General Chat

Dentists, Opticians and Hospital appointments.

I haven't been to a dentist for months, when my checkup was cancelled. Since then I have lost a chunk off two of my front teeth. It rather ruins my beauty :-( :-( but because they don't hurt (yet!) I can't get an appointment.

My routine eyetest was due in June. My sight is still OK, but I am hoping I don't get stopped when driving, in case I can't read a number plate. The optician is open again, but only for emergencies.

Hospital is a bit better. I had an appointment last week for a routine blood-test. We usually get an automated call about a week ahead to check that you still want the appointment. When that didn't happen I rang up and was told the doctor would ring me. She did and we had a telephone consultation. Quite good, as it saved me a 50 mile round trip. Then I got a letter with the next appointment and a note to say it would be another telephone consultation - so unless I get ill it looks like no blood tests for the foreseeable future!!

How are other people managing?

I do have a dental appointment in October, which I hope will still happen, ut I don't know when my cataract will be done.

I have an opticians appointment tomorrow. OH has had two blood tests lately at the surgery with no problems. No sign of dental check ups as yet. We both had flu jabs at the surgery

DENTIST: My last visit to the dentist was early in the year and it was a new dentist for me, changed after thirty years because all of a sudden it seemed like I was having a new dentist each time I went for a check-up. The old firm did tell me that they would 'keep me on their books' for at least six months in case I wanted to go back to them and I was happy about that.

Someone from the new dental practice rang me early during lockdown and said that they were closed, they did not expect to see me in August for a check-up and I was not going to be 'removed from their books' so I was happy about that too. So far I have been lucky and rarely need treatment, thank goodness, and the time between check-ups has often been a year - at the dentist's instructions. I put it down to getting most of my teeth knocked out at the age of six!

OPTICIAN: MY optician rang me shortly after lockdown began to let me know about their procedures too. I have not checked but I normally go for an eye check every two years and I think it is due next year.

DOCTOR: Only today my OH (who does not hear well) asked me to ring the doctor to ask for renewal of his regular prescription and to ask about a flu jab which they normally ring him about. I held on for almost half an hour. I don't envy them their jobs as it seems so hectic for them at the moment. Eventually the prescription got sorted and I mentioned the jab. Fixed up for next week and she asked about me. I had decided to get a flu jab this year so we are both going in together.

It seems the routine has changed from when OH visited a few weeks ago. He had to wait outside and was called in - only one in at a time. Now, I was told that we can walk in, that three are allowed in at a time - with masks on of course. They must have to have someone posted at the door because you can't see into the waiting room from the entrance.

Had to cancel a dental appointment in January, as I had a job interview.
I see the dentist once a year.

Had blood tests and an X ray in August, had a message from the doctor - keep taking the tablets! :-S X-ray is clear.

Had more blood tests and a CT scan at the beginning of September, mainly because the X-ray was (unexpectedly) clear.
No results yet - but apparently this is 'good' news - hmmmm.
Someone will contact me in 'due course'.

I could have blood tests at the surgery, or here at home, if the consultant thought they were necessary.

Our flu jabs are starting in October and the "oldies" are being done first, so we are waiting to hear.

I had a blood test on Friday for what should have been my annual review back in March

Had a dental appointment too three weeks ago for the delayed 6 month check
Said I need to see the hygienist as there is some cleaning needed but the dentist hasn’t made provision for us patients who can’t climb stairs

They are only using two downstairs rooms for the dentist to alternate between so they clean one after use and then use the second one

The hygienist is upstairs using the same process but lots of patients aren’t able to climb the steep stairs

They have said when the list builds up then maybe the owner will rethink

Not very satisfactory.
I usually see the hygienist every three months so going so long isn’t good


Have resumed chiro appointments though I go monthly and this Friday will be nos 3

Have to wait in the car till called in and go masked up
Temperature taken at the door and chiropractor all gowned and masked including a face shield .

Had two hair appointments too again all masked up and the stylist masked and face shield too

Six-monthly dental check-up was cancelled, they will contact me when they start again.

Had a biopsy at the local small hospital which was more convenient than going to Broomfield. That went well and I've no complaints.

Had the flu jab on the 12th, felt a bit below par the next day but fine since then.

Good to know about the flu jab, Kense, as it will be my first for a good number of years.

I had dental treatment in July and August, no problems, he is a private dentist not NHS. He's also doing check ups and the hygienist is also working, as far as I know. My treatment was even more eye-wateringly expensive than normal but needs must...

I rang the Doctors to get an appointment with one of the nurses to review the blood results

One nurse is out of the surgery a lot going to patients houses to do the annual flu jab

Means the other nurse is fully booked till 13 th Oct

But if the results need looking into they will contact with a phone consultation and send papers if another blood test needed

I do feel they are trying to manage and look after their patients within the restrictions that have been imposed

That's the impression I get, Shirley - and they will be inundated with calls at the moment.

They are still doing cataracts here at the moment, by the way. Longer wait time but my old pal (over 80) has recently had one eye done and is happy with it. She is due to get the other done but has not been given another appointment yet.

My dental check up in August was cancelled (which I expected). I rang this morning to see if they knew when regular NHS check ups were going to start again and was told they have no idea as the impact of Covid 19 means that they are still seeing far fewer patients every day. Private patients have priority.

I should have had my yearly blood checks (for thyroid, diabetes etc) in April but that was cancelled and no idea when I'll get them done. Instead of a yearly prescription for my medication the doctor is just prescribing 2 months at a time.

Don't feel as if anything will ever be the same.

Kath. x

Well my knee replacement surgery in April was cancelled for the 4th time and absolutely no contact from the hospital since

But I understand they are treating COVID patients still so tbh I don’t want to put myself at risk

Info seems to be no routine surgery has been resumed yet :-0

I knew I was tempting fate by starting this thread. :-)

I had an appointment for a routine endoscopy in May, which was cancelled, but I was still on the list. When I spoke to the consultant last week she confirmed I was still listed but that it would probably be a long wait as they had a huge backlog and I wasn't urgent.

This morning the hospital rang, asked a lot of questions relating to Covid 19 and gave me an appointment on a Monday at the beginning of October. I also have to go to the hospital the previous Friday for a Covid swab, and if it is OK, I have to self-isolate for the weekend.

When I mentioned having to go to Belfast for the test, she laughed, said a lot of people asked that (most were serious - I wasn't) and she wished the people on the end of telephone enquiries knew a bit of local geography. :-( From here, Belfast is about 60 miles in a straight line, but by road about 200 miles to the ferry terminal, across the Irish Sea and then however far it is to the testing centre. :-S

My dental check up was cancelled in June, now booked for November.
NHS flu jab booked for next week at Boots, as GP's surgery not yet organized for it.
Optician sent notice my appointment was due, but I'm ignoring it as I can only afford to replace glasses every two years or so.
My cataracts are still in the early stages, so nothing happening there.

If your Doctors are not offering appointments for the flu jab yet or a long wait check with your pharmacy, i was picking up prescriptions today and there were notices about getting a flu jab, i enquired and yes they depending on age were free and no appointment needed.

Dentist have been working here for a few months but no cleaning/water so I've been and the children have too; had eyes checked nearly 2 months ago again a few restrictions on what they're doing; doctors are phone calls then calling you in if they need to do something. Flu jabs will start soon and everyone can have a free jab here.

Blood test GP end Sept both of us flu jab not surgery waiting for letter I have a
Mamagramme December Dumfries Hospital ? Forth of five. Waiting for ent clinic since March .Cataract op since March now with new outbreak who knows Barbara