There is supposed to be an18 Weeks Rule for patients waiting for operations.
It's called The 18 Weeks Patient Pathway. If you saw the political TV debates
you will have heard the PM boasting about this wonderful achievement they have
introduced to the NHS. The rule is that any patient will have their operation
within
18 weeks from the referral date from their GP. Allegedly. I saw my doctor on
the 8th
of December last year and a letter was written on the 11th of December
referring me
to an orthopaedic surgeon at Scarborough Hospital. I attended this appointment
and
was told my operation would be performed on or about the 16th of April, that
date was
worked out there and then from the 11th of December date on the letter in front
of the
specialist. That was the 18 weeks Rule. As the 16th of April was getting close
I had not
heard from the hospital so I phoned and explained the situation. They now say
they
didn't receive the the letter from my doctor until the 18th of February and
that is the
date the hospital are now using to calculate my 18 weeks Patient Pathway. Good
eh?
It's been 20 weeks already and I have been informed that it will be June or
July before
I have my operation. You would think that a NHS hospital would see there has
been a
cock-up not involving any fault of the patient (me) and it would be sorted out
to the
advantage of the patient. No, no, no, they are adamant and so far for me, no
joy.
This will mean the 18 Weeks rule will, take in parts of 8 different months
December
2009 to July 2010, approximately 30 weeks if I'm lucky.
Thirkers
PS Anyone else suffered this red tape business from the NHS?
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