Should I take a differnet route to Surgery?

[mandym1]

My GP referred me for PCT funding in June 2008. I finally got fed up of waiting and chased it up in April this year. My GP then told me I had been approved for funding and the letter from my PCT was dated July 2008. It only took 4 weeks but had gone missing in the system for 9 months??

Anyway I finally got an appointement to see an Endocronologist last week. (Liverpool PCT, Prof. Wilding).

Dr Adatya was very nice but told me that my GP was wrong and I did not have funding for surgery!! I had funding to be treated on a WLM programme, which may result in surgery but only after 12 months of appointments with dietitians, physiotherapists, taking Xenical etc..

He was so nice and gave me a lot of encouragement but a week on I'm feeling lost again. I think about food more than ever and my journey to surgery will end up taking me 2 years!! If it ever happens.

I have my next appoimtment with Dr Adatya in November!! I dont see the point in appointments 3 to 4 months apart when slimming clubs and weekly meetings didnt work for me.

Now I have a 2 week wait to see my GP now I'm going to speak to him about it to see if there is anything else that can be done.

Is there anything I can do myself? Should I go direct to my PCT and fight for surgery to happen sooner? Do they always have to follow this procedure? Has anybody had a similar situation and had any luck bringing surgery forward?

 

[archiesmum]

Hi Mandym1. I'm so sorry that you are having such an awful time. I can't really help re funding as I had my band done privately. I wish you all the best. It must be so frustrating.

 

[Big an Bouncy]

Unfortunately Mandy this is how it goes in Liverpool,bmi has to be 50 or lower with comorbidities,12 months under walton weight management team,prove you can lose weight but not keep it off in that time,prove all other routes have been tried ie drugs etc.Have sleep apnoea test,other refferals documented by Dr Aditya.I have done all this and go back 25th september and hope he tells me I can have funding and give me a date.I must admit after a recent op I had been feeling really cxxp and phoned his secretary Keith to see if they could pull the appt. closer or even take a cancellation,he said everyone is in the same boat and Dr Aditya is booked solid for 2 months as he had his holiday and was catching up.Dont get dispondent,I first saw him 11th Aug 08,6th oct 08 (dietician), 13th nov 08,12th feb09,28th may 09,then 25th sept 09.With appts inbetween at the hospital gym,who I found to be quite patronising.Or maybe I was having an off day!

 

[Snowcrystal]

My GP referred me for PCT funding in June 2008. I finally got fed up of waiting and chased it up in April this year. My GP then told me I had been approved for funding and the letter from my PCT was dated July 2008. It only took 4 weeks but had gone missing in the system for 9 months??

Anyway I finally got an appointement to see an Endocronologist last week. (Liverpool PCT, Prof. Wilding).

Dr Adatya was very nice but told me that my GP was wrong and I did not have funding for surgery!! I had funding to be treated on a WLM programme, which may result in surgery but only after 12 months of appointments with dietitians, physiotherapists, taking Xenical etc..

He was so nice and gave me a lot of encouragement but a week on I'm feeling lost again. I think about food more than ever and my journey to surgery will end up taking me 2 years!! If it ever happens.

I have my next appoimtment with Dr Adatya in November!! I dont see the point in appointments 3 to 4 months apart when slimming clubs and weekly meetings didnt work for me.

Now I have a 2 week wait to see my GP now I'm going to speak to him about it to see if there is anything else that can be done.

Is there anything I can do myself? Should I go direct to my PCT and fight for surgery to happen sooner? Do they always have to follow this procedure? Has anybody had a similar situation and had any luck bringing surgery forward?

Mandy

I have not read through the other replies that others have may have sent...so forgive me if I repeat anything they have said.

I am absolutely gob smacked about the mystery (and it is a mystery) of the funding...You either have or you don't.

Do I understand correctly that the finding it turns out that you do have is for weight management before surgery?

Well the way I look at it now is that if this is the case, someone caused you to lose 9 months worth of weight management clinic stuff and someone needs to be held accountable.

I think your GP has a lot to answer for...yes we can all make mistakes, we are only human. But it seems to me that you have been doing all the chasing in the first place and your GP has not done anything for you...You have to go back to this GP and make him/her see what they are responsible for...They may even be able to appeal on your behalf now too.

It is the GP's responsibility because this operation could enhance your life or even save it and he can't deny that because he agreed to refer you in t,he first place...(It might be elective by yourself in a way, but once that GP refers you it becomes his medical opinion that you should be considered).

I do feel for you, and other than what I have said already I don't know how else to advise you...But please do not give up.

If you give now and put on even more weight the road will get harder and harder...Join Sambuca's club for now, even if it's to maintain your weight until you get this sorted out. You know you will get lots of support from the folk here in Mini's.

I really wish you all the best...please let us know how it all goes.

(((hugs)))

 

[mandym1]

The mystery has never been explained and you are right I need to find out what happened. When I asked last time my GP insinuated that the PCT had altered the date on the letter as they had lost it in their system. I personally think the admin staff at my GP's surgery have made the error. I didnt push it as I thought oh well thats done I have my funding now that was all that mattered. I was so happy.

The Doctor at WLM told me that this funding is for me to to attend the clinic as it is outside of my area?? It is in the same city though so again that doesnt make sense...

I'm just going to have to have this out with my GP and get some answers. As you say make someone accountable for this.. it has cost me such a lot of time during which my health has deteriorated. :cry:

 

[thinkbethin]

I'd just say to go back to your gp and ask what exactly it is you've been granted funding for. If they say for surgery then ask there and then to refer you straight to the consultant.Don't hang around as you may get lost in the system again.Good luck and I hope the funding was for surgeryxx

 

[phatmomma]

Hi, what a balls up! Firstly with the whole pct funding thing, some large cities have more than one pct for example i think Birmingham has 4 or thereabouts... so it may be that you are going to weight management within the city but the hospital providing the service is not the same pct as your GP falls into.

Also the date funding was agreed is a concern, because funding is agreed does that mean that the money has changed hands for the service provided. I'm erring towards the fact that it is like a promise, you do the work and bill me, i guarantee to pay it kinda thing. Knowing how finances work within the NHS i can tell you that any money not spent by a department by the end of their financial year (end of March) doesn't get carried over (usually) to the following year, it all goes back into the PCT'S melting pot. So the funding you had may not be there now, although if they're seeing you in weight management that's a mystery to me...

I really would think of contacting PALS (Patient Advice Liason Service) for your area and see if making a complaint could help you. But in the meantime check criteria for surgery, see if you meet it etc.

I really hope you get your surgery and look forward to an update of your progress... So much good luck been sent your way xx

 

[jaynefrances]

Hi
Sorry to hear you are feeling so frustrated. I know exactly how you feel about the waiting process - i too had to do the specialist weight management clinic course before being referred to the surgeon (as in your case it is this MDT forum within the weight management clinic that will get the funding approved rather than the GP - in my PCT this is the only way it can be done) I am now due my final appointment with the surgeon, where the decision will be made to place me on the waiting list for the op in October. All in all i estimate that from approaching my GP to the actual surgery date it will have taken 2 1/2 years.
Put into some perspective though, having been fat for 25 years, the extra 2 isn't a big deal for me and although i still find the wait frustrating, in all honesty it does fly by. Like you, my health has deteriorated over the past few years and i do feel a sense of urgency about the surgery & losing just a little bit of weight has made me feel better (keeping it off is a problem though !!)
It must be annoying that your referral was lost and if it makes you feel better then pursue an explanation for this from your GP/PCT, although this will never get you back those 9 months and my advice would be to focus your energy on the journey you have ahead of you.
Try to concentrate on the positive elements of this process - you have been referred to a free weight loss support clinic - for which places are in high demand and through this stand a good chance of being granted funding for wls - many are not so fortunate.
Every day that you wait for the next appointment and see the next professional is one step closer to your goal and in the meantime lean on everyone here when you are feeling p'd off - they are a great source of comfort when you're having a bad day !