Most Pointless Hospital Telephone Consult

[barry1010]

I was referred to a hospital consultant recently and had a letter giving me a telephone consultation today.
The consultant has phoned and this was the entire consultation:
Consultant: You have been referred to me for x problem, is that correct?
Me: Yes
Consultant: I will send you an appointment for a face to face consultation and then we shall book you in for surgery.
Me: Thank you
Consultant: Goodbye

Ah well, at least there is progress.

[anneasquith]

Should this be in jokes ?

[barry1010]

Well I did laugh after - the appointment was for 8:30 and he phoned at 10:50

[calmck]

What a waste of time. Why not a face to face straight away. Covid has a lot to answer for. It seems to be an excuse for everything

[Sqad]

Sounds very reasonable to me.
What is the problem?

[barry1010]

Sqad, the consultant could have saved the cost of the stamp to send the telephone appointment and the (very short) time of the call today and just sent me a face to face appointment in the first place.

I have no problem with telephone consults - they work very well for me and my family but this was pointless.

[anneasquith]

Sqad, do you really think that was good use of a consultants time. .? I doubt very much you would have done it. Looks like a form filling exercise .

[Sqad]

barry.....I don't know the details but I would have thought a face to face consultations are quicker when organised through a telephone consultation.
Also a telephone consultation is a good way to prioritise.

[dannyk13]

If that was a waste, how about my receiving three letters and a text message reminding me that I had a hospital appointment.

[anneasquith]

Oh that Danny, is the Tory NHS .

[maggiebee]

Friend received a letter informing her that she was being removed from the surgery list as she hadn't turned up for her appointment. Fine; only problem was that she hadn't received a letter with an appointment date. Took at least 4 phone calls to get things sorted out. Nobody seems to know who sent out the original letter, couldn't find a copy of it or say when the alleged letter was sent. I know the NHS is under pressure, but this also puts patients under pressure too.

[Sqad]

There are roughly 125 million OP apps sent annually, so give them a break for "errors".

[zebo]

A few years ago I had a very painful horse-fly bite and after a few days I called in at the surgery to try and see a doctor, mid-afternoon, empty waiting room. 'You have to phone to speak to the doctor'. I sat in the car outside the door and watched a doctor take the phone from the receptionist to speak to me, 'How soon can you get here so I can have a look?'
I agree, it was no joke!

[barry1010]

I get letters and texts for appointments, too. An immediate text confirming the appointment; a letter confirming the appointment; a text and letter reminding me a week or so beforehand and a text 24 hours before.

The good thing about the texts is that they make it very easy to cancel an appointment if I no longer need it.

[ferlew]

Barry, at least they didn't expect you to be in two places at the same time !!
I had a text yesterday advising me there would be a telephone consult at home on 12th October. A few minutes later I looked at my computer Emiss app, and there was a "Face to Face with Dr M" at the next village to me on the same day!
I still can't get hold of them to confirn which is correct.

[Dagman]

I have been referred to ent, had to phone to make my own appointment after internet bookings not working, earliest I can be seen.... Next year!

[barry1010]

Seems I have very little to complain about compared to some of your experiences, although I am expecting to have to wait a long time for my non-urgent surgery.