usually standard bar changing the name.
If there was a breakdown from the side of the hse, on the letter you received will be contact details.
Ring and ask to speak to the manager and get their email address and follow up the phone call with an email outlining the same,
that you wish to appeal for whatever reason.
This will get it resolved for you if you have grounds but tarring everyone in the hse as incompetent or uncaring is totally untrue and unfair.
I work for the HSE and have worked in the office all through covid like many others to get the hospital bills paid ect,
that's before you even talk about the nurses and doctors and cleaners ect in a hospital covid ward,
is there bad apples, of course there is like everywhere else in life.

I expect efficiency. I expect efficient communications, i expert promises to be followed up on, she promised a phone call...I didn’t mind if it’s email or letter as long as I receive the info and help I need I’m not too fussy.

I was promised though a call. Instead I got a letter informing me because ‘I’ wasn’t chasing them to help me, I was being discharged. I was promised a call to arrange further treatment, which is NEEDED I didn’t get one, instead I got discharged. Unsatisfactory, incompetent, unbelievable.

Bad apples everywhere but if they are allowed to sow seeds unchecked the whole system is fûcked.

ThewhiteJesus · 09-09-2020 5:59pm

Strumms wrote: »

I expect efficiency. I expect efficient communications, i expert promises to be followed up on, she promised a phone call...I didn’t mind if it’s email or letter as long as I receive the info and help I need I’m not too fussy.

I was promised though a call. Instead I got a letter informing me because ‘I’ wasn’t chasing them to help me, I was being discharged. I was promised a call to arrange further treatment, which is NEEDED I didn’t get one, instead I got discharged. Unsatisfactory, incompetent, unbelievable.

Bad apples everywhere but if they are allowed to sow seeds unchecked the whole system is fûcked.

The problem about getting a promise on a call is how do you prove it, hence my advice to follow up by email, this go’s for any professional body, anyway I hope you get sorted

Strumms · 09-09-2020 6:05pm

ThewhiteJesus wrote: »

The problem about getting a promise on a call is how do you prove it, hence my advice to follow up by email, this go’s for any professional body, anyway I hope you get sorted

I actually prefer email but any and all correspondences with HSE departments with me are via letter... presumably this is because a lot of HSE clients are older people who might not be doing email....

Still it’s grossly inefficient as regards my situation.... patients shouldn’t really have to chase up appointments ... appointments should be assigned as and when needed.

Gatling · 09-09-2020 6:20pm

Actually it's a pretty common occurrence unfortunately ,I've had a similar case recently referred by Gp to see consultant due to having symptoms of a degenerative disease ,got the initial letter Saying I'm on the waiting list to be seen ,no worries there , during lock down had an phone consultation with my gp who asked why I didn't follow up about my appointment that I missed and was now removed from the waiting list to see a consultant ,no appointment was ever issued but the secretary's are able to cancel appointments / put down someone missed and remove them from a waiting list and put the blame on the patient

nthclare · 09-09-2020 6:24pm

Executive my where the sun don't shine, think about it...

Health service executive... sounds like you're going to be well looked after like an executive...

Same aul sht banded about in Ireland, service of excellence.

The Mid western health board was way better, same old goons sitting around table's in suits trying to make a fck up sound like you're buying gold but it's only Chinese imported copper...

Strumms · 09-09-2020 6:30pm

Gatling wrote: »

Actually it's a pretty common occurrence unfortunately ,I've had a similar case recently referred by Gp to see consultant due to having symptoms of a degenerative disease ,got the initial letter Saying I'm on the waiting list to be seen ,no worries there , during lock down had an phone consultation with my gp who asked why I didn't follow up about my appointment that I missed and was now removed from the waiting list to see a consultant ,no appointment was ever issued but the secretary's are able to cancel appointments / put down someone missed and remove them from a waiting list and put the blame on the patient

Ok, so YOU KNOW exactly what I’m talking about... when my health was A1 I just remember those “best health service in the world” lines you’d hear... in fairness the best of the HSE is rather excellent but there are just so many speed bumps with them, far too many and too often.

Gatling · 10-09-2020 11:21am

Strumms wrote: »

Ok, so YOU KNOW exactly what I’m talking about... when my health was A1 I just remember those “best health service in the world” lines you’d hear... in fairness the best of the HSE is rather excellent but there are just so many speed bumps with them, far too many and too often.

Yes I do ,and I've heard it happening with others too ,
But from what I can gather it's not decisions made by a doctor or consultant it a secretary who actually cancels the appointments under the failed to respond to letters that were not sent to you or others to clear space on the waiting lists ,

It shouldn't be allowed under any circumstances especially when your waiting to be seen by a specialist or consultant while having genuine medical conditions

jim o doom · 10-09-2020 11:27am

Obviously this is very frustrating, but look at it this way dude, the HSE is the largest employer in the state, they employ 67,000 people directly and 30k+ indirectly. They are responsible for the health of the entire country. 4.9 million people in Ireland.

There are bound to be errors. It's not exactly the most well funded (or admittedly run) place. You have just been unlucky. The anger is understandable, but the situation itself is rectifiable once you make contact with them.

Graces7 · 10-09-2020 1:02pm

jim o doom wrote: »

Obviously this is very frustrating, but look at it this way dude, the HSE is the largest employer in the state, they employ 67,000 people directly and 30k+ indirectly. They are responsible for the health of the entire country. 4.9 million people in Ireland.

There are bound to be errors. It's not exactly the most well funded (or admittedly run) place. You have just been unlucky. The anger is understandable, but the situation itself is rectifiable once you make contact with them.

This is someone's health care at risk. Not to be dismissed casually as " just one of those things."

OP if you need to, take it higher. There is a complaints procedure for that reason.

jim o doom · 10-09-2020 2:13pm

Graces7 wrote: »

This is someone's health care at risk. Not to be dismissed casually as " just one of those things."

OP if you need to, take it higher. There is a complaints procedure for that reason.

You are overstating the issue. The op said "Anybody’s thoughts, opinions, similar experiences welcome, am I just unlucky ? Thanks !" The op also mentioned that they are near the end of their treatment.

I was merely sharing my thoughts and opinions, that the health service is over burdened and that errors do happen (ie yes the OP was unlucky), and that the best course of action is to obviously contact the unit they were dealing with.

My dad had great experiences with the health service when he had cancer, I've had mixed experiences (broken shin, got something like an MRSA infection in the surgical wound and a host of other experiences), my wife has had mixed experiences. You can get lucky, you can get unlucky.

First sensible step is to contact the unit, not engage in a complaint procedure that will have an unknown outcome and that probably won't help the recovery situation.

Graces7 · 11-09-2020 9:02am

jim o doom wrote: »

You are overstating the issue.

Not at all. Long experience.

. You can get lucky, you can get unlucky.

What an attitude! :eek: About health care? Unbelievable.

Graces7 · 11-09-2020 9:07am

Strumms wrote: »

I expect efficiency. I expect efficient communications, i expert promises to be followed up on, she promised a phone call...I didn’t mind if it’s email or letter as long as I receive the info and help I need I’m not too fussy.
Bad apples everywhere but if they are allowed to sow seeds unchecked the whole system is fûcked.

And in a very real sense we get the standard of " care" we allow to happen.
If we accept it as acceptable when it isn't we perpetuate it.

Taking it higher is often the only way. And it works. and works well and swiftly

_Brian · 11-09-2020 9:08am

There exists a mid level of management who’s job is to minimise spend. They act callously and ruthlessly to attain this.

My oh has to interact with these people and they are shameless and driven in their efforts to manage budgets rather than manage care. Best example was when at a meeting she was asked to stop using the term “patients” and refer to them as “service users” as it was less emotive for decision making. These were critically and terminally ill cancer patients they were discussing.

She’s currently working on her exit strategy as she can’t be dealing with this stuff any more.

jim o doom · 11-09-2020 12:11pm

Graces7 wrote: »

And in a very real sense we get the standard of " care" we allow to happen.
If we accept it as acceptable when it isn't we perpetuate it.

Taking it higher is often the only way. And it works. and works well and swiftly

works well and swiftly - have you any examples of this to prove your point?

My wife had a hip operation that drastically reduced her mobility and caused her constant and significant pain, and despite me angrily complaining, the consultant refused to do anything, she had to in fact go to a totally different surgeon who worked out of Cappagh orthopedic and the issue took a couple of years to fix through a more invasive surgery than the initial keyhole one.

Complaining did NOTHING for us. My view of the health service is based on me, my wife's and my families experiences with the health service. It is a realistic view.

Graces7 · 11-09-2020 3:59pm

jim o doom wrote: »

works well and swiftly - have you any examples of this to prove your point?

My wife had a hip operation that drastically reduced her mobility and caused her constant and significant pain, and despite me angrily complaining, the consultant refused to do anything, she had to in fact go to a totally different surgeon who worked out of Cappagh orthopedic and the issue took a couple of years to fix through a more invasive surgery than the initial keyhole one.

Complaining did NOTHING for us. My view of the health service is based on me, my wife's and my families experiences with the health service. It is a realistic view.

There is a set " complaints procedure" in existence. It was using that that I referred to, not complaining to the person you were dissatisfied with. Which as you learned. does not work as it is too personal and confrontational. Ie complaint to a third party who specialise in these matters. And who has a time limit to act within. With good reason.

Realistic is an interesting word. You see them as fallible and that you must accept errors that cause suffering? That encourages errors. That may affect others who are the victims of errors by HSE. The way I view HSE is also realistic but does not mean accepting errors where health care is concerned as you do. So you made it personal rather then clinical and objective.

No examples, as they are too personal. Just that serious and dangerous errors have been swiftly corrected by using the complaints procedure that is provided for patients, after a direct approach was ignored. Setting anger and emotion aside.

Strumms · 13-09-2020 6:30pm

jim o doom wrote: »

Obviously this is very frustrating, but look at it this way dude, the HSE is the largest employer in the state, they employ 67,000 people directly and 30k+ indirectly. They are responsible for the health of the entire country. 4.9 million people in Ireland.

There are bound to be errors. It's not exactly the most well funded (or admittedly run) place. You have just been unlucky. The anger is understandable, but the situation itself is rectifiable once you make contact with them.

Bound to be errors ? sorry not good enough. If we lower standards of what is to be expected we are creating a new expectation of inefficiency and happy to excuse it like you are doing.

A child awaits chemotherapy but gets overlooked... you answer... “they employ 67,000 people directly and 30k+ indirectly. They are responsible for the health of the entire country. 4.9 million people in Ireland. There are bound to be errors”

A woman needing a heart operation....get overlooked?..... “they employ 67,000 people directly and 30k+ indirectly. They are responsible for the health of the entire country. 4.9 million people in Ireland. There are bound to be errors”

An error in the HSE, is catering messing up an order, not enough surgical gloves ordered from the supplier , whatever, but we aren’t going to accept errors from whomever it may be, that negatively impacts the care and the health and the recovery and wellbeing of people, of patients... time we started calling out these endemic failures, inefficiencies, and shining a big fuûcking spotlight on them at EVERY level... and shining a big fûcking light onto WHO is responsible, directly.

Last year when I enquired about hydrotherapy, the consultant was unsure where it was available, the consultant said he’d check it out and be in contact, he never did and never was. Turns out it was available in his own hospital. That’s the sort of carry on, the sort of ineffective, inefficient, careless and uncaring crapology that is absolutely rife though the HSE... front line staff... superheroes... consultants, managers, decision makers and the political wasters... super zeros

TherapyBoy · 13-09-2020 10:09pm

Have you contacted them & informed them that the appointment was cancelled in error?

noodler · 13-09-2020 10:11pm

Theres over 2.3m people with a Medical card, GP card or on LTI.

jim o doom · 14-09-2020 11:52am

Strumms wrote: »

Bound to be errors ? sorry not good enough. If we lower standards of what is to be expected we are creating a new expectation of inefficiency and happy to excuse it like you are doing.

Yeah that completely misses the point. The OP asked our opinion if he had just been unlucky. I believe that is the case, I said so, and I suggested he contact the unit.

Making a complaint before contacting the unit is putting the horse before the cart.

I said in more than one post to contact the unit and that errors happen. I never suggested we just ignore errors or lower standards, I gave my opinion on what likely occurred and what the OP should then do.

But feel free to make up an imaginary argument that I never made and defeat it.

Graces7 · 25-09-2020 6:10am

Strumms wrote: »

Bound to be errors ? sorry not good enough. If we lower standards of what is to be expected we are creating a new expectation of inefficiency and happy to excuse it like you are doing.

A child awaits chemotherapy but gets overlooked... you answer... “they employ 67,000 people directly and 30k+ indirectly. They are responsible for the health of the entire country. 4.9 million people in Ireland. There are bound to be errors”

A woman needing a heart operation....get overlooked?..... “they employ 67,000 people directly and 30k+ indirectly. They are responsible for the health of the entire country. 4.9 million people in Ireland. There are bound to be errors”

An error in the HSE, is catering messing up an order, not enough surgical gloves ordered from the supplier , whatever, but we aren’t going to accept errors from whomever it may be, that negatively impacts the care and the health and the recovery and wellbeing of people, of patients... time we started calling out these endemic failures, inefficiencies, and shining a big fuûcking spotlight on them at EVERY level... and shining a big fûcking light onto WHO is responsible, directly.

Last year when I enquired about hydrotherapy, the consultant was unsure where it was available, the consultant said he’d check it out and be in contact, he never did and never was. Turns out it was available in his own hospital. That’s the sort of carry on, the sort of ineffective, inefficient, careless and uncaring crapology that is absolutely rife though the HSE... front line staff... superheroes... consultants, managers, decision makers and the political wasters... super zeros

Sadly this is a totally accurate appraisal. And as you rightly say is we accept this kind of behaviour we deserve what follows.

HSE needs to act like a responsible, mature 21st century business dealing with complaints fairly and promptly . rather than the head-in-the-sand vague whataboutery we get now.

But as long as we treat doctors like gods?

Strumms · 03-10-2020 11:02pm

Graces7 wrote: »

Sadly this is a totally accurate appraisal. And as you rightly say is we accept this kind of behaviour we deserve what follows.

HSE needs to act like a responsible, mature 21st century business dealing with complaints fairly and promptly . rather than the head-in-the-sand vague whataboutery we get now.

But as long as we treat doctors like gods?

Yup..They should be treated like any and every employee, in any and every industry...they fûck up they are open to criticism and get held to account.

When they commit to providing you with an avenue of and level of care and help and indeed communication only for zero of that to come good, it’s unsatisfactory.

If you paid a travel agent a grand for a holiday only for them not to send you tickets you’d be kicking up a shîtstorm.

If a doctor as part of a health system you’ve been contributing to isn’t providing you with ANY of the help they committed to and which you are entitled to and need... there are Q’s of people ready to defend them.

I’ve made enquiries but I’m yet to receive a reply.

Graces7 · 04-10-2020 2:59pm

Strumms;lost a reply to the boards gremlin.

Google Irish Patients Association. There is a time limit re all these things and it ha sbeen exceeded

also go to the HSE site and read re making a complaint?

The system DOES work .. pm me if you need,

Graces7 · 06-10-2020 4:29pm

Here is a good one!

I rang the GP yesterday about my prescription that was due. Was told that all patients on my GPs list had been transferred en masse to a different GP!

Had this happen once before when I had moved up here but the paperwork was not done. A pharmacist told me that they do this when a new dr takes over a practice so he has a patient list,.

Clearly without asking us. Or giving us the choice to find a GP ourselves.

AFAIK I am still registered with my old doctor. As on my medical card..As soon as I have my pain meds meds I will ….

Gatling · 06-10-2020 4:43pm

Graces7 wrote: »

Here is a good one!

I rang the GP yesterday about my prescription that was due. Was told that all patients on my GPs list had been transferred en masse to a different GP!

Had this happen once before when I had moved up here but the paperwork was not done. A pharmacist told me that they do this when a new dr takes over a practice so he has a patient list,.

Clearly without asking us. Or giving us the choice to find a GP ourselves.

AFAIK I am still registered with my old doctor. As on my medical card..As soon as I have my pain meds meds I will ….

Another common occurrence unfortunately ,seen it here in Dublin where one gp retired and another gp 25mins away got 3000 new medical card patients dumped on them and pretty much crippled a service the regular patients were left waiting weeks for appointments while medical card patients were able to get appointments ,
Then a brand new primary care center opened in the area that wouldn't take medical card patients due to being over subscribed.

There under no obligation to inform you that they have moved you to another service

Graces7 · 07-10-2020 9:10am

Gatling wrote: »

Another common occurrence unfortunately ,seen it here in Dublin where one gp retired and another gp 25mins away got 3000 new medical card patients dumped on them and pretty much crippled a service the regular patients were left waiting weeks for appointments while medical card patients were able to get appointments ,
Then a brand new primary care center opened in the area that wouldn't take medical card patients due to being over subscribed.

There under no obligation to inform you that they have moved you to another service

Can you show me the legislation that proves this please? Thank you

Then there d+++++ well should be! I am still legally registered with my GP! My medical card is in HIS name!
Had they informed us we could have registered elsewhere.

Trying now to safeguard my medication supplies. Too unwell for all this. Also old and in seclusion. I only found out when I called the surgery to get a prescription.

When it happened before I had left that area just as my excellent GP was retiring and on that occasion the new GP was a Spaniard with poor English. He kept writing to me over 200 miles away.. I finally asked him for a house visit, saying it would take 6 hours by road and if he let me know when I would advise the ferry... Oh and then got a Medical Council ruling that he was too far away to be my GP.....lol

Graces7 · 16-10-2020 4:22pm

There have been some interesting developments about this. That is all I can say. But it pays dividends to ask questions in the right official places

Graces7 · 17-10-2020 2:27pm

Graces7 wrote: »

Can you show me the legislation that proves this please? Thank you

Then there d+++++ well should be! I am still legally registered with my GP! My medical card is in HIS name!
/QUOTE]

My registration is valid, with my chosen GP.

Shazamm · 29-12-2020 3:15am

Graces7 wrote: »

Strumms;lost a reply to the boards gremlin.

Google Irish Patients Association. There is a time limit re all these things and it ha sbeen exceeded

also go to the HSE site and read re making a complaint?

The system DOES work .. pm me if you need,

has the irish patients association been any help to you?

I have not even gotten a reply from them and they seem to be another advocy group who do sweet..^..all.

Graces7 · 29-12-2020 7:08am

Shazamm wrote: »

has the irish patients association been any help to you?

I have not even gotten a reply from them and they seem to be another advocy group who do sweet..^..all.

They are policy folk. Not folk who involve with patients unless they fits with that. And not responding seems to be the norm. Maybe others here have different experiences?

My TD has now taken an interest in my ongoing issue. I mentioned the name of the local complaints officer I was having trouble with... Immediate reply.

@ never prescribes anything stronger than Panadol anyways.

It is in real terms near blackmail . No patient care in it.

And the way he changes tack when I quote rules is amazing ie the facts change as I catch out a serious inaccuracy.

I have no respect left. I have had excellent doctors. Deeply grateful to them. Caring, skilled folk .

But now? Well I am 77 and maybe this is as far as I am meant to go. Living mostly abed and losing mobility as else the pain is too much. Life is sweet but this is too much

Trying a slightly different tack today but they are all on holiday until Jan 6th

Ave Sodalis · 29-12-2020 8:22am

If it's any consolation OP, I developed symptoms 7 years ago and I am no further forward towards getting a diagnosis despite my symptoms getting considerably worse. It took years to get a GP to take me seriously in the first place, and now it's just waiting list after waiting list.

I was discharged from the rheumy without ever being told, after one triage appointment with a physio. I waited well over a year for that appointment, and the OT told me I will definitely need to be seen there again. I rang them nearly a year later to see what was going on and they then informed me I had been discharged and if I wanted to go back, I'd have to go back on the waiting list. I'm going to be honest here and say I cried during that phone call.

I'm waiting several months now on an MRI and a neurologist appointment. I'd be lucky to get either in the next year.

I was referred to the ENT as I've had a problem with my nose since I was a child. It wasn't massively serious but I do have a nasal drip and get frequent enough infections, which can cause a lot of pain. I went in with the full awareness that they were limited in what they could do, but the reason my GP referred me there in the first place was because my mental and physical health at the time were locked in a downwards spiral with each other and if one small thing could be fixed, it might break that spiral. Again, it took over a year to get an appointment, and there were nearly a year between appointments. My 3rd appointment, I left utterly humiliated and furious as the doctor told me I just didn't know what a cold was, and accused me of being a hypochondriac. Now, I'm the type of person who works in a high risk environment, that doesn't tolerate softness. I've broken bones and continued on with my day so a hypochondriac I am definitely not.

I waiting again over a year for a dietitian appointment through the HSE for IBS, with the intent of starting a low FODMAP diet. I finally got one at the start of this year. I was told to eat more fibre and we would review in a month. A month came and went, and no sign. About 6/7 months later, I finally got a second appointment via phone, and was told I was eating too much fibre (despite eating what they told me to) and to cut back, and also cut out onion and garlic. Also, that dietitian told me during that appointment that they didn't actually do FODMAP diets. They told me they would ring me back in 6 weeks, and refer me onto another dietitian who did specialise in FODMAP diets if their new suggestion didn't work. Well, it has been 5 months since then and still no 3rd appointment, and I have no way of contacting them as the phone line used before isn't answered.

So yeah, I'm in my mid 20s and I can barely move some days. There have been morning where I had to slowly drag myself up the hallway because I couldn't stand. My hands don't function properly, my hips are starting to go, I am seriously fatigued most days, my memory and cognitive function are declining terrifyingly. I used to do sport 5 evenings a week and now some days just getting to the bathroom is a chore. I used to be considered gifted, and was in advanced adult creative writing courses as a young teen, and now I have days where sentence structure doesn't exist, I forget what I'm saying half way through saying it, and I make a ridiculous amount of typos. Some days I could be looking right at the thing I'm searching for and it wouldn't register in my brain that I'm seeing it.
Yet, because of the incompetence of the HSE and GPs before them in so many ways, I am left undiagnosed and untreated. Whilst I understand they're swamped busy even during normal times, there have been several cases where it has just been obviously oversights and lack of care that has been dragging this entire experience out. I don't know when I'll ever get answers, or if I'll ever gets answers. I just have to hope whatever it is isn't terminal or causing too much of a reduced life expectancy.

thegills · 29-12-2020 10:01am

Strumms wrote:

Still itâ€™s grossly inefficient as regards my situation.... patients shouldnâ€™t really have to chase up appointments ... appointments should be assigned as and when needed.

Maybe in the real world. But when dealing with Government agencies the customer always needs to chase up. Its sad but true. If they said they would call you ask by when. If they don't call you chase them down.

Graces7 · 29-12-2020 11:23am

Ave Sodalis wrote: »

If it's any consolation OP, I developed symptoms 7 years ago and I am no further forward towards getting a diagnosis despite my symptoms getting considerably worse. It took years to get a GP to take me seriously in the first place, and now it's just waiting list after waiting list.

I was discharged from the rheumy without ever being told, after one triage appointment with a physio. I waited well over a year for that appointment, and the OT told me I will definitely need to be seen there again. I rang them nearly a year later to see what was going on and they then informed me I had been discharged and if I wanted to go back, I'd have to go back on the waiting list. I'm going to be honest here and say I cried during that phone call.

I'm waiting several months now on an MRI and a neurologist appointment. I'd be lucky to get either in the next year.

I was referred to the ENT as I've had a problem with my nose since I was a child. It wasn't massively serious but I do have a nasal drip and get frequent enough infections, which can cause a lot of pain. I went in with the full awareness that they were limited in what they could do, but the reason my GP referred me there in the first place was because my mental and physical health at the time were locked in a downwards spiral with each other and if one small thing could be fixed, it might break that spiral. Again, it took over a year to get an appointment, and there were nearly a year between appointments. My 3rd appointment, I left utterly humiliated and furious as the doctor told me I just didn't know what a cold was, and accused me of being a hypochondriac. Now, I'm the type of person who works in a high risk environment, that doesn't tolerate softness. I've broken bones and continued on with my day so a hypochondriac I am definitely not.

I waiting again over a year for a dietitian appointment through the HSE for IBS, with the intent of starting a low FODMAP diet. I finally got one at the start of this year. I was told to eat more fibre and we would review in a month. A month came and went, and no sign. About 6/7 months later, I finally got a second appointment via phone, and was told I was eating too much fibre (despite eating what they told me to) and to cut back, and also cut out onion and garlic. Also, that dietitian told me during that appointment that they didn't actually do FODMAP diets. They told me they would ring me back in 6 weeks, and refer me onto another dietitian who did specialise in FODMAP diets if their new suggestion didn't work. Well, it has been 5 months since then and still no 3rd appointment, and I have no way of contacting them as the phone line used before isn't answered.

So yeah, I'm in my mid 20s and I can barely move some days. There have been morning where I had to slowly drag myself up the hallway because I couldn't stand. My hands don't function properly, my hips are starting to go, I am seriously fatigued most days, my memory and cognitive function are declining terrifyingly. I used to do sport 5 evenings a week and now some days just getting to the bathroom is a chore. I used to be considered gifted, and was in advanced adult creative writing courses as a young teen, and now I have days where sentence structure doesn't exist, I forget what I'm saying half way through saying it, and I make a ridiculous amount of typos. Some days I could be looking right at the thing I'm searching for and it wouldn't register in my brain that I'm seeing it.
Yet, because of the incompetence of the HSE and GPs before them in so many ways, I am left undiagnosed and untreated. Whilst I understand they're swamped busy even during normal times, there have been several cases where it has just been obviously oversights and lack of care that has been dragging this entire experience out. I don't know when I'll ever get answers, or if I'll ever gets answers. I just have to hope whatever it is isn't terminal or causing too much of a reduced life expectancy.

Appalling saga; much the same runaround as I had in the UK for 30 years except that theu opted for nervous/mental illness which was like leprosy.

Then I hit the brick wall of sneering and mockery re M.E.

I had one excellent GP who believed me and let me make the pace and tell him what I needed. Four years of calm and support. He retired as I moved, Now I am in the situation of having made a justified serious complaint and am hitting a brick wall.. They need to remember and respect that we are ill rather than taking advantage of our age and weakness.
As long as I can find where to buy pain relief that is me and drs finished and I can make a Living Will to that effect.

Graces7 · 29-12-2020 11:27am

Odd. I decided to call the GP I am still registered with to try for one last prescription as he is about to retire, The number says " Not recognised" . Tried the pharmacy and they have that number for him...

I have not contacted him since the massive chaos back in October. The HSE officials were trying to stop me contacting him then. Backing me into a corner?

Remote places can get very strange. VERY strange

Graces7 · 29-12-2020 11:47am

thegills wrote: »

Maybe in the real world. But when dealing with Government agencies the customer always needs to chase up. Its sad but true. If they said they would call you ask by when. If they don't call you chase them down.

Which ,when "the customer" is old and/or ill?

My only recourse now is to fin online codeine who will deliver albeit illegally to Ireland. And then no more drs!

I thought NHS was bad but they never ever left patients without care. or without meds. Always made sure of that. HSE is a whole different ball game

Graces7 · 29-12-2020 12:00pm

Seems the dr has kind of vanished just before he was about to retire.

So no more medical card.

gozunda · 29-12-2020 12:08pm

Graces7 wrote: »

Seems the dr has kind of vanished just before he was about to retire.

So no more medical card.

I thought over 70s automatically qualify for medical card once income is below a set level?

Graces7 · 29-12-2020 1:04pm

gozunda wrote: »

I thought over 70s automatically qualify for medical card once income is below a set level?

We do but there has to be a named doctor on the card. And not planning to register as no one near now.

West mayo is very short of GPs

Need to find out re meds though off the card.

sunbeam · 29-12-2020 1:48pm

Graces7 wrote: »

Odd. I decided to call the GP I am still registered with to try for one last prescription as he is about to retire, The number says " Not recognised" . Tried the pharmacy and they have that number for him...

I have not contacted him since the massive chaos back in October. The HSE officials were trying to stop me contacting him then. Backing me into a corner?

Remote places can get very strange. VERY strange

I'm getting that error with a lot of numbers where I am including my own line which is dead. Might be related to the storm.

fineso.mom · 29-12-2020 1:52pm

No identifying information for the sake of privacy of all involved

John Hutton · 29-12-2020 2:00pm

Graces, it's a little hard to follow what has happened. Is it the case that the doctor close to you they want you to register with, after the retirement of your old doctor, is one which you do not want to attend as you do not feel he/she will prescribe the appropriate pain medication?

Graces7 · 29-12-2020 2:27pm

Quoted identifying information removed

Graces7 · 29-12-2020 2:31pm

John Hutton wrote: »

Graces, it's a little hard to follow what has happened. Is it the case that the doctor close to you they want you to register with, after the retirement of your old doctor, is one which you do not want to attend as you do not feel he/she will prescribe the appropriate pain medication?

No. I had to make a formal complaint and that precludes that dr treating me.

Graces7 · 29-12-2020 2:32pm

sunbeam wrote: »

I'm getting that error with a lot of numbers where I am including my own line which is dead. Might be related to the storm.

ah yes. Some other numbers were odd too. Thank you

Graces7 · 30-12-2020 6:52pm

Just had a long email from HSE

Apparently the person they appointed to deal with my challenge of the complaint is only there for this month ( trainee? work experience? ) and is leaving now. She assures me she is passing it on..

She assures someone will cover and then tells me to register with another ; as I had already tried.,

Left hand meet right hand... ?

I had hoped for peace until after 12th night.

Next email gets denied access LOUDLY

And I will seek meds online and leave any health "care"
it costs too much in human terms

Stay safe and well and strong...

Graces7 · 09-01-2021 3:24pm

PS all sorted. Christmas angel arrived..from outside HSE and suddenly all is well. I have a GP again and my meds are restored.

Persistence is everything . It really is. Just letting them go on is not.

John Hutton · 09-01-2021 4:04pm

Graces7 wrote: »

PS all sorted. Christmas angel arrived..from outside HSE and suddenly all is well. I have a GP again and my meds are restored.

Persistence is everything . It really is. Just letting them go on is not.

Good news amid the gloom is ever welcome, onwards and upwards

Graces7 · 09-01-2021 4:39pm

John Hutton wrote: »

Good news amid the gloom is ever welcome, onwards and upwards

Thank you. And yes. " Thus far and no further" time came. Swift and sudden. I have my usual month's supply of pain meds that arrived / were delivered yesterday so will rest and heal now in the peace out here and start slowly working in regaining my mobility.

Many thanks for support here

Oh and my new medical card is en route! HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

HSE - :( fukkk

Comments