Nurses were nice and informative

Published on 15th May 2024

Summary: Nurses were nice and informative

High Pastures
Background - I had come back from a Caribbean cruise on 28th January, I was very unwell with what I felt was a chest infection or something similar and I had spent 4 days in bed, and I was off work sick. My mum who was on the holiday with us had the same symptoms and was also in bed very sick.
Monday 29th or Tuesday 30th January? -I got a call from the operation planning team asking could I attend Ormskirk hospital for a pre op appointment on 1st February, I told the caller that I was in bed unwell and described my symptoms and he said so long as it wasn’t covid and I could make it to the hospital that I could go. I have been waiting over a year for this appointment and didn’t want to delay the operation any further, I said I had done a covid test and it was negative so I would attend the appointment.
Thursday 1st February –despite feeling very ill, I dragged myself out of bed to attend the appointment. When I got the hospital, I was advised by the nurse who could see I was unwell that I needed to see GP asap to get antibiotics for a chest infection. She also told me that I couldn’t have my procedure on the planned date of February 15th because of the infection, I was told I shouldn’t really have come to the appointment, so I explained what the operation planner had told me as above, so she kindly agreed to continue with the pre op tests. The nurses at the hospital were very nice and informative.
Thursday 1st February – I came home and phoned high pastures straight away to ask for an appointment with the GP as requested by the nurse at the hospital, I was told there were no appointments and to call back at 8am Friday, I explained that I had been told by the hospital to see the GP asap as they wouldn’t proceed with my operation until the chest infection had cleared up. I was told again to call back the next day.
Friday 2nd February – I phoned high Pastures at 8am, I waited in a queue and when I finally got through, I was asked the reason why I needed an appointment, I explained again that I was really unwell, that I thought I had a chest infection and had been advised by the nurses at the hospital the previous day to see the GP to get “strong” antibiotics, to clear up the infection, so they could get me back on the waiting list for the operation before the “pre op window” expired. The hospital had explained that I needed to be 6 weeks clear of any infection before I could go in for the operation and the pre op only lasted 12 weeks. The receptionist said I couldn’t have an appointment with the GP, but instead that I had to go to the respiratory clinic at Westway at 11am
Friday 2nd February 11am – I attended the appointment at Westway clinic, saw a paramedic prescriber who said he didn’t think I had a chest infection or was on the tail end of it and therefore would not ask the doctor at the clinic to prescribe me antibiotics. He wasn’t able to prescribe himself. I said, “well if I don’t have an infection then can you let the hospital know so I can go back on the list” and he said, “well no not really because it’s best to make sure if you are clear from any infection!!” At this point I burst out crying, I had been in bed for almost a week not well, told I had an infection, then told I didn’t, missed my date for my operation which I have been waiting a year for and felt like nobody was listening to me. He was empathetic, but said there was nothing he could do other than write to my GP and told me to book an appointment with him and he might give me antibiotics!
Friday 2nd February -12pm – I phoned high pastures, explained all the above and that I needed to see the GP and was told to call back on Monday! I said I couldn’t wait until Monday that I felt so poorly and was told again that I would have to wait as there were no appointments. I said, “ok then I need a sicknote for next week as I don’t feel well enough to go back to work” and she said you can’t have a sicknote until you have seen the doctor! I was flabbergasted that I was being told I couldn’t have a sicknote until I saw a doctor, but that I couldn’t see a doctor either! I was told again I would have to wait until Monday and call back which would be my 4th phone call to try and see my GP.
To make matters worse my mum who had the same infection or at least we had the exact same symptoms and had been on the same holiday, had got an appointment and been given antibiotics, she then went on to be given a 2nd set of antibiotics and steroids because she was so ill. Although I can’t prove we had the same infection, I think it is highly likely that we did.
I found the receptionist abrupt, rude; she had no empathy for my situation, and I feel that had I have been given an appointment with my own GP when I first phoned up, this could have been sorted out in a more effective and efficient way.
Wednesday 24th April – Back to Ormskirk hospital for another pre-op because the 12-week window had expired, more cost to the NHS. I am now having my operation on 3rd May, more than 14 months since I was refereed and 3 months after the date I should have gone into hospital. My issue is, if I didn’t have an infection my GP may have been able to get me back on the list for my original appointment and if I did have an infection, I could have been treated by him / her and felt better much sooner or I could have been signed off work until I was well enough to go back.
I would like you to note that I rarely go the GP surgery, I am not a time waster, or talking up appointments unnecessarily, and I was both very upset and disgusted that at a time when I felt very ill that I was passed from pillar to post, shown no empathy by high pastures surgery, and couldn’t even get a sicknote, which resulted in me returning to work when I still felt unwell and it took me weeks to recuperate from whatever infection I had.