Just wondering if I have funding or not ???

[kell]

Im in Leeds and this is my journey so far...

1. saw my GP in June 2008 to be referred

2. got a letter approx 4 weeks later to phone the hospital for an appointment, which I did straightaway, and was told on the phone that an appointment would be sent through the post to me within 8 weeks

3. Phoned up after 8 weeks to find out when my appt would be as id not received one, only to be told that my referral had been cancelled due to it being sent to the wrong place?? and I would need to go back to GP to be re-refered! Grrrrrrrrr!!

4. went back to GP and was re-referred again

5. was sent an appointment for mid October to see a dietician to see if I needed referring?

6. had a meeting with her which took approx 45 mins and she agreed to refer me

7. waited approx 14 weeks for an appointment to see another dietician, who basically did the same thing as the 1st dietician I saw?? and she told me that she would put me forward to the board of surgeons for a decision

8. she phoned me 2 weeks later and said that they agreed I needed the surgery and that she was sending letters out for appt to see the surgeon, which would be in approx 8 weeks time. I asked her if this meant that funding had been granted to which she said that if the GP had referred me then its assumed that they are willing to pay for it? (I thought the gp had no say in funding)??

9. So here I am left wondering whats going on, have I got funding or not? and waiting to hear about an appointment to see surgeon.

This is all sooooooooo confusing!..lol.x

 

[Brunetteandred]

GP's have no say in funding, it is the commissioners of your PCT, they hold the purse strings.

I would take the bit between my teeth and find out:

a) who the person is that handled the application then
b) who the person is that receives and processes that application at the PCT then
c) Ring them and ask where your case is at.

 

[brett30]

it could mean yes you have funding cause mine was done in same kinda way ... i got referal from gp .. who applied to my pct first for the funding and it took 3 weeks i was then told to call the hospital of my choice .. i was given 3 diff hospitals as there is quite a few in london that do the op..

so i called them and had all my referal sent over and im now almost there .. i have my appointment with surgeon on 16th march ..

but even if you havent got funding and there all saying yes then i can not see reason not to get it .. i know its a post code lotto .. but if the surgeon is good he will make the pct see reason why u should have the op ..

u should call ur gp and ask if they applied for funding before referal ..

but its all looking good from what u say .. its just a pain the waiting times ..

 

[EMPRESS PAULA]

Been offered funding on the nhs now what??

Hi Brett
Just looked at your profile and i have just joined this site myself. I am in Northamptonshire and i also saw my doctor, who applied to the local PCT and i then received approx 3 weeks later a letter saying they had agreed for me to undergo bariatric surgery with a choice of 2 hospitals. I have now chose the preferred birmingham one, and wondered what happens next -did you go for any appointments prior to booking the op date, if so how many and what kinda of people did you see?? And what did they do?? I take it as i have funding they wont say no now -sorry but can i get excited yet!!!!
Also can i ask why you are having the by-pass rather than the gastric band?? any reason??

 

[thinkbethin]

Hi Paula, welcome to minis. Maybe you should start a thread introducing yourself and then everyone will know you're here lol. Good luck on your wls journey

 

[EMPRESS PAULA]

Hi Thanks alot i will do that!! There is just so much to read to begin with!! Don't think i will get to sleep tonight with it all!! xx

 

[thinkbethin]

Well good luck and I'm on here as you know if you need a hand.
xxGaynorxx

 

[Cat321]

Hi Kelly

Which surgeon will you be under in Leeds? I come from Salford PCT but was referred to Mr Pollard at the Spire who also works at St James for NHS patients. When I was trying to contact Mr Pollard prior to my op I was put through to the NHS side by mistake and the lady on the phone said that Mr Pollard wouldn't make an appointment with anyone until funding was agreed so.......don't know if that helps you or not? Depends on whether Mr Pollard will be your surgeon and also this was in about June last year.

Hope it helps anyway!!

 

[brett30]

Hi Brett
Just looked at your profile and i have just joined this site myself. I am in Northamptonshire and i also saw my doctor, who applied to the local PCT and i then received approx 3 weeks later a letter saying they had agreed for me to undergo bariatric surgery with a choice of 2 hospitals. I have now chose the preferred birmingham one, and wondered what happens next -did you go for any appointments prior to booking the op date, if so how many and what kinda of people did you see?? And what did they do?? I take it as i have funding they wont say no now -sorry but can i get excited yet!!!!
Also can i ask why you are having the by-pass rather than the gastric band?? any reason??

hiya paula i got my funding in dec .. and i get my op in may .. i have had around 7 hospital appointments inbetween dec and now ... 2 with surgen .. i have had cpx test .. and heart checks .. blood tests.. sleep tests... and now all my tests are over i got my date ...

 

[wobbles]

Hi Kell,

I'm in Leeds too. My GP first referred me back in January 08, although it was sent back to her as she'd sent it to the wrong people. So had to re refer me to the right people.

April i saw the first dietician who informed me i would have to have bloods taken etc and it would from there. She was suppose to send a letter to my GP informing her of what bloods to take etc. I waited 10 weeks for that letter to be sent and in the end i ended up sending in a formal complaint to the PCT, which got things moving along. I had the bloods taken.

I then saw the 2nd Dietician at LGI (Mary- which i think was in July) who told me they hadn't received any of the blood results anyway. But that she would be taking my case to the board in 2 weeks time an she would inform me as soon as she had an answer on funding. She called the day after he meeting and told me the answer was yes, and that the next step would be meeting the Surgeon.

So i received the appointment with Mr Pollard and saw him on the 1st September who then and there gave me an op date, 22nd October, and had to have my pre op assessment the following week. I then received appointments for the heart/cardio tests. However the day i was suppose to have them, the machines were'nt working and is it was only a few days before the op was scheduled, i ended up not having them at all. I was informed by Mr Pollard that the tests were only for research purposes, that they believe obese people's hearts are weak, and then they test you again after the op to see the difference in your cardio levels etc. But Mr Pollard wasn't bothered that i didn't have these tests.

So from referral to surgery was 10 months. From appointment with first dietician to surgery was 6 months. From appointment with Mary to op was 3 months, and from first appointment with Mr Pollard to op was 6 weeks.

I'm now nearly 6 months post op, have lost 7 stone. I've never seen the dietician post op, i couldn't make the appointment that was made for me, and another one has never been made. I also haven't seen Mr Pollard either, but saw one of his helpers back in December who ordered bloods to make sure everything was fine. I'm suppose to have a 6 month check up this month, but have not received an appointment. I was in touch with Mr Pollard last week and asked him if i would get to see him before returning to Australia at the end of the month, and he informed me i would have to wait for a letter to arrive, and that i probably wouldn't see him anyway because he concentrates on seeing new Patients.

It sounds as though things are pretty hectic for hm in Leeds. That and i'm sure he's taken holidays as practically everyone else has so i'm sure he's just catching up on people.

I'm sure for you and Vicky, it won't be long now. Good luck, don't lose heart.

xx