Not aimed at the people who work at the frontline, again at how it gets to this kind of situation due to mismanagement, lack of investment, etc.

I’ve had a niggling chest and back pain for a week or so now. It’s there all the time, but it doesn’t hurt enough to need painkillers, doesn’t debilitate me (I’ve been exercising OK, no breathlessness, doesn’t get worse, etc.), but equally it’s not going away and hence i think i should see someone. Before anyone shouts at me to get to a&e straightaway, I’ve thought it was a pulled muscle but now I’m not convinced.

So on reception i’ve got the option of an ’emergency’ appointment for this morning – which I’m not sure it is. Or a routine appointment for 12 days time. Which it isn’t. Aren’t we supposed to be able to see our doctors in a reasonable timeframe?

While on the phone i enquired about my daughter’s follow up appointment. We saw a doctor in mid december for a heel pain that a friend had suggested might be Sever’s disease. The doctor agreed and has referred her for a follow up podiatrist appointment. I’ve just been told that waiting time is up to 18 weeks!! So we could have another 10 weeks to wait before we see someone. Is this appropriate? 8 year olds shouldn’t have to play sport in pain / on painkillers.

The words “chest pain” usually win you an ambulance if you phone gp or 111. You say you think it’s muscular, but refer to chest AND back pain? I would go for the appointment today, get an ECG at the docs and a proper assessment.

Age/family history/ other risk factors will play a part in how much investigation you get. It’s concerning you enough to worry about it, get seen today.

Tom, paramedic.

chest isn’t quite right; if you go up about a hand width from my nipple on the RHS I’d say it’s there, and then similar position on the back, sort of under my shoulder blade. Which i’m pretty sure is the same place just showing on both sides.

Maybe you’re right, I’m not qualified to decide if it’s serious or not. It just doesn’t feel serious

Ah, high R side chest pain less likely to be something exciting, especially with no breathlessness on exertion etc. in absence of other symptoms sounds non-serious, but IANAGP and this is the internet, not the home of the most accurate medical advice!

8 year olds shouldn’t have to play sport in pain / on painkillers.

Whilst I agree with the point, there is another potential solution to this espcially as if it is Sever’s disease part of the treatment is rest.

There’s no real answer to the appointment system..and that’s coming as an insider.
Either you ‘rush to book an appointment today’, or ‘rush to book an appointment in 2 weeks’ – they all book up the morning they are opened.
I agree, what you’d need is a ‘5 day appointment’, but these generally don’t exist, so just do what everyone else does and get the one on the day.

The number of people I see queuing outside my surgery from 0730 on rain filled mornings, to get the first appointment of the day, for their 3 year old problem, is actually quite amazing.
However, what’s the alternative? Queue today for the same appointment time in 4 weeks? no real point.
(though my surgery is different in that I offer ‘open surgery’ – just turn up and wait and I’ll see you that afternoon. Though I still have complaints that people have to wait 90-120 minutes. Yes. From deciding to see a doctor, to seeing a doctor, they have to wait 90 minutes. And they complain. Hmm…)

DrP

just go today

there is another potential solution to this espcially as if it is Sever’s disease part of the treatment is rest.

True. But for a developing athlete, to be told to lay off sport for ‘up to 18 weeks’ before we even get to see someone, who might then say it’s something else entirely. That’s not an easy solution; another 10 weeks will see her right through to the end of the season, and spoil her chances in the meantime of getting selected for the league rep side and the regional girls training squad – which her coach thinks is a distinct possibility.

We are managing her as best we can – she’s missing training this week having played last friday night, that’ll give her a full week off, and then nothing in half term anyway, until the next game on 22nd. And playing in pain is a bit of poetic license, it’s afterwards that it really hurts so ice and anti-inflammatories as necessary. I’d never make her play in pain, it’s her choice, I’m just there to help and tidy up after, and try to see if we can resolve it without resorting to to the ‘avoid activity and she’ll grow out of it’ advice. Particularly as there is more up to date advice re orthotics / physio that are being reported to have beneficial effects.

Option 3 of course is pay and go private – which is looking like the best one now.

chest isn’t quite right; if you go up about a hand width from my nipple on the RHS I’d say it’s there, and then similar position on the back, sort of under my shoulder blade. Which i’m pretty sure is the same place just showing on both sides.

Sounds like cat aids to me 8)

Option 3 of course is pay and go private – which is looking like the best one now.

Why is your daughter any more worthy than any other NHS patient?

Why is your daughter any more worthy than any other NHS patient?

He didn’t say she was, he asked if a 18 week wait for a follow up apt was appropriate for an 8 yr old .

ring 111 and ask for the location of the nearest walkin centre, loads of them around.IOr just wait for an appointment.

Change your GP.

I’ve never waited more than 3 days for an appointment and when we needed an emergency one recently we were seen within 45 minutes of phoning the practice.

Why is your daughter any more worthy than any other NHS patient?

Going private won’t jump the queue ahead of someone on the waiting list, the doctors and therapists undertaking private and NHS work will do their private work outside of their contracted NHS hours. If anything people choosing to be seen privately means that someone else on the NHS waiting list will be seen a little quicker than they would of otherwise.

Ideally the government would fund the service properly and the service users would use it responsibly and we’d have little need for private healthcare. But as I doubt either of those two things are likely to happen anytime soon I think going private should be something that people consider if they have the means to do so. it’s a shame as I don’t think a two tier system ever works very well for the lower tier but it seems to be a situation that we’re stuck with.

Nothing to do with worthiness – it’s as said; I don’t think telling [an eight year old*] that she can’t play sport for months because until we are seen the only treatment is rest and don’t play. When, if the initial thinking and doctor’s diagnosis is correct, may be an entirely treatable condition if treated properly and early, before it really deteriorates.

* bracketed, i don’t think anyone should have to wait that long; but I’m expressly concerned about the timescale because of the importance TO HER/US of the next few weeks in her development as a player.

[edit] – and i’ve phoned again, laid it on a bit thicker and I’m being seen ‘in an emergency slot’ this evening.

Knowing my luck it will be serious and i should have gone 10 days ago……

This thread just reminded me to call and book an appointment, Cheers….

Got one on Friday Afternoon, which was pretty much ideal…

True. But for a developing athlete, to be told to lay off sport for ‘up to 18 weeks’ before we even get to see someone, who might then say it’s something else entirely.

She’s EIGHT. It’s not like she’s going to be at the Olympics in 2016.

That’s just being silly. 2024. Although, if she has to stop playing and misses out now, then she’ll probably have no chance of that either 😉

Seriously. I want her to enjoy team sport, lord knows there are too many fat kids already, and have the best chance she can, and if that means I’ve got to find some way of getting her seen quicker than 18 weeks for preventative treatment then I’m not going to apologise for that.

CUSTOM TREATMENT
The old adage, “An once of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” is most appropriate when trying to prevent the effects of Sever’s Disease. If this condition is not prevented, or treated in its earliest stages, it may cause the child to stop certain sports activities until the growth plate has fused and matured (this usually occurs around the age of 16 years old).

Long Term Treatment and Prevention must be directed towards protecting the growth plate at the back of the heel during a child’s growing years. Being aware of the following best does this:
If the child is very active in sports that require repetitive and exertive activities, then the parents must be vigilant when it comes to the child’s gait, watching to see if he or she is limping, walking on their toes, or complaining of heel pain when weight-bearing. These may be “early warning signs” of Sever’s Disease.

You shouldn’t have to apologise for wanting her to get treatment as soon as possible IMO, we all want whats best for our children.

Regardless of potential Olympic glory, expecting a child to not do something he/she enjoys for 18 weeks is a little unkind, especially since that is just the wait for a possible diagnosis. I’d be more disappointed if you just shrugged your shoulders and accepted the wait.

Unfortunately though this seems to be the world we now live in so if you can afford it (I couldn’t btw) and are concerned enough about it I’d go private.

Now heres a thought, ring the daily mail and say your child is in pain and you cant see a specialist for 18 weeks, theyll send round a reporter and take pics of your daughter looking in pain and a pic of yourself the concerned parent, the article will be be picked up by various news media, your family will become internet sensations, featuring on all news channels, youll be on the breakfast sofa, even DC will pop round to say how much cash he has personally invested in the NHS, then there will be an election in may and sod all will change.

But youre famous for 5 mins, you may even have a thread started on here. about the poor girl with a pain in her foot.

18 weeks is right at the end limit they are set for a non emergency waiting list time is it not?

18 weeks is right at the end limit they are set for a non emergency waiting list time is it not?

Yes, it’s their ‘target’ date to be treated by, though it resets if you then get shunted to a different department. As I am aware of now currently on my third department/specialist…

[Quote]Knowing my luck it will be serious and i should have gone 10 days ago…..[/quote]

Hmmmm….. inconclusive but she wants me to give it a few more days and see if it goes away, same with the niggly little cough that I think is nothing more than the last knockings of the cold I had. And if not….. blood tests and chest xray

Can’t think it can be serious yet, have no cardiovascular symptoms, I’m killing my strava PB’s, that’s all good, isnt it?

^^^ I did my PB 3km swim time 10 weeks ago, 2 days before surgery for prostate cancer 😆