AmerLisa

With hopes he'll take his "hot" gallbladder to another country? So the NHS doesn't have to pay for an emergency surgery?

Giantaxe

The second question has already been answered many times in this thread. As to the first question, you are making a big assumption that a non-emergency gall-bladder condition would turn into an emergency. And I suspect the NHS would have been quite happen to perform this non-emergency surgery had the individual been willing to pay for it.

fatbrit

Obviously someone who hasn't experienced the pain.

AmerLisa

AmerLisa

I haven't, but I've heard it can be pretty brutal.

meauxna

My acupuncturist is on my case about my gall bladder. (it's a trouble maker as far as I am concerned).

She said that it is related to executing plans. The liver is for making plans.
Maybe the guy should've consulted his liver before going to the NHS.

Ozzidoc

He didn't have a hot gallbladder requiring early cholecystectomy. He did not require emergency surgery.

He had a gall bladder - and a "health status" (for want of a better term which eludes my brain right now) which was/is amenable to late cholecystectomy.

For the record, just this week in our bimonthly departmental meeting we looked at the pros and cons of early (within 48 hrs to within 1 week) versus late (anytime after 48 hrs to after 1 week) cholecystectomy...the jury is still out.

Yesterday I discharged a bloke who came in with a hot GB a few days early. Settled with conservative Rx. (Many, many do) He MAY have a lap chole down the track - but his recent silent MI, and an ITU stay for airway disease means that he has a huge anaesthetic risk. He is NOT an early candidate for cholecystectomy.....he might not even be a candidate for the procedure at all.

Partystar (hello!!!!!) didn't mention the risk of converting the procedure to an open one, and any extra associated costs.

Ozzidoc

I'm sorry that you've been in such pain. I'm told that the pain is horrendous.

It is rare to do an emergency operative procedure for pain alone if the cause of the pain is established and is one that usually settles with good pain relief.

Sherpa

Years ago a bloke i know went to work in the US off the cards he just wanted to travel around the states and do some work he was in his early 20s then anyway he broke his leg while in the states and of course he was taken to hospital and treated and given a bed to stay in plus crutches well in due course he was handed papers to sign while still in bed these papers were the "bill" of course and this was a fair amount of cash to coff up as he wasnt insured well while testing out his new crutches he proceded to head for the exit and straight to the nearest airport and booked the next plane back to london ! For him there was no alternative.

Jerseygirl

Thank goodness a diagnosis from a REAL doctor...stand away from the bad pans AmerLisa.

fatbrit

It was 20 years ago. My old man was senior consultant on the MEC at the time. He diagnosed it late one Friday evening over the phone by quizzing the gf of that time (I was squirming around on the floor in agony), popped the 20 miles round with morphine and instructions, and I went in and they whipped it out Monday morning.

Partystar

No.

Partystar

It's not emergency medical treatment, it's an elective procedure. Quite a few patients turn down this operation, it's not life or death.

Partystar

Did you live in England legally or were you on holiday?

That should be your answer as to whether you were eligible.

I really thought you understood the NHS & how it worked, obviously I was wrong.

Partystar

Obviously I need to break this down...

- Guy gets admitted via A&E for gallstones.
- Surgeons treat & discharge the patient, stating that it would be best in the long run to do a lap chole, patient added to waiting list.
- I have a date a week later, I ring patient at home to confirm he can come in that soon & also to update missing data from his admission.
- Patient confirms can attend operation date.
- I ask for his NHS number, which he doesn't know (not uncommon). I will get this from his GP.
- I ask for his GP details, he says he hasn't registered with one yet, patient asked to provide details when registered.
- Double checked address as postal code system not recognising the address.
- Letter taken by colleague to drop off at patient's home as she lives nearby.
- No such address found, patient called to confirm yet again...patient says he needs to call back later, which he did with a completely different house number. ???
- Booked in for a pre-op.
- Patient comes for pre-op & when the nurse asked for his NHS number & GP details, patient says he is not a resident.
- Patient services informed, figures for surgery given to patient, patient cancels operation.