General Chat

I am not a health professional. I am doing a job that has been landed on me by fate to the best of my ability if not very well.

In one direction is the village of W where our doctors surgery is located. There is a bus to this village a couple of times on three days a week. On the day we have it organized for Fred to go to W, this means having the carers in early twice, the surgery sees its last patient an hour before he arrives. There are still staff there and the doctors realize just how important it is that Fred should be able to get his own hearing aid batteries and see a doctor there rather than have the hime visit we try to avoid so they will sometimes wait to see him.

The surgery is undergoing a huge upgrade and we have had one or two little glitches like prescriptions not being sent to pharmacy.

Last Friday the district nurse came to do Fred's usual blood test for his Warfarin.
On Tuesday he turned up to take another because our surgery had failed to send the last one to the hospital. Unfortunately Fred had gone to S for his lunch. S is the village in the other direction and there is a bus which goes there and to the local town four times an hour from the end of the road.

Fred doesn't need any special organizing to get there with his mate so I encourage him to go as often as possible.

Fred not being there, the nurse said he would not be working the next day so he would come back on Thursday. After he had gone I thought I might save him an extra journey by getting Fred to go in the surgery to have his blood taken.

I rang the surgery to arrange this with the receptionist who had to consult the phlebotomist to be sure she was going to be there for it and I assumed they would be liasing with the district nurses who, for all I know, may work in the surgery.

Before he went to W that morning I even rang the surgery to ensure the phlebotomist would be available an hour after the surgery closed and a special note was put on his file. Naturally, this didn't stop a different receptionist telling them they were too late but the blood was extracted anyway.

On Thursday the district nurse turned up at home to take the blood.

This morning a letter arrived to the effect that the blood could not be tested because there was not enough of it so I rang the surgery to book yet another blood test.

They gave me the number of the district nurses who, evidently are based in town. The very pleasant man who does the appointments or whatever was very sympathetic about the runaround we had experienced and even more so when he explained to me that the district nurses would not take his blood any more because it is a service for the housebound. He must go to the surgery he went to last time.

I was only trying to be helpful!

Doesn't life get just too complicated sometimes Sharron, what a palaver to get a simple thing sorted out.

You must feel like screaming sometimes. I know I would.

Keep up the good work hon, and don't let the b****rs get you down!

Lizx

Sharron what can I say it seems everything has got out of hand a little bit of common sense might prevail if docs and district nurses conversed with docs pointing out Fred can't get to surgery except by bus and the surgery is closed by the time he arrives and that he is not altogether fit to do so ... what a to-do!

The man at the district nurses office was very understanding and suggested I get back to the surgery about the problem so that is what I did.

Don't you just love doctors receptionists?

After I had explained it all to the receptionist she said she didn't think there was much they could do for me. WHAT!!!!!

I did explain that I thought the practice might be able to argue my case a little more strongly than I could myself.

The last I have heard of it is a telephone call from the practice manager to tell me that the duty doctor had faxed the district nurses office.

I don't really know what I should do next.

The doctor sent a fax to the district nurses so I am wondering if I should wait for somebody to contact me.

He does, however, still need his warfarin test, it is supposed to be weekly and is now a week overdue.

Crazy crazy situation Sharron and it must leave you feeling so frustrated - even at times abandoned by the system.
Sadly these days if you don't fall neatly into a box that can be handled by one area of the community health service then you can fall through the net. Fred is lucky he has you to fight his corner and try to sort these problems out, but you shouldn't have to.
I spent some of my career working in residential care and I take my hat off to people who care for relatives at home - they really are unsung heroes. At least I could go home after a bad shift!!
I hope you get this sorted soon.

Sharron,

Bet you are pulling your hair out trying to get the blood test done..

I think it's 50/50 with the district Nurse and the receptionist..

Cos the district nurse saw that Fred had gone out and then you ringing the surgery and the receptionist saying they can't help you..

It's time they got there act together and decided that Fred should either have the blood test done by the district nurse on a certain day when Fred isn't out or at the surgery at a convient day for Fred..

I would ring the district Nurses office and asked if they have got the fax through and arrange a day (not Fred's Sausage Day) to come and take the blood sample.


If we hear a scream we no you have lost your temper..

Good Luck you sound as if you need it..

I am waiting for the practice manager to ring me back.

We have been with this practice for a very long time through different doctors, 93 years in Fred's case, so they know the situation in detail.

They understand how important it is that he should be out and doing as much as is possible, have seen the results and make efforts to accommodate him.

I could probably find an occupational therapist from Social Services who will vouch for how undemanding we are, probably some of the least likely to abuse a privilege I would think.

I can understand how they must be constantly on their guard against people who due come it but hope we can convince them that we really do need the service and are not abusing it.

meanwhile, that blood-test is a long way overdue!

Oh Sharron, What a to do, you must be at your wits end ,what with the buses and the non co-operation between the surgery and District Nurses. They should be liaising with each other. I wonder how many others in your area are also frustrated with this treatment.

Keep your chin up

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Sharron I would phone again and tell the District Nurse you want an end to all this nonsense especially as Fred is over due his test and ask if the local newspaper would be able to help you - that just might get them going, having worked in employment years ago where customers could be often fobbed off they only had to mention newspapers/MP and they were suddenly at the top of the list ...give it a try. By the way is Fred 93 yrs old ? if so it's a disgrace.

Resolved!

I have just had a call from the district nurses office and they are going to come out and do his blood test in the morning, before he goes out. It is sausage sandwich day after all.

It seems that the fax from the surgery explained it for me.

Now I feel better and thank you all for your support.

Thank goodness for that, I hope the results are good :-D

Brilliant outcome for you..

Hopefully the district nurse has been and gone and Fred's blood has been taken..

Now 15 minutes to put your feet up with a cuppa and biscuits..

Take Care of yourself.. :-D :-D :-D

Glad it is all sorted now :-D

It's not really a matter of being good, Kitty. It is the one to tell what dose of warfarin he must take.

I always think it is not so good when I have to break pills in half and do a different dose on different days.

Sharron,

Know what youmean about breaking pills in two for a Warfarin dose..Used to have to do that for my late husband.

I had a very sharp knife and put the pill on a dessert spoon in a brown bag and then cut them..

Hope your ok in yourself. :-D :-D :-D <3

I have been known to do it with a pair of scissors but can usually do it with the pinkies.

Yes thanks Sue. I am really not to bad now I have the problem sorted out. It does take it out of me a bit when something like that goes wrong but I wouldn't mind betting that I will survive.

Yes Sharron,You will survive and go on to fight some more for Fred.

After a lot of stress.you need a good 15 minutes with a cuppa and biscuits to fortify you for the next round.

Then boxing gloves on for the next round..

Big Hugs for you as you are such a caring daughter. <3 <3 :-D :-D

It is in my interest to keep him stimulated and active.

You could not imagine what a miserable old git he would be if I let him get bored.

I can imagine what he is like..If he likes to be in the garden when it's warm could you ask him to plant a planter for you which is up high enough for him to use his good hand.

or has he any hobby's.??