NHS Waiting List Question?

Question

My son (4) has been deaf since October due to glue ear, we have to shout for him to hear us, and he then gets upset because he thinks we're angry. He's become withdrawn at nursery, and is half the boy he was. We waited 3 months for an ENT appt on the NHS which we went to last week, a hearing test was done, which he failed miserably. The consultant confirmed that he would need grommets, but wanted to do another hearing test first, which is a 2 months wait...and then, they'll put him on the waiting list for grommets which is another 3 months. Do you not think that a total of 9 months of being deaf is too much for a 4 year old to take, especially as this is a vital learning stage? The consultant said that it won't affect his learning, but I have to disagree. Do you think with letters from my GP saying how distressed we are (it's getting me down having to shout all the time) and from his nursery saying he's withdrawn etc, we might be able to get it done any sooner?

We actually have booked a private ENT consultation so I could get a second opinion, but I was wondering whether it would make any difference at all, because they can't speed up the NHS process can they?! I was hoping they would write to my GP and confirm it needs doing asap, so then my GP could pull the strings!?

Answer 1

Your GP will be able to help in sorting this pathetic mess out. I am ashamed today to say that I work for the NHS, after the consultant leaving your son like this.
Also the hospital you went to will have a PALS office. Patient Advice/Liaison Service. The people there will be able to register your complaint and will see it through for you, right up to the consultant himself, until the matter is FULLY resolved.
Pop along to the hospital asap and speak to the PALS office, take with you all letters and appointment times etc and they will help you.

Answer 2

I don't think anyone at your local hospital has mentioned the Patients Charter. This allows any NHS patient to choose where they are treated and buy whom. Contact your GP about this.
The charter means that you can find a hospital with the shortest waiting list and so therefore you will be able to speed up your sons operation.
So I suggest you pay privately for your sons second consultation that your NHS consultant suggested he needs then go to your GP and ask for a list of hospitals in the country and then phone around and find the one with the shortest waiting list.
My friend required a new hip and was told it would be twelve to eighteen months before he would receive it. Using the Patient Charter he found a hospital that was prepared to perform the operation in just a couple of months. He's now had his operation and is fine.
The only drawback with the charter is that you may have to travell some distance from home to get your son's operation sooner.
Although I am sure this is nothing compared to the pain and suffering you are going through as a parent and worth the hassle.
All the best,
Andrew D

Answer 3

I am of the opinion that the NHS will save your life in an emergency but anything else takes forever. I was very fortunate that my husband put our daughter on our private health policy before she was even born. This meant that when she got eczema really badly as a baby instead of waiting 10 months (yes 10 months!) for the NHS appointment we got seen that very day by the same doctor who would have seen us NHS. He put her in wet wraps and prescribed the correct creams and she was fine within weeks.

It's too late now to sign up to a private health care provider but after this time perhaps look into a policy - it really does come into it's own especially living in an area which takes forever (I live in London and it's a joke).

I would definitely do all you can to get seen sooner. Perhaps you could try the following things:
Call the hospital consultant directly to see if he can speed up the process - explain your concerns.
Have your GP refer your son to a child psychologist and have this report forwarded to the consultant.
Bite the bullet and pay for the whole thing privately (at the end of the day it would stop both of you stressing).
Talk to your GP about the possibility of being seen in a different hospital - you can choose which one you go to now.
If that fails then talk about going abroad to France or Spain for instance - they have much less waiting time.

Whatever you do - persevere with it. Unfortunately it is the case that the patients who make a fuss and won't go away get more results than the polite ones who accept it.

Answer 4

Nhs Grommets

Answer 5

clearly if he is "half the lad he was" and is becoming withdrawn at nursery he must be having a terrible time of it. ask your doctor to write a letter to the consultant explaining what a damaging effect this condition is having on the child as well as your MP. as i understand it the nhs is free at the point of delivery and you are prioritised by clinical need. is this is having such a bad effect then i would say that gives good ground for doing anything you can to get him up the list.
Have you discussed if you can be put on the list for cancellations?(which happen all the time) the NHS nowadays is a very frustrating place to be
I dont see why he cant be put on the list for surgery now and if these tests doshow different cause he could then be taken off the list. hardly rocket science is it?
Good luck and i hope you get him seen quickly and he get's back to being his old self.Write to the management team at the hospital if you have no joy, it is probably one of there silly rules why you cant gethim on a list!

Answer 6

Sorry to hear about the plight of your wee son. My advice is contact your Local NHS trust and ask them what the their policy is on waiting times.

Once you have obtained the information and if the time you have had to wait has already exceeded the policy on waiting times then complain bitterly via your doctor to that trust. Get your own GP behind you on this one as it will probably help to have him on board to put forward your case.

Better still If it were me I would phone up the Consultant or his secretary and explain how distressed your little boy is and is there anyway that the procedure can be brought forward. You will be surprised how speaking and explaining direct to hospital consultants can help.

If all else fails ask if your son can have this procedure carried out at another hospital where waiting times are not as long.

And you are right to disagree with what the consultant said about it won't effect his learning, it may well be the case (each child is different as are adults) but it certainly will impede his enjoyment of learning and making his own little friends.

Good luck and give 'em what for.

Answer 7

No, he shouldn't have to wait that long, but that is how it is these days. I can imagine that it would affect his learning - the poor little chap can't hear much so of course he is withdrawn he is becoming isolated. That doesn't make your situation any better though. The problem is that glue ear would be regarded as non urgent as it is not life threatening so I don't believe there is a way to get him moved up the queue. Perhaps consider paying for him to have the hearing test to save 2 months - and enquire how much the operation would cost privately - keep all your options open.

We have had to pay privately on two occasions for healthcare in the past 2 years: it was worth the peace of mind 100%. But clearly some procedures are just too costly to afford.

Answer 8

If your consultant says you need the Op then I'm sure you'll get it. I had a hip replacement a few years ago and have had a major operation on my back. The NHS were brilliant in all aspects. I had to wait about 9 months for my hip operation and was in a great deal of pain when walking. But I don't think that's to long considering the state of the NHS and the fact that they perform life saving operations before operations for people with pain. So as you say don't be overly suspicious.

Answer 9

I agree that it will affect your boy's learning etc, but the unfortunate thing is, there are hundreds of children that also have similar problems that are ahead on the list and been waiting even longer, plus, (dont get me wrong, I know it is vital that your boy gets sorted) there are life threatening cases that come in more priority than grommets.

If everyone was to write letters and queue-jump, there would be no point having a waiting list. The only way to be put forward on a list is if it was to turn into an emergency (life threatening). It may not seem fair to you, but there has to be some organisation with the list with no favouring otherwise it would be mayhem. People are on it because they need to be on it so unfortunately you will have to be patient or be willing to pay for the op privately.

Good luck, sorry you have to be waiting all this time.

Answer 10

i totally symaphise with you. my 5 year old daughter is in exactly the same position. Ive been complaing sinceshe was 2 that she cant hear right but after they tested her with a stupid beep box repeatedly i kept getting sent away when i asked for a referral i got pushed from one to the next. It wasnt till she started primary and the teacher said she hada problem that i was taken seriously and they discovered she hadglue ear and im now waiting on the 2nd appointment for her. then there will still be the wait for the grommets to be put in. Im not in a position to pay for private care or i would. Im just so peeved of at gps etc that havefobbed me of for so long and because glue ear does have a tendency to vary in severity from day to day that they never looked into it more often. my daughter realises that shes different because of this especially when her friends ask her something and she gives them a totalyy inappropriate answer and laugh at her. Her confidence has been knocked no end but she still cant get moved up the list. Ive just got to make sure im looking at her and speaking louder so she knows im not angry with her. I know how frustatrating itcan be but you just have to do your best till your son gets the trweatment. if you can afford it then go private itll make a world of diffence to yourson. good luck

Answer 11

Hi, By going for a second opinion on private health care - you will already have saved 2months and then there is a waiting list for "normal" issues and those that require urgent attention - your consultant should be able to explain the option to you. My son was much younger when he started with ear problems (8 mths) - it took 10mths before grommets were inserted (on our insistence) - he was 18mths, had not said a word and could not walk. When he came around from the anaesthetic the first words he uttered were "hallo mama" and then he decided to run around the ward. I just sat there in tears - my instinct was right! 9-10mths is too long - they miss so much - please remember that 60% of what children learn - is learn between the age of 2 and 5!