Re: Further medicals
 

Hi,

I really don't know if I am giving you bad information here, but am just trying to help. The e-mail address I have for them is:
[email protected]

They sent me an e-mail and when I responded, this is the one that came up. However, please be aware that we are going through the NS PNP route and so this e-mail may not be applicable. When I mailed them it was about a mistake they had made with our medical information (they send it to the wrong address and sent us some else's). They did respond really quickly. Hopefully someone will be along with a far better idea soon.

Re: Further medicals
 

Re: Further medicals
 

Thanks everyone. We are besides ourselves...
Our application should have been simple. No convictions, not even a ticket, no health problems, in forty years at Tesco my husband has only taken four days off for sickness! We have a good pension... Married for two years, lived together as if married for seven. Bank accounts, mortage, everything in both names...
I'm really unhappy to tonight....

Re: Further medicals
 

Re: Further medicals
 

Don't try and make sense of it, you'll drive yourself nuts! Really disappointing isn't it? Let's hope all is soon rectified and that they respond to you.

Wishing you lots of luck.

Re: Further medicals
 

Hi

We're one of the ones in the same boat.

Slightly different, as we knew there would be something on my OH's chest x-ray as he had a chest wound in 1985. The external scars are very evident from physical exam (wound and surgery). This was discussed with the DMP and so she and the radiologist were aware when the x-ray was taken and the report was that it was normal (excepting the expected scar, which was in the corresponding position).

Our DMP is adamant that sputum testing is not only inappropriate (no cough to produce sputum) but also that it is all medically unnecessary. She has written to the CHC medical officer and we are awaiting a response. Will let you know!

For our part, the timescale is bothering us, as if they insist on sputum testing, it is 8 weeks until they can assess it, so we are worried that we will be coming close to the deadline if we don't get on with it soon. The 3 month repeat x-ray is after 10 October and the 90 days is up I think at the end October (yes, not sure how we can then get a 6 month x-ray done within 90 days). :confused:

While I admire our DMP's spirit, we are willing to go ahead with the testing rather than jeopordize our application by missing the deadline, but she will not go ahead with the tests until she has heard from the CHC medical officer.

I have searched the forum and other DMPs have also had issues with sputum testing - some have done skin tests and others blood tests as alternatives. Others have gone ahead with sputum tests and "produced" as best they could. I think some people who had TB tests did have things show on the x-ray, or had declared previous chest infections, but I think some were not aware of any problems.

Needless to say, we have spent since Monday emailing and calling our DMP's office, who are still awaiting a response from CHC medical. Will let you know what the response is when we get it.

Re: Further medicals
 

Re: Further medicals
 

To be honest, I would have had my OH coughing up whatever he could on Monday afternoon and have paid the ££s. I am so nervous about missing this 90 day deadline by arguing about the tests. It is our DMP who is raising it, rather than us.

I'm more "don't ask questions just do it"! I will be sure to let everyone know.

:)

Re: Further medicals
 

Re: Further medicals
 

I'm a bit of a conformist, especially with officialdom - I just do as I'm told, especially when so much is at stake!

Still no word from our DMP...

:(

Re: Further medicals
 

Re: Further medicals
 

We tried that! We can only speak to her secretary as she's only there once a week, on Tuesdays. Secretary is adamant they won't do any testing until they have heard back from CHC medical officer. They have emailed and written - they also tried to call, but of course, it's just an answer machine telling them to email.....

They don't have to do the tests - these are extra, so not yet paid for - although how that stands with CHC I don't know, seeing as we can only get them done by the original DMP.

If we don't hear this week, will call and speak to the DMP on Tuesday but no idea what to do if they still won't do the tests and CHC don't respond....

Perhaps email CHC ourselves and ask for the deadline to be extended.

:banghead:

Re: Further medicals
 

Response from CHC to DMP is basically do the sputum tests and 3 month x-ray or wait another 6 months and do another chest x-ray. As it said in the letter. They don't seem to have taken what she has said into account. Any repeat xray will show the same scarring (so no point in waiting 6 months).

We are going ahead with the sputum tests - however difficult they may be - but are worried as of course the 3 month xray will not exclude anything.

Hopefully the sputum tests will be negative(!) and that should be sufficient, along with the DMP's report.

Extremely worrying to say the least.

Deltadelinquent - I would say it isn't worth your time arguing; just get on with the tests as quickly as you can. So long as he can produce sputum enough to test, then it will just be the 3 month xray.

Re: Further medicals
 

Sounds like they are asking us for exactly the same thing as they are you.
Except that my husbands X-ray is clear. Go figure. So, I will stop arguing and get on with it.
Question: how do you get sputum if your lungs have nothing to give?
My husband is not a smoker, I wonder if he smoked a few if in the morning he might be able to produce something?..
Any ideas?

Re: Further medicals
 

We have the same problem - OH does not have a cough! There have been others also - many of them have managed to come up with something, but there were some who couldn't. To avoid the 6 month x-ray, he will try his very best.

Tip from another thread: drink lots of fluids, esp milk the day before and sleep without a pillow. Worth a try.

The nurse at the DMP said get there as early as possible in the morning, and try and resist any urge to cough BEFORE you get there. She also said they need very little for a sample. She didn't say it was impossible, just it is clearly a heck of a lot easier if you have a cough, although I must admit it does at the moment feel like they have given us an impossible task.

Booked in for Monday for sample 1 - I will let you know how he gets on.

We do understand how you feel. We don't know what is going on behind the scenes and I think that is one of the most frustrating elements of this process all the way through - even more so when it is medical concerns. You can try and query it if you wish - we got a response very quickly.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. :fingerscrossed: