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Pain Clinic

Over 6 months ago I went to see my GP and begged for a referral to a pain specialist. St Marks do not have an acute pain team which I think is absolutely ridiculous given the fact that most people suffering with Inflammatory Bowel Disease also suffer with pain. And the reason St Marks don't help patients cope with pain long term is... because the budget for the service was cut. It all boils down to money. As usual. 

Readers of the blog will know that the GP forgot to make the referral that I had asked for. It was only noticed when I saw a different doctor and I asked them to chase up the referral. They checked the system and said no referral had been made so they did it for me. That was back in October and the letter came through a few weeks ago offering me an appointment at the end of January. 

The appointment was at QE2 hospital in Welwyn Garden City. This was the hospital that I had all of my original surgery and treatment in 2009. The emergency surgeries I had done there left me shaken and suffering flashbacks. At the time I couldn't drive past the hospital because if I did I would end up having a panic attack, I would be sobbing and just a real mess. I used to drive an extra 4 miles in order to avoid driving past the hospital to get to a friends house and if I had to attend an outpatient appointment I would need to be drugged up on diazepam in order to cope. And driving towards the hospital this week all of those memories came flooding back. Six years ago it was where I got my Stoma, it was where I nearly died, it was where I spent time in intensive care, it was where this journey began. And although my stomach was in knots I managed not to cry or have a breakdown as I made my way to the Outpatients department. Secretly I was quite proud of myself because it showed how far I had come. 

I was seen by the pain consultant who said that she had quickly flicked through my notes after reading the referral information. On her desk were a massive pile of notes and then it dawned on me. They were my notes, not the notes for the entire clinic! You would have to attend a health and safety course in order to know how to correctly lift such a heavy weight! 

My bum had barely touched the seat before she told me that she couldn't help me. What! I couldn't believe it. She said that I had a complex medical history (no shit Sherlock!) and that I needed to be referred to UCH in London. She said that the QE2 was just a small general hospital that couldn't cope with patients like me and that I needed the expertise and skills of a pain clinic that had managed complex cases such as myself. 

I was happy for her to refer me to UCH but when she explained the process I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She would have to dictate a letter which would then be written and sent to my GP. If my GP agrees to my care being transferred from QE2 to UCH then they would need to write back to the pain doctor at the QE2 who in turn would then dictate a letter to UCH...you get the picture don't you! In this day and age why are we still using snail mail when we have email available? All the letter writing would take about 4 weeks; emailing would take 4 minutes! 

But that's the way the NHS works unfortunately. If it cut out all the letter sending imagine how much money they would save on postage! I also think that some routine appointments could be conducted via skype or FaceTime and that if nurses were paid more then more people would choose to make it their career and we wouldn't need to rob developing countries of their nurses. I think Matrons should be brought back to manage the wards instead of ward managers in suits and that hospital food should be better and more nutritious. Just a few of my thoughts on how the NHS could save money or improve their services. If less politicians and managers were involved with the NHS and more staff and patients voices were heard then I'm sure it wouldn't be in the state it is now. 

Anyway off my soapbox and back to my pain. So while I wait for my referral to UCH I will just have to continue popping the pills and drinking the liquid morphine. 

NB x
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