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Worryingly if a person develops Cauda Equina Syndrome they’re now put on a surgery waiting list even though it’s an emergency with 24hrs to save bladder & bowel function, risking permanent disability. Please #StayHome 
as many of us are waiting for life changing surgery 
as many of us are waiting for life changing surgery
Life is extremely shit when legal representation may be the only means to get an NHS spinal clinic to accept a referral, especially when the NHS has already paid for the patient to see a NHS Neurosurgeon who advised spinal surgery but was referring the patient back to the NHS
due to complex needs that the private hospital were unable to manage as they did not have HDU! Yet imagine being told that case transfer was not going ahead as the NHS hospital are not accepting Neurosurgery referrals from outside of their postcode area!
This is not exclusively attributable to COVID19 as this was the situation in January 2020, two months before lockdown, although the health crisis is worsening the situation so how the hell does this gov’t propose to move this on so those needing elective surgery might actually
access remote oversight & adequate pain management in the meantime? I feel like pass the fucking parcel & every so often a layer is removed but nobody wants to accept responsibility for dealing with the actual patient. The politics of this situation don’t just affect me the admin
at the GP surgery have been on this rollercoaster with me trying to resolve this for over a year! They are as exacerbated as I am. Ultimately the long term impact for those requiring elective care is worrying as many will be unable to lead fulfilling lives requiring state support
yet we’ll be stereotyped as skivers when in reality we’ve been let down by NHS trusts refusing health care. Life truly is shit when quality of life & mobility really are a postcode lottery
March 2019 - NHS MRI referral refused despite a history of many years of debilitating back pain
June 2019 - Self funded private Neurosurgeon appt advised lumbar disc probs
Nov 2019 - NHS Hospital declined referal to Neurosurgeon I had paid to see privately 5 months previous
June 2019 - Self funded private Neurosurgeon appt advised lumbar disc probs
Nov 2019 - NHS Hospital declined referal to Neurosurgeon I had paid to see privately 5 months previous
Dec 2019 - GP funded private upright MRI Scan that showed 3 degenerative lumbar discs (bottom one is almost bone on bone) & large centrally bulging lumbar disc compressing nerves in both legs!
Jan 2020 NHS referrals advised @LeedsHospitals weren’t accepting Neurosurgery referrals from outside their postcode area, so an NHS funded referal was sent to the Spire Methley Park (private) Hospital to a Neurosurgeon who also practices at LGI
Feb 2020 - (after a six week wait from referal to first OP Neurosurgery appt) Neurosurgeon advised I need lumbar discectomy & decompression surgery (I advised the consultant I have an underlying medical condition but clinic letter reiterated they would liaise with anaesthetist
colleague near to the date of the surgery.
March 2020 - at pre-op assessments the Aneathetist advised I was not a good candidate for Spire Methley Park Hospital as the surgery requires HDU back up & they do not have HDU. Pre-op Nurse said they would transfer my case to Leeds NHS
March 2020 - at pre-op assessments the Aneathetist advised I was not a good candidate for Spire Methley Park Hospital as the surgery requires HDU back up & they do not have HDU. Pre-op Nurse said they would transfer my case to Leeds NHS
A week later I was still on SMP surgery list as admin rang to confirm I planned to attend 
After a few frantic calls to resolve this hiatus I emailed the Neurosurgeon Secretary who confirmed they were transferring my case to LGI who have Neurosurgery HDU
After a few frantic calls to resolve this hiatus I emailed the Neurosurgeon Secretary who confirmed they were transferring my case to LGI who have Neurosurgery HDU
Then suddenly .....
May 2020 - pain management clinics start accepting referrals.
Today phone call from NHS referrals stating referal to @LeedsHospitals is not an option as they’re not accepting referrals from outside their postcode area, yet I was advised my case WAS being transferred to LGI due
Today phone call from NHS referrals stating referal to @LeedsHospitals is not an option as they’re not accepting referrals from outside their postcode area, yet I was advised my case WAS being transferred to LGI due
to complex need but they won’t accept the referral for Neurosurgeon nor pain management as they are playing politics deciding who to accept for treatment based on postcode Back to square one & replicates the same situation with NHS MH services Trauma repetition
Back to square one & replicates the same situation with NHS MH services Trauma repetition
The only options are referal to another out of area hospital with a spinal unit, Wakefield, Sheffield or Middlesbrough! I thought the NHS aim to treat as close to home as possible, but those localities are much further away than Leeds & travelling with spine issues is painful
In the meantime a physio & OT have both advised me to be aware of symptoms of Cauda Equina Sundrome yet even in an emergency these patients are being placed on surgery waiting lists risking loss of bladder & bowel function This is a frightening situation to be in
This is a frightening situation to be in
