Barbitana

Hi all,
Everything is overloaded in Melbourne!!! everywhere you can easily find long queues...

Stage 0:
* Some strange symptoms...fever...see a GP...wrong diagnosis - 3 times!!!

Stage 1 :
* Painful liver! Ring a GP again... the first available appointment that can be made --> at least 1-2 days waiting, even in emergency cases. Same day appointment? we're fully booked... you're joking! - blood test? 2-3 days waiting for 2-hour results...

Stage 2:
* No worries! there is something called hospital! let's go to an emergency ward : Boxhill hospital 8PM...every 10 minutes somebody nearly dead is coming along...3 hours sitting and waiting between 8-11...had to leave at 11:30PM!!! (sorry but dear patient has to work next day!)

Stage 3:
* Next day 10:30AM pain leaving the office....and this time : Melbourne Royal Hospital (admission - Grattan St.) : If you can wait 4 hours I guess you might be able to see a GP...pooooffffff....

Stage 4:
* Around 3PM....Great news. Find a poor old GP in Preston who can see you in next 2-3 hours...good progress in Melbourne. Why didn't you come sooner?!!!! Take an unltrasound test in 1-2 days...2 days waiting to get the result...could you please do it faste...? NO! have a good cup day!

Stage 5:
* Referral letter - bulk billing specialist is available but you've gotta wait about 40 days...probably looking for a BB funeral services makes more sense.

Stage 6:
* NO problem. let's go for a private hospital....NOV 22 is the first date that Mr.President (specialist) can see you...it's painful and emergency could you make it soone....? NO ummm!!!! heloooooooooo?? sorry but she hangs up the phone!!!! oh my polite kids! (she really did!!!)

Stage 7:
* Ring again...you're fooling yourself...I'm sorry but my phone .... no it was not your phone!....anyway OK...I have to...22nd OK?....yes ple...name..dob..ever been here....very painful?!! call up a GP or emergency!!!! (fantastic advice!!!! - in programming we call it infinite loop)

Stage 8:
* We are here now....and hopefully the Stage 9 is not gonna be in Carlton cemetry!!!...but It could be anywhere else....wife's driving license test? 2-3 months waiting!...inspecting a house? 30 other guys are waiting for that agent in fornt of the house!!!...bloody overcrowded and always late connex? (60 minutes delay is expected!!!! - last friday 6:30PM Alamein line Flinders st)...and so on.

* Just wondering if in this city somebody's house catches fire..forget..just ring NZ or UK...!!!!

((((((((((((((

quoll

Bad day huh?!

Barbitana

Let's say days Quoll...

quoll

Sympathies! I think the response is pretty universal actually - we had a chap sit for so long in A & E that he carked it and no one noticed. Specialist appointments are not a matter of urgency (well, not to them anyway) and theatres are so overbooked that unless you are carted in bleeding and with your head hanging off into emergency then you dont get a slot too quickly.

I hope they can sort out what it is that is ailing you before too long though!

Buzzy--Bee

I sympathise with the trouble you have had with the medical profession, however I don't think an immigrant to anywhere in the world has the right to complain that their new home city is overcrowded.... the immigrants (ie us) are the ones who make it so!

Buzzy

smurtaza

Same problems is with rental in Melbourne. You apply and never get it.

The Crow

Sounds a pain - still, no crowding in The Basin

Geelong Gent

Why were you not refered directly to private after first meeting with GP?

Does your local GP not do outside hours?

We are very close to you in Malvern and have had completely different experience.

From GP I was admitted too private for treatment in 30 mins - taxi organised for me to hospital. PA of consultant even phoned ahead to the pharmacy to make sure medication was ready and waiting for me - did not want me to have to try another pharmacy (and prolong my discomfort) if they were out of stock.

I have still too suffer the same driving queues as experienced in UK or NZ. And at least in the queues you can have a chat with people and not look an idiot or be worried the others you are chatting to might be nutters.

I do hope your medical condition has now been resolved.

Geelong Gent

Have heard there is a good resturant in this basin. As well as a good childrens clothes shop.

The Crow

The Acorn on Forest is a nice restaurant/wine bar (owned by an English couple, so he often gets some good English bottled beer in). They do a good breakfast as well. The Chocolate Dragonfly cafe is great too and does really good value lunch dishes. There is also now a new cafe, owned by a Hungarian who bakes his own delicious cakes.

Hand Me Downs is fab for second-hand kids clothes and toys - silly prices

themerlin

I have always found it easy to get an appoinment with a GP, however the quality of the GP is the issue

Last time I went for a holiday Jab they gave me the wrong one, good job it was only a Hep jab they gave me

I just google my conditions now days lol

Barbitana

Hi all,
Thanks for all kind messages. Still waiting for specialist....

To Buzzy:
Thank you for your sympathy but I can't agree less with what you think about immigrants! why ? let's take 2 simple scenarios :

1- You get a broadband service from ISPx, pay 30% of your salary every month and the service quality when you really need it is terrible and you can't connect. Who should be punished ?

A- You - because you customers are the "Cause" of problem
B- Devices - Because they are not able to serve as you wish
C- Planners and telco managers - Because of their wrong resource assignment and bad planning

2- You decide to change your airline and fly with a new one. You pay and get a ticket, during the flight when you are hungry for lunch, pilot says "unfortunately our food stock was enough only for 10 people! you may take water!". Who should be punished ?

A- You - because you passengers are the "Cause" of problem
B- Chickens - Because they are short
C- Planners and airline managers- Because of their wrong resource assignment and bad planning

I hope your answers look like mine, but when we pay 30% tax + GST we DO expect to get something better. Don't you?

DCI Gene Hunt

Sounds like someone needs a hug.

Weirdstone

Or a new Doctor, or a kick up the arse.
I've been with the same Doc ...just down the road in Elsternwick for 2 years, and have never had any problems being referred to a hospital Consultant - whom I saw 2 weeks after the referral for a non-emergency... in the meantime I was well looked after.

Buzzy--Bee

- I'm sorry you're so unhappy here.

- I hope you find a better paying job or a cheaper ISP as if you're paying 30% of your salary to your ISP something is severely wrong!

- I'm not sure anyone should be "punished" as you say, but you can "punish" the ISP and the airline by buying from their competitors. It's your choice.

- Melbourne's a pretty easy city to live in by world standards IMO. I guess many of us are lucky we haven't experienced the same frustrations you have.

Buzzy