I’m new – read a few related posts on this forum so thought people here may be knowledgeable on the subject.

I fell off and dislocated my shoulder whilst skiing in Canada. I had it relocated into its place and xRay taken etc in a Canadian hospital 2 hours later. I was told I would need to have it checked out a week later.

Back in the UK went to see my GP who said I would be best off going to the A&E as there apparently isn’t anyway I can get into “trauma clinic” without going to the A&E first. Given my shoulder is actually in place now and its more of a question of additional scans / checks and physio, I don’t really see the point of going to A&E now? Seems strange that I’d have to sit amongst badly hurt people to then speak to someone about getting a check up…

So my next question was – I have private medical. I understand that given the potential waiting lists of weeks (if not months) for scans / physio, I may be best off going straight for private? Again my GP was most unhelpful not being able to refer to a local specialist, having to rely on Pru Health to appoint one.

Seems like such a simple problem but I’m a bit stuck now – any advice greatly appreciated.

Never mind all that! How did the Canadian medical system deal with your Oakleys? 😉

Does nowhere local have a Minor Injuries Clinic?

They auctioned them off along with my clothes, with proceeds going towards the hideous medical bill I incurred.

If you had done the injury in teh UK you would have been seen in A&E and then gone to fracture / trauma clinic. You have missed one of these steps out and confused the system

I suggest you phone A&E yourself to see if you set up the appt.

Re; minor injuries – just looked it up – nearest one is 10 miles away in Henley on Thames. May have to give them a call.

Stick with the NHS initially. When they discovered mine was in 3 pieces, I was morphined up overnight and being operated on by 1.30pm the next day, all free.

Listen to the A&E result and depending on thier advice you can get a referral to the private consultant anyway.

I’d get down to A+E mate, they will x-ray you normally same day to make sure everything is OK. I dislocated my shoulder and broke my arm in Bolivia and they had to screw the break so that they could re-locate my shoulder.

I had the surgery in Bolivia, then came back her for the NHS surgeon to tell me that they had messed it up and they re-did the surgery.

Your shoulder is probably back in place, but good chance you have stretched the surrounding ligaments or similar, so they can at least check things and advise about physio etc.

A and E have access to xray equipment.

I had to do the same when I broke my arm in Andorra, went for x-rays at A&E, but ended up waiting for hours in reception as all the other people with sore feet/an itch/a headache got seen first.

As I already had a cast on they put me at the bottom of the list…couldn’t argue really, I wasn’t going to die or anything. Just grumbed to myself while reading Home and Country.

Your private health cover will probably require you to be referred by your GP, mine did (when I had cover).

I did my shoulder last August. Went to A&E in Coventry, they could only refer me to fracture clinic in Coventry (had x-rays, thought I had broken my humorous as well as dislocated). As I live in bath, Cov fracture clinic would have been useless. I had to go through the entire A&E rigmarole again in Bath, despite me walking in and saying ‘this is what’s wrong, this is where my x rays are, please refer me to the fracture clinic’
So, off I toddle to the fracture clinic 4 days later. Apparently there is nothing they can do other than wait and will be in touch for the follow up r (8 months ago!)
However, what I did (and this’ll be what you need to do I suspect) is go to your GP, tell them the storey, ask them to refer you to a private specialist (check out the local private hospitals, they’ll have the consultants and their specialists listed as per this: http://www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/hospital/treatmentgroup?p_hosp_id=314&in_treatment_id=622 ) and get an appointment booked with them directly. I’ve had great service, operation and follow up physio for months while waiting for the NHS to catch me up! Oh, and get EVERYTHING pre authorised from your insurer before you walk though the doors of the private clinic – check if you’re not sure a specific thing is covered (and to the full price with the respective surgen / physio / anethetist. They will check the phone conversations if there is a question over it.

“Given my shoulder is actually in place now and its more of a question of additional scans / checks and physio, I don’t really see the point of going to A&E now? Seems strange that I’d have to sit amongst badly hurt people to then speak to someone about getting a check up…”

I broke a finger skiing in France, where they confirmed yes its broken and splinted it.

To get in to the UK system of physio and further Fracture Clinic appointments you have to first register through A&E, which could mean a lengthy wait as your no longer an emergency, but its how it has to be done in the system.

Did the Canadian Dr not give you a letter etc confirming injuries, if they did I am surprised your GP wouldn’t just do you a referal to private land.

Thanks for everyone’s responses – very useful and nice to see it isn’t just me being dim about it and other people experienced this problem also.

The Canadian doc gave me a note which is all in French. They did take an xRay which apparently confirmed there was no major damage but unfortunately I wasn’t thinking at the time and didn’t ask for the actual xRay to take with me.

I managed to call up the NHS trauma clinic and book and appointment for Thursday. As I was getting very frustrated with the stupidness I also just called up Pru health and enquired about seeing a specialist. They found a local specialist at the “Shoulder Unit” here in Reading and agreed to cover the consultation / scans etc up to the excess limit of 1500 pounds. So I am thinking I might as well save myself the 4 hour wait at the trauma clinic which will no doubt be full of freshly broken bones and go straight for private. Also it appears the specialist via the private route is an expert in shoulder care so I am thinking I’ll probably get slightly better care there.

My better broke her arm skiing in France. She was patched up France, x-ray’d and sent home in a sling. She phoned up our GP when she got home and he referred her directly to the Fracture Clinic. No need for A&E. Your GP is just being rubbish.