Red Tape Rant. You May Not Want To Read.

[gness]

But I need a rant! Had a call from the care home asking me to buy a large quantity of the largest incontinence pads for my mother who is doubly incontinent.
I priced them and thought.....Oh S**t!....wonder if she can get them on prescription.
I phoned the home to ask about this to be told she has a prescription for small ones but needs large ones. To do this they have to apply to some sort of panel or body....they send someone to assess the need for a larger size..
...take that information away and...in the fullness of time will okay..or not..
the need for larger ones.
I would think the need could be assessed quite well by the people caring for Mum...but what got to me was......
The need can be confirmed by reading the paperwork as to how many times Mum has to be changed...but size!!!!?..How the hell do they do that? Sit by the bed and wait for action?
Calmer now...thanks. Gx

[mccfluff]

sounds like a job for desktop

[vakayu]

Such is the workings of the hard-pushed NHS now gness,aaccountability for every penny and in the meantime waste thousands,I hope you feel better getting that off your chest!!

[AB Editor]

Sounds like someone there is trying to dodge the work of getting it sorted out - who deals with the prescriptions? Is it through the home, or could you bring in a GP with one of those little pads and get him/her to write out "large ones please"?

[Octavius]

Why would they want to go through all that hassle when they can phone you up to deal with it ?

Either do what ABEd suggesyts, or maybe buy enough for a couple of days (your mothers wellbeing is paramount) and demand that this is resolved before they run out...?

[Rosetta]

Have a word with her GP, District Nurse or Practice Manager. Maybe one or all of them can speed things up

[pixie373]

Nothing is ever straight forward gness! It took us three months to get taped ones for our client who had dementia and kept taking them out. They are more expensive, so they are reluctant to agree. Meanwhile, he had to buy his own, on disability benefit. Good luck though, hope sorted soon xx

[murraymints]

I got the large ones on prescription for FIL. So I don't see the problem. I agree an addendum to receptionist stating large size would probably do the trick.

[pixie373]

In homes, you had to keep an incontinence log for 2 weeks, before pads would even be considered. I don't know if it's the same now ( that was up to 3 years ago)

[murraymints]

Prescription by gp....silly predictive thingy !

[gness]

Do feel better for ranting.
Ed...it seems even the GP has to wait for the panel to agree on size and quantity. But he can surely only go by what the carers tell him as can the person from the Incontinence Panel.....what a job!
The carers are excellent and have, it seems, been boxing and coxing with less ...errr....needy residents who have left over large pads....
Oh my..never thought I would be typing this load of...(insert own word).

[murraymints]

It seems much simpler in Scotland...it was just a matter of asking district nurse to arrange. Bingo a wee man arrived on my doorstep within the week.

[flump1]

Oh and to be able to sit and preside on this panel Gness, one must
be able to take the pi$$ one assumes ? OK so the lady over there is peeing more , bigger pads or....
Red tape eh? Chin up Gness xxx

[gness]

I have spoken to the District Nurse, Practice Manager and will have a chat with the GP this afternoon but it's as Pixie says. It doesn't seem as simple as just asking the GP to prescribe when the person is in a home.
I have seen the log they are keeping and things have to be at a certain state for a certain length of time to please the panel....what nonsense.
Where is common sense in this...I will of course buy some but a person who has no family? What happens to them?

[Barmaid]

Gness, sometimes red tape and bureaucracy are just idiotic. you'd think they could supply stuff on an emergency basis until "the Panel" (sorry but I really want to call them the Poo Panel) can make a decision.

In the meantime, you probably know this, but have you looked on ageuk's website in the incontinence section?

http://www.ageukincontinence.co.uk/shop-home.asp

[Rosetta]

overly bureaucratic process, made to save on budgets than on patient care imo. I district nurses are skilled and responsible enough to provide nursing care then they surely be trusted enough to know what size pad is needed or gawds sake

[gness]

Thanks Barmaid....much better price than the ones I looked at.

Ed..didn't answer but the home and the GP deal with prescriptions now. We did until she went into the home but they take over.
You'd think so, Rosetta....too many cooks here I think.