14.5 bmi is this too low?

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Replies

  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited November 2016
    .
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    Walking for 5 hrs a day is pretty active
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    Eleniala wrote: »
    thin1dayplease wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    CurlyCockney wrote: »
    Please don't call 999, it's not warranted in this instance and you have other options that you haven't tried yet.

    I'm not familiar with the numbers in the UK, what's the difference between 999 and 111? Is 999 like our 911, emergency response only?

    @CurleyCockney 111 is for out of hours - e.g when GP surgeries are closed during weekends, evenings and public holidays. 999 is like your 911 for life threatening emergencies only.

    Maybe 999 in the UK and 911 in the US are not the same? 911 in the US is not strictly for life threatening emergencies. It's the only emergency number (police, fire, medical) for a wide variety of "emergencies"...including for things as simple as welfare checks.

    no you dont call 911 in the us to have a welfare check done. you call either the dept of health and human resources or the police non emergency line. 911 in the US is for all kinds of emergencies that is correct,but its also for anything life threatening.

    Depending on the situation, the 911 system does handle welfare checks. I have been on my fair share of welfare checks, especially if it is assumed the person is deceased.

    well not where I live,you have to call DHHR, unless its an emergency and you suspect abuse,domestic violence,etc then you would call 911 otherwise no. but maybe its because neighbors here check on neighbors and so on.

    Wow.

    why wow? I live in a small town where the nearest police(sheriffs) station is in the next town(same county) and trying to get a policeman out here is like pulling teeth. it better be an emergency or they wont come out, if you call 911 and its not an emergency they can charge you with a false call.we have one town cop who is only on patrol during the day.thats what our DHHR is for among welfare and other things.for welfare checks you have to call the DHHR like I said.The state police is in the next town from the first one(5-10 miles from the sherriffs office)
    same with the fire station or rescue squad/ambulance. it has to be an emergency, the ambulance will come out if they think its an emergency or you dont have a way to get to the ER, but I also lived in another town where an old woman died and the only way anyone knew was the smell coming from her apt(sad I know). no one checked on her in that town(I dont live there now) but the police will only come out if they deem it necessary/emergency.

    They can not refuse to come. They can fine you for a false call, but pd/FD/ems can NOT refuse to respond.

    oh yes they can. the police can refuse. I know of situations where they were called and did not show up.one was this past summer, where some woman had her dog in the car,windows up and it was over 95 degrees outside. he was salivating badly,we were told by animal control if its after hours to call 911, yeah no one showed up. another time someone called the cops for someone harassing them,cops never showed. my sister was also involved in an accident in 2007 where her "friend" "ran her over"(there were no marks,proof),cops were called and so was the ambulance(there are reports) neither one showed up, the "friend" took my sister with a friend to the ER and dropped her off, nothing was done,police would not file charges even though my family wanted to press them and so on. needless to say my sister died due to her injuries and her child ended up with her "friends" mother(who is not family) so yeah they can. this county is so crooked its sad but it does happen.The police did not even investigate properly. we tried fighting it but with no lawyer,we lost.

    I broke my leg in 2003 and the ambulance was called,yeah they showed up(they are less than 1 mile from my house) took them 30 minutes to get there(they were not on call),I sat out there waiting on them they had the nerve to ask me if I knew for a fact it was broken. my foot was turned clear around. I wont call them unless I am truly dying.but yes,it does happen.oh and people dont lose their jobs due to this either.(our FD is purely volunteer-I know that doesnt excuse it).same with the fire dept,if there is no fire hydrant to hook up to and its too far for them to get out too(some back roads are hard to drive on), they will not come and put it out. ambulance wont come out either if you live too far out,they expect you to meet them where they can get to easily.so if you live out in the boonies,you better have a way to either get to the main road to meet the ambulance,or be able to fight the fire yourself.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Im not spreading misinformation, Im telling you about what happens in my county. they have and do refuse.the fire dept if they cannot get to your home,they will not come out if the road is not passable for a fire truck( not wide enough,cant turn around,etc), why dont you come live here for awhile and see what its truly like. oh and our county also has no fire codes either,so you can rent a place to someone even if its a shack with bad wiring.Im not making this up either,like you are assuming.. come here for awhile and you will see that what I say is true.dont tell me they cant refuse to do things when they do in my area.no they are not supposed to refuse,Im sure its against the law,but these people who refuse dont get reprimanded for it either.I have nothing against the police,ems,FD if they do their jobs,but here it happens often.I grew up on the east coast where every call was treated as an emergency,here in my area of WV it happens often. Im not going to argue with you anymore as you seem to think this doesnt happen and Im making it up. I invite you to spend a month in the area and you would be appalled by what you saw/found out. I live in rural wv and the things that are done here/not done here would make your head spin. and it all gets swept under the rug.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,117 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    Eleniala wrote: »
    thin1dayplease wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    CurlyCockney wrote: »
    Please don't call 999, it's not warranted in this instance and you have other options that you haven't tried yet.

    I'm not familiar with the numbers in the UK, what's the difference between 999 and 111? Is 999 like our 911, emergency response only?

    @CurleyCockney 111 is for out of hours - e.g when GP surgeries are closed during weekends, evenings and public holidays. 999 is like your 911 for life threatening emergencies only.

    Maybe 999 in the UK and 911 in the US are not the same? 911 in the US is not strictly for life threatening emergencies. It's the only emergency number (police, fire, medical) for a wide variety of "emergencies"...including for things as simple as welfare checks.

    no you dont call 911 in the us to have a welfare check done. you call either the dept of health and human resources or the police non emergency line. 911 in the US is for all kinds of emergencies that is correct,but its also for anything life threatening.

    Depending on the situation, the 911 system does handle welfare checks. I have been on my fair share of welfare checks, especially if it is assumed the person is deceased.

    OK -- major miscommunication! I read "welfare check" in the original post as a paper document that conveys a monetary payment of welfare benefits. Even when I read this response, the first couple of times I was reading it that way, and wondering how you got [your name] listed "on" a "fair share of welfare checks" [for people who are] "deceased."

    Heck, I've even called 911 for the kind of "welfare check" you're talking about. I was out for a walk and saw a neighbor's car parked in the driveway with the door open and groceries in the back. The house door was closed and she didn't come back out during the several minutes I had the house in view as I was walking toward it. She was elderly, and did not answer the door when I knocked, so I called 911 so someone could come check on her.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    Eleniala wrote: »
    thin1dayplease wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    CurlyCockney wrote: »
    Please don't call 999, it's not warranted in this instance and you have other options that you haven't tried yet.

    I'm not familiar with the numbers in the UK, what's the difference between 999 and 111? Is 999 like our 911, emergency response only?

    @CurleyCockney 111 is for out of hours - e.g when GP surgeries are closed during weekends, evenings and public holidays. 999 is like your 911 for life threatening emergencies only.

    Maybe 999 in the UK and 911 in the US are not the same? 911 in the US is not strictly for life threatening emergencies. It's the only emergency number (police, fire, medical) for a wide variety of "emergencies"...including for things as simple as welfare checks.

    no you dont call 911 in the us to have a welfare check done. you call either the dept of health and human resources or the police non emergency line. 911 in the US is for all kinds of emergencies that is correct,but its also for anything life threatening.

    Depending on the situation, the 911 system does handle welfare checks. I have been on my fair share of welfare checks, especially if it is assumed the person is deceased.

    OK -- major miscommunication! I read "welfare check" in the original post as a paper document that conveys a monetary payment of welfare benefits. Even when I read this response, the first couple of times I was reading it that way, and wondering how you got [your name] listed "on" a "fair share of welfare checks" [for people who are] "deceased."

    Heck, I've even called 911 for the kind of "welfare check" you're talking about. I was out for a walk and saw a neighbor's car parked in the driveway with the door open and groceries in the back. The house door was closed and she didn't come back out during the several minutes I had the house in view as I was walking toward it. She was elderly, and did not answer the door when I knocked, so I called 911 so someone could come check on her.


    Please don't take this the wrong way, but unjust got a good chuckle out of your first paragraph. Never even dawned on me that someone could think actual monetary check, since it's a term we use almost daily here. We get some interesting welfare check requests, the most common being for someone who has made concerning statements about hurting themselves or others to family members that don't live with them.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,117 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    Eleniala wrote: »
    thin1dayplease wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    CurlyCockney wrote: »
    Please don't call 999, it's not warranted in this instance and you have other options that you haven't tried yet.

    I'm not familiar with the numbers in the UK, what's the difference between 999 and 111? Is 999 like our 911, emergency response only?

    @CurleyCockney 111 is for out of hours - e.g when GP surgeries are closed during weekends, evenings and public holidays. 999 is like your 911 for life threatening emergencies only.

    Maybe 999 in the UK and 911 in the US are not the same? 911 in the US is not strictly for life threatening emergencies. It's the only emergency number (police, fire, medical) for a wide variety of "emergencies"...including for things as simple as welfare checks.

    no you dont call 911 in the us to have a welfare check done. you call either the dept of health and human resources or the police non emergency line. 911 in the US is for all kinds of emergencies that is correct,but its also for anything life threatening.

    Depending on the situation, the 911 system does handle welfare checks. I have been on my fair share of welfare checks, especially if it is assumed the person is deceased.

    OK -- major miscommunication! I read "welfare check" in the original post as a paper document that conveys a monetary payment of welfare benefits. Even when I read this response, the first couple of times I was reading it that way, and wondering how you got [your name] listed "on" a "fair share of welfare checks" [for people who are] "deceased."

    Heck, I've even called 911 for the kind of "welfare check" you're talking about. I was out for a walk and saw a neighbor's car parked in the driveway with the door open and groceries in the back. The house door was closed and she didn't come back out during the several minutes I had the house in view as I was walking toward it. She was elderly, and did not answer the door when I knocked, so I called 911 so someone could come check on her.


    Please don't take this the wrong way, but unjust got a good chuckle out of your first paragraph. Never even dawned on me that someone could think actual monetary check, since it's a term we use almost daily here. We get some interesting welfare check requests, the most common being for someone who has made concerning statements about hurting themselves or others to family members that don't live with them.

    Not at all--I chuckled too when I realized my mistake.

    And I think people who did understand what you meant and are saying don't call 911 for a welfare check are probably thinking about chronic, non-urgent situations, rather than something with potential immediate consequences, as you describe. I never did find out what was going on with my neighbor -- she wasn't someone I knew well, and she lived on a different block, but we had lived in the same neighborhood for about 30 years, so I knew her age and that no one else was at home during the day. Probably she just had a sudden and protracted need to use the bathroom in the middle of bringing the groceries in, but for all I knew at the time it was also possible she was lying on the floor after a cardio or cerebrovascular event.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    Eleniala wrote: »
    thin1dayplease wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    CurlyCockney wrote: »
    Please don't call 999, it's not warranted in this instance and you have other options that you haven't tried yet.

    I'm not familiar with the numbers in the UK, what's the difference between 999 and 111? Is 999 like our 911, emergency response only?

    @CurleyCockney 111 is for out of hours - e.g when GP surgeries are closed during weekends, evenings and public holidays. 999 is like your 911 for life threatening emergencies only.

    Maybe 999 in the UK and 911 in the US are not the same? 911 in the US is not strictly for life threatening emergencies. It's the only emergency number (police, fire, medical) for a wide variety of "emergencies"...including for things as simple as welfare checks.

    no you dont call 911 in the us to have a welfare check done. you call either the dept of health and human resources or the police non emergency line. 911 in the US is for all kinds of emergencies that is correct,but its also for anything life threatening.

    Depending on the situation, the 911 system does handle welfare checks. I have been on my fair share of welfare checks, especially if it is assumed the person is deceased.

    OK -- major miscommunication! I read "welfare check" in the original post as a paper document that conveys a monetary payment of welfare benefits. Even when I read this response, the first couple of times I was reading it that way, and wondering how you got [your name] listed "on" a "fair share of welfare checks" [for people who are] "deceased."

    Heck, I've even called 911 for the kind of "welfare check" you're talking about. I was out for a walk and saw a neighbor's car parked in the driveway with the door open and groceries in the back. The house door was closed and she didn't come back out during the several minutes I had the house in view as I was walking toward it. She was elderly, and did not answer the door when I knocked, so I called 911 so someone could come check on her.


    Please don't take this the wrong way, but unjust got a good chuckle out of your first paragraph. Never even dawned on me that someone could think actual monetary check, since it's a term we use almost daily here. We get some interesting welfare check requests, the most common being for someone who has made concerning statements about hurting themselves or others to family members that don't live with them.

    Not at all--I chuckled too when I realized my mistake.

    And I think people who did understand what you meant and are saying don't call 911 for a welfare check are probably thinking about chronic, non-urgent situations, rather than something with potential immediate consequences, as you describe. I never did find out what was going on with my neighbor -- she wasn't someone I knew well, and she lived on a different block, but we had lived in the same neighborhood for about 30 years, so I knew her age and that no one else was at home during the day. Probably she just had a sudden and protracted need to use the bathroom in the middle of bringing the groceries in, but for all I knew at the time it was also possible she was lying on the floor after a cardio or cerebrovascular event.

    We have two types of welfare checks here, immediate/requires EMS response and non-immediate/requires Pd only. The immediate ones get pushed through the 911 system, although may not have a high priority for dispatch. Those are your possible life threats like what you described and get put into the system accordingly (we have priority based dispatching system). The other type get processed through PD dispatching only and not the 911 system. Those tend to be calls like-my neighbor is elderly and I don't think she has food, or I'm in a custody battle with my ex and haven't seen my child so want someone to check on them (not abduction cases). Depending on the situation they get handled within 12-24 hours and then usually get referred to some sort of social services.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited November 2016
    mitch16 wrote: »
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    I don't believe that there is only one practice within a 1-2 hour public transit ride from where the OP lives.

    It doesn't work like this in the UK. You get registered with a surgery and you can only make appointments there. You can't just go to any surgery.
    In the UK the healthcare is free and we are talking about state surgeries (registered with the NHS)

    It's very interesting to read this. I live in the US (and work in the healthcare/pharma field) and all you hear about is how wonderful the state-run healthcare is (UK, Canada, etc.)--because it's "free"--but you seldom hear about the downside. Essentially services are still being rationed, but rather than being on the ability to pay, it's rationed based on location (which still may be socioeconomic).

    Where did you hear that essential services are being rationed? This isn't the case anywhere that I know of. There can be long waits for less pressing issues in the ER and waits for non-essential procedures but when it comes to essential services you get what you need when you need it. I really don't like this misinformation you get from the anti-socialized medicine camp in the US.

    Now, small centres will have to do medevac flights to larger ones for certain trauma cases but I lived in small town USA for a while and there wasn't a level 1 trauma centre anywhere near it either. You will also have to travel a bit for some non-essential services (same as in small town USA) but nobody is being denied essential services.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    edited November 2016
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    mitch16 wrote: »
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    I don't believe that there is only one practice within a 1-2 hour public transit ride from where the OP lives.

    It doesn't work like this in the UK. You get registered with a surgery and you can only make appointments there. You can't just go to any surgery.
    In the UK the healthcare is free and we are talking about state surgeries (registered with the NHS)

    It's very interesting to read this. I live in the US (and work in the healthcare/pharma field) and all you hear about is how wonderful the state-run healthcare is (UK, Canada, etc.)--because it's "free"--but you seldom hear about the downside. Essentially services are still being rationed, but rather than being on the ability to pay, it's rationed based on location (which still may be socioeconomic).

    Where did you hear that essential services are being rationed? This isn't the case anywhere that I know of. There can be long waits for less pressing issues in the ER and waits for non-essential procedures but when it comes to essential services you get what you need when you need it. I really don't like this misinformation you get from the anti-socialized medicine camp in the US.

    Now, small centres will have to do medevac flights to larger ones for certain trauma cases but I lived in small town USA for a while and there wasn't a level 1 trauma centre anywhere near it either. You will also have to travel a bit for some non-essential services (same as in small town USA) but nobody is being denied essential services.

    Maybe not rationing per se, but inaccessibility = a type of rationing. If, as OP states, he cannot get an appointment because they are only offered on a daily first-come, first serve basis, and there are no other options in his district, then healthcare is being rationed. It's economics--it is unlikely that there would ever be enough medical care to cover every single person's needs, so care is meted out on some basis--whether it's ability to pay (as it tends to be here in the US), number of doctors or clinics in an area, or limitations to the types of services you are able to receive.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited November 2016
    mitch16 wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    mitch16 wrote: »
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    I don't believe that there is only one practice within a 1-2 hour public transit ride from where the OP lives.

    It doesn't work like this in the UK. You get registered with a surgery and you can only make appointments there. You can't just go to any surgery.
    In the UK the healthcare is free and we are talking about state surgeries (registered with the NHS)

    It's very interesting to read this. I live in the US (and work in the healthcare/pharma field) and all you hear about is how wonderful the state-run healthcare is (UK, Canada, etc.)--because it's "free"--but you seldom hear about the downside. Essentially services are still being rationed, but rather than being on the ability to pay, it's rationed based on location (which still may be socioeconomic).

    Where did you hear that essential services are being rationed? This isn't the case anywhere that I know of. There can be long waits for less pressing issues in the ER and waits for non-essential procedures but when it comes to essential services you get what you need when you need it. I really don't like this misinformation you get from the anti-socialized medicine camp in the US.

    Now, small centres will have to do medevac flights to larger ones for certain trauma cases but I lived in small town USA for a while and there wasn't a level 1 trauma centre anywhere near it either. You will also have to travel a bit for some non-essential services (same as in small town USA) but nobody is being denied essential services.

    Maybe not rationing per se, but inaccessibility = a type of rationing. If, as OP states, he cannot get an appointment because they are only offered on a daily first-come, first serve basis, and there are no other options in his district, then healthcare is being rationed. It's economics--it is unlikely that there would ever be enough medical care to cover every single person's needs, so care is meted out on some basis--whether it's ability to pay (as it tends to be here in the US), number of doctors or clinics in an area, or limitations to the types of services you are able to receive.

    It's unlikely that the impression you are getting from the OP is an accurate reflection of the true state of the healthcare provided in his area. This is just his personal view and not a study of the regional care. I agree that healthcare is a scarce resource, but it is in the US as well, it's just well masked by the fact that those who have money and great insurance can buy more of it than the rest, but I can tell you from personal experience that it's not an unlimited resource any more than it is in a government system. I'm not disagreeing that people here can have some trouble accessing non-essential services, but my points where that nobody here is being denied access to essential care, which you imply with the word "rationing".
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I dont understand this - if you ring up and they are booked out for the day, can't you make an appt for the day after - at least you would get seen this week.
    Surely appt's aren't made on a ring up that day only basis.

    and, yes I agree with everyone else - sudden unexplained weight loss is a symptom of serious problems - your underweight status is a health risk in itself but the underlying cause also needs to be found out and treated.

    At ours we have appointments in advance but usually a week or two then we have emergences and 'sit and wait'.

    It's not easy getting appointments in the UK
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,303 Member
    edited November 2016
    I agree with debrg12. It does not seem right to do a "like".

    Its as if you have to plan when to be ill or when to need some other sort of intervention. Our Chemists/Pharmacists do do a good job picking up the slack. There are pockets of excellence but if your symptoms don't fit the form, you can go for years without relief.

    Case in point Hashimotos Thyroiditis. It usually presents with normal thyroid hormones but testing for the antibodies which work at destroying the thyroid gland and other tissue is not usually done. This problem can and does get in the way of a person being able to maintain their place in employment and society, putting pressure on our benefits system. T3 the active thyroid hormone is also "never" tested, unless you are fortunate enough to find someone who really listens and is prepared to go out on a limb.

    It frightens me that t3 levels are not taken into account, when problems with this particular hormone can impact on digestive health, heart health, reproductive health, respiratory health, mental health (t3 is known as the Brain hormone) and some instances of cancer because t3 is involved in the replication of every single cell in our bodies. All this public expense when one simple blood test could change so much especially in the early stages.

    According to one site there are some 300 possible symptoms relating to thyroid health, its not that simple as health systems believe. Low T3 levels can be involved in IBS, t2 diabetes, t1 diabetes because it is also an autoimmune health problem and when one has one autoimmune condition you are predisposed to having more like fibro, ms and the rest.

    Please do your own research visit sites like, Stop the Thyroid Madness, (STTM) Thyroid UK, Thyroid Mom and many other thyroid support sites which are essential so people can begin to understand their issues. Its not always, you eat too much, saying that is ignorant.

    Being hypo or having Hashi does predispose many to weight gain, the conditions slow the metabolism and it that were not enough when you live in a state of persistent calorific deficit this too slows the system too. Its not as simple as ci-v-co for those with thyroid problems.

    No I'm not sorry for detailing all this because if it helps only one person that is one fewer who's life is destroyed.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    debrag12 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I dont understand this - if you ring up and they are booked out for the day, can't you make an appt for the day after - at least you would get seen this week.
    Surely appt's aren't made on a ring up that day only basis.

    and, yes I agree with everyone else - sudden unexplained weight loss is a symptom of serious problems - your underweight status is a health risk in itself but the underlying cause also needs to be found out and treated.

    At ours we have appointments in advance but usually a week or two then we have emergences and 'sit and wait'.

    It's not easy getting appointments in the UK

    its not always easy, but its also not as hard as the OP has made out.

    the last time i rang for an actual doctors appointment, i rang at 8am when the surgery opened, got through at around 10 past and was told there were no appointments, so i asked for a phone appointment. the doctor rang me late morning, and told me he needed to see me (obvs!) and made me an appointment for that afternoon.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited November 2016
    debrag12 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I dont understand this - if you ring up and they are booked out for the day, can't you make an appt for the day after - at least you would get seen this week.
    Surely appt's aren't made on a ring up that day only basis.

    and, yes I agree with everyone else - sudden unexplained weight loss is a symptom of serious problems - your underweight status is a health risk in itself but the underlying cause also needs to be found out and treated.

    At ours we have appointments in advance but usually a week or two then we have emergences and 'sit and wait'.

    It's not easy getting appointments in the UK

    It's not always easy in the US either. I live in a big city and really love my medical practice which is affiliated with a major and well-respected teaching hospital, but if I just call for a general appointment I will probably end up waiting 6 weeks (and I have good employer-based insurance). But if I have an issue that might be an emergency or a concern, I can call and explain the problem and if they think it could be a concern (which they generally do, to be safe) they will fit me in sooner, even same day. It sounds like this latter piece is what OP has not really tried (although UK vs. US, yes). I also find it rather unbelievable, although someone from the UK can correct me if I am wrong, that they would not take anything but same-day-call-at-8:30-when-we-open appointments. What would be the reason for that?
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    debrag12 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I dont understand this - if you ring up and they are booked out for the day, can't you make an appt for the day after - at least you would get seen this week.
    Surely appt's aren't made on a ring up that day only basis.

    and, yes I agree with everyone else - sudden unexplained weight loss is a symptom of serious problems - your underweight status is a health risk in itself but the underlying cause also needs to be found out and treated.

    At ours we have appointments in advance but usually a week or two then we have emergences and 'sit and wait'.

    It's not easy getting appointments in the UK

    It's not always easy in the US either. I live in a big city and really love my medical practice which is affiliated with a major and well-respected teaching hospital, but if I just call for a general appointment I will probably end up waiting 6 weeks (and I have good employer-based insurance). But if I have an issue that might be an emergency or a concern, I can call and explain the problem and if they think it could be a concern (which they generally do, to be safe) they will fit me in sooner, even same day. It sounds like this latter piece is what OP has not really tried (although UK vs. US, yes). I also find it rather unbelievable, although someone from the UK can correct me if I am wrong, that they would not take anything but same-day-call-at-8:30-when-we-open appointments. What would be the reason for that?

    Over subscribed surgery (not unusual if it's the only practice in the village), preventing lost appointments to no shows and trying to keep it to only those who actually really need to see the doctor due to aforementioned no shows.

    My surgery is brilliant, can always see any doctor within a day or two, my preferred GP can be seen same week (as long as I call when her appointment book opens for the following week on a Wednesday afternoon). But I am the exception rather than the rule, I really lucked out!
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    I'm guessing the op still hasn't made an appointment?
  • Eleniala
    Eleniala Posts: 87 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    Eleniala wrote: »
    thin1dayplease wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    CurlyCockney wrote: »
    Please don't call 999, it's not warranted in this instance and you have other options that you haven't tried yet.

    I'm not familiar with the numbers in the UK, what's the difference between 999 and 111? Is 999 like our 911, emergency response only?

    @CurleyCockney 111 is for out of hours - e.g when GP surgeries are closed during weekends, evenings and public holidays. 999 is like your 911 for life threatening emergencies only.

    Maybe 999 in the UK and 911 in the US are not the same? 911 in the US is not strictly for life threatening emergencies. It's the only emergency number (police, fire, medical) for a wide variety of "emergencies"...including for things as simple as welfare checks.

    No, you do not call 911 in the U.S. about a welfare check. It is for emergency response (police, fire, ambulance/EMT) only.

    Reading your post below I think we're now on the same page as to what type of welfare check I was referring to. I'm sorry my post wasn't clear in that regard. It just never occurred to me anyone would read it as "Where is my free money?" Lol.

    That being said, my department frequently does welfare checks. As another poster stated, calls are prioritized based on urgency. If it's non-emergent but we have a unit in the area we'll stop by and assess the situation. If no unit is available at the time we'll go out when it is feasible. We do not consider that a waste of our time or resources. Worst case scenario (which actually is the BEST case scenario) the person in question is fine and does not require any assistance. We're glad when that happens because in our line of work we do not get too many happy endings (and to avoid further misunderstandings, no, I do not mean the massage kind of happy endings).

    While requesting a medical transport in OP's case is not the norm, it would not even come close to being considered abuse of the 911 system. If we are able to get them the help they need then that's a win in our book. As for unusual 911 calls, the OP's situation would not even make the top 1,000.

  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,303 Member
    Has anyone else realised OP, is missing. He has not logged in. hope he is ok.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    Eleniala wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    Eleniala wrote: »
    thin1dayplease wrote: »
    Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
    CurlyCockney wrote: »
    Please don't call 999, it's not warranted in this instance and you have other options that you haven't tried yet.

    I'm not familiar with the numbers in the UK, what's the difference between 999 and 111? Is 999 like our 911, emergency response only?

    @CurleyCockney 111 is for out of hours - e.g when GP surgeries are closed during weekends, evenings and public holidays. 999 is like your 911 for life threatening emergencies only.

    Maybe 999 in the UK and 911 in the US are not the same? 911 in the US is not strictly for life threatening emergencies. It's the only emergency number (police, fire, medical) for a wide variety of "emergencies"...including for things as simple as welfare checks.

    No, you do not call 911 in the U.S. about a welfare check. It is for emergency response (police, fire, ambulance/EMT) only.

    Reading your post below I think we're now on the same page as to what type of welfare check I was referring to. I'm sorry my post wasn't clear in that regard. It just never occurred to me anyone would read it as "Where is my free money?" Lol.

    That being said, my department frequently does welfare checks. As another poster stated, calls are prioritized based on urgency. If it's non-emergent but we have a unit in the area we'll stop by and assess the situation. If no unit is available at the time we'll go out when it is feasible. We do not consider that a waste of our time or resources. Worst case scenario (which actually is the BEST case scenario) the person in question is fine and does not require any assistance. We're glad when that happens because in our line of work we do not get too many happy endings (and to avoid further misunderstandings, no, I do not mean the massage kind of happy endings).

    While requesting a medical transport in OP's case is not the norm, it would not even come close to being considered abuse of the 911 system. If we are able to get them the help they need then that's a win in our book. As for unusual 911 calls, the OP's situation would not even make the top 1,000.

    That ambulance ride won't be free, though.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    debrag12 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I dont understand this - if you ring up and they are booked out for the day, can't you make an appt for the day after - at least you would get seen this week.
    Surely appt's aren't made on a ring up that day only basis.

    and, yes I agree with everyone else - sudden unexplained weight loss is a symptom of serious problems - your underweight status is a health risk in itself but the underlying cause also needs to be found out and treated.

    At ours we have appointments in advance but usually a week or two then we have emergences and 'sit and wait'.

    It's not easy getting appointments in the UK

    its not always easy, but its also not as hard as the OP has made out.

    the last time i rang for an actual doctors appointment, i rang at 8am when the surgery opened, got through at around 10 past and was told there were no appointments, so i asked for a phone appointment. the doctor rang me late morning, and told me he needed to see me (obvs!) and made me an appointment for that afternoon.

    It sounds a little like it at least helps to know some "secret handshakes". But realistically, I hope it's just a willingness to say, "I'm in really bad shape, please tell me my options other than calling back tomorrow."
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