NHS you have a choice - Sorry off topic !

[F Body]

Now as some of you are aware I've been having a few problems with my legs - like on a bad day I can't walk
It's been three months of doctors and hospital visits without finding out what the real problem is.
On Wednesday of this week I finally got my doctor to agree to refer me to a specialist consultant and was told that the appointment would in be 13 weeks time at the Luton & Dunstable Hospital, by which time I'd be crawling
I've looked at going private but the costs are thousands
A friend of a friend then told me about the NHS Choose & Book system
You ring your doctors surgery and ask to choose which hospital or service you wish to attend.
You can choose by length of waiting list, specialist,hospital or location etc.
Now the doctors/surgeries/health authorities don't publicise this service because it means they might have to pay for you to be treated elsewhere, which they don't like !
My doctors surgery rang me back within an hour with a booking reference number and password, I rang the NHS Choose & Booking line and got an appointment :

Wed 13th June 2007 ( in 25 days time ) at Watford General Hospital, in the Knee Clinic with Dr Jay one of the best Othorpedic Knee Consultants.

Result  

So just posted this in case you have any Family members waiting to get help for a health problem, Choose and Book !

http://www.chooseandbook.nhs.uk/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.chooseandbook.nhs.uk/

[Jamieg285]

Gotta be worth it, even if it means travelling (and if it's AWAY from the L&D, it's probably a bonus in itself!)

Hope all goes well.

[CJ-IROCZ]

I choose and booked last week about a problem i've been trying to get treated for .

I smashed my jaw in rugby then aggrevated it last year whilst vale tudor training. only spoke to the doctor 2 weeks ago and i'm booked in for next friday to go under general and have an operation done to clean out and inspect my jaw  

jobs a goodun , i'm sh*tting it though

[Roadkill]

Hmm.

Good luck with your legs, Martyn . . . and your Jaw, Craig.

[CJ-IROCZ]

Thanks mate

My wife just came out with a classic " you know 1 in 10,000 people die whilst under general aenestetic " thats just bloody cosmic

god know where she gets her information from though , probably the dog , thats a shocking statistic if true

[Big Mouse]

Quoting: CJ-IROCZ

" you know 1 in 10,000 people die whilst under general aenestetic "

Thats why you're better off with the NHS, you can always guarantee that you'll have at least 10000 people on the waiting list in front of you

[ianjpage]

hmm interesting to know about choose and book!

[art b]

Quoting: CJ-IROCZ

god know where she gets her information from though , probably the dog , thats a shocking statistic if true

winner that craig

lets hope the dogs wrong....

[CJ-IROCZ]

me too

[Titsy]

Quoting: NHS Direct

Anaesthetics are extremely safe. However, every surgical operation carries a slight risk. In a recent survey it was found that there are about five deaths for every million anaesthetics given. Those in poor health are more at risk than those who are healthy.

Looks like her numbers are out a bit.... This works out to 1 in 200,000... your survival chances just increased 2000% from the misses' figures...

Happy days! Good luck with the op mate!

[CJ-IROCZ]

happy days indeed

cheers mate