As some of you may know, I have been waiting for an NHS physio appointment for 5 months which I went to recently. I have in the meantime had one private session with a neurophysio who was brilliant and the numbness in my non-stroke leg has all but gone. I was required by the NHS to take part in a telephone assessment before I could be granted an actual appointment in person. This I did a while ago and she took down all the details regarding my problem. I also had to complete a form which I was told to take with me to the appointment and hand in to the physio which I did. On arrival, I was given another form to complete tick box style to state how I felt 'today'.
I find it hard to understand that when I went into the physio, I was asked all the same questions again. The tick box form wasn't even looked at and neither was the form I completed at home prior to going. I went through all the usual testing of push this and pull that, reflexes done etc all the same things I had done by the neurologist 4 weeks ago at that appointment in the same hospital. Consequently, over 30 mins of my 45 min appointment was taken up repeating things which had already been said and done previously. Why isn't everything on computer to save having to repeat everything and waste valuable time. The end result was - you guessed it... nothing. No diagnosis, no idea of what is wrong with me and worst of all, no hands on treatment. I was told to bring a pair of shorts in the leaflet sent to me as I would need to remove lower clothing if my problem was with my leg. I wasn't asked to change into shorts but was asked permission for the physio to lift up my trouser leg to the knee and take off my sock.
I was in total despair when I came out. I was given another appointment in 3 weeks time to see another physio for a second opinion. What is going on? This is the 4th time I have been for physio (NHS) in 12 yrs and never had anyone examine me or give me treatment. My husband has been many more times than me as he suffers with RSI and tennis elbow due to working on computers all day long. He also has never had any hands on treatment only leaflets for exercise to do. I read on line an article in The Daily Telegraph about another NHS Trust which has banned hands on treatment for all physios and are now operating a 'no touching' policy in order to save money! The whole system is barking mad. This is just forcing people into seeking private treatment. Why can't one qualified physio see the same problem that another qualified physio can? It certainly doesn't look great for the future for us stroke survivors if 'no touching' becomes the norm as it seems it is in my area.
I can't believe you have been treated so badly. Like you I find it incredibly difficult to understand how no touch physio could possibly work. It needed several hands to help me when I first started to stand and walk etc.
Thank goodness you were in a position to be able to afford private care. It seems to be the way Stroke rehab is going. When I had my stroke, funding for more than 6 weeks of basic rehab had just been withdrawn. I had to pay to go to 2 different gyms. Like you I found the money at a time when I was starting on no pay.
I'm so glad it's worked for you. Hang in there and keep improving.
How utterly maddening - what a waste of time for you and the phsio, no forward progress. I managed to have 6 free physio sessions, made as a referral through my school. However I may have to pay tax on this in the future (I can't remember the terminology), but the physio was very hands-on, including massage; this is surely the only way the physio can assess the problem, and decide a programme of exercises to make improvements? I'm so sorry that this has caused you such a lot of frustration after you've waited so long and invested your hopes in an improvement based on this appointment. Maybe we should be rating the effectiveness of these services, and commenting on ways this could improve? Sounds like a missed opportunity. Come on stroke association, any ideas about how to tackle this?
How utterly maddening - what a waste of time for you and the phsio, no forward progress. I managed to have 6 free physio sessions, made as a referral through my school. However I may have to pay tax on this in the future (I can't remember the terminology), but the physio was very hands-on, including massage; this is surely the only way the physio can assess the problem, and decide a programme of exercises to make improvements? I'm so sorry that this has caused you such a lot of frustration after you've waited so long and invested your hopes in an improvement based on this appointment. Maybe we should be rating the effectiveness of these services, and commenting on ways this could improve? Sounds like a missed opportunity. Come on stroke association, any ideas about how to tackle this?
I find this treatment dreadful and if it were me I would make a formal complaint. I cannot understand why health authorities differ so much. In my rehab hospital there was a gym. I was assessed, then treated and the treatment was hands on. My progress was checked regularly and a final report given me when I left.
Thanks everyone - I am SO looking forward to my next private appointment next week. She did warn me last wk that I would feel pain and this was all normal and not to worry. I've had some pain when sitting down to watch TV but at least I can sit down and watch a bit of telly! I can put up with pain anyday instead of numbness. I can certainly feel pain in places where the numbness was so I guess it's everything coming back to 'life' again after being asleep for 10 months! Zzzzzzz Uh.. Ouch!
Thats hopeless. it is so sad that we have to go private if we possibly can afford it.
The NHS is unravelling.
I had five physios attend me in the hospital and the use of a gym with stairs etc and also a kitchen to see if I could cope. Then after leaving hospital I had six weeks of physio in my own home. This was a good start.
We really need more ongoing treatment. I have certainly messed up by doing nothing with professionals for three years. Now I am paying for small group therapies and this is very helpful. If I need one to one then its £50 which seems good value to me. It is unfair for those who dont have £50.
I will see what the next appointment brings but if no joy, and after they have discharged me, I think a letter to the Quality Care Commission people will be called for!
Which area do you live in Onwardsandupward ?I know it doesn’t help but my weak shoulder has been troubling me for three years. No pain, but went to my doctors. Apparently it is muscle weakness. Referred to physio immediately.
Hi I also felt badly let down by the NHS after my stroke 2 years ago. I spent 12 weeks in a hospital rehab unit, where I had regular physio in the gym and hydro therapy pool. When I finally left hospital, I was offered 7 x 45 minute sessions in the outpatients gym at the hospital after an initial assessment. Unfortunately I saw 3 different Neuro physios during my sessions and each time a new physio started, my session was taken up by yet another assessment. I was then referred to have another 7 sessions with the Community Neuro Physio Team at home. Again more assessments taking up my precious physio sessions.
Thanks to generous family and friends I was then able to pay for an excellent Neuro physio and still see her on a weekly basis. It seems such a shame that the NHS do a great job and save your life when you initially have a stroke and then let you down when they abandon you on discharge from hospital. Not everyone is in a financial position to pay for private physio,as it is very expensive, that said, they do an amazing job.
Lack of continuity and lack of communication between depts is the biggest failure of the NHS. Even when I was in the stroke unit at hospital, there was little communication between nursing staff and every shift change brought conflicting advice. I remember being told on the night of my stroke,my first night at hospital that I probably would never drive again and once you have had a stroke you are almost certain to go on and have another and another until the inevitable happens. Just what you need to hear! I remember sobbing myself to sleep and telling my husband that I was scared I wouldn't come out alive. The Consultant told me on the next day that after the first 3 months, I was at no more risk of having another stroke than someone who had never had one provided I took the medication giv en and that I could drive after a month! It's so sad that the system lets down not just the patients but the hardworking staff as well. It must be so demotivating for them.
I am lucky that although I am retired, my husband is still working. He is younger than I am and therefore has to work longer since the retirement age was extended. Don't get me started on that one LOL! As you say, it is unfair for those who can't afford it. I know if we were both retired and living off state pension like millions of others in this country, it would be a struggle to afford it. When you see how much money the NHS waste on endless form filling in and leaflets that they hand out all the time, it's so annoying.
Oh belive me i no how bad the care can be. They were absolutly brilliant at the hospital when i had my stroke but i was ill for 2 wks befor i had it and i belive 100 percent it was my GP s fault if she had of payed more attention to what i was saying for the 2wks prior i think i could of been treated for a blood clot any maybe never of had a stroke at all. Because i was only 35 at the time she ignored it.
I agree with all you say. The latest improvement at my hospital is new signs. The difference areas of the hospital are no longer medical, surgical etc but colours!!!!
Someone I know was visiting a friend while the new signs were being put up. She went to get a coffee and something for her friend from the shop. Only for the workmen to take down the old signs and not yet put the new ones up. Very confusing.
The new signs I'm sure were very inexpensive!!!!!!
Ha ha! That's bonkers! It reminds me of when I had my stitches out after my gallbladder op and the receptionist told me to 'follow the blue footprints' So I concentrated really hard on following these blue footprints till I got where I needed to be. It would have been much easier for my strokey brain if she had just said "Left at the end of the corridor and you'll see the waiting room"!
I have worked on accounts in the NHS quite a bit. Mostly GPs but some hospital stuff.
All the changes and improvements seem to me to be on admin and not on medical staff. As the ultimate example, I worked at a modest sized GP surgery. I went for a day or two each month. The senior receptionist did the daily stuff. That was it. Part of a receptioinst plus me for a day or two. I felt that I was supporting the staff and the GPs. At the end of my working life the surgery was 25% bigger in patient terms, but they had 14 administrative staff. Bonkers. Get rid of the accountants and pay for nurses.
Sadly there are too many of examples of NHS money being wasted - although it pains me to say it. I won't complain too much though, because I'm very grateful to the NHS for so many things. ? xx
Ouch!