Another Member of Their Team

This morning I set off in good time for my appointment at one of the hospitals in our area for an appointment.  I had already had the usual letter which proclaims 'You will be seen by said consultant or a member of their team.'  I never like seeing ' a member of their team' - never have, never will unless it is completely unavoidable and even then ...

This morning I present myself at said reception to check in and say I would like to see the consultant concerned.  Usually and in other departments I am told fine, no problem just take a seat.  This time it was a pained expression levelled at me across the desk and: "Well, I'll ask - I can't say whether you can see him, but I'll ask anyway."  Great start huh?  I sit and wait, whereupon I am sneezed all over by one person moving across to sit on my left, and coughed all over by someone else doing the same on my right.  Handkerchiefs anyone? Seriously, you still just let rip?  Hope it's just hay fever but no doubt if it's anything contagious like the plague, I will find out in seven days when the virus has had to get going.

A little after 9.25am my name is called and I am led to the office of 'a member of their team' and I stop and say: "No, I want to see the consultant" at which point nurse doesn't seem to understand  and starts ushering me into a member of their team's office.

"No" I say, "I want to see the consultant" at which point said member of their team pipes up "That's ok, no problem."  But the nurse who really didn't like me asking to see the consultant whom I had specially asked to be referred to would not let it go: "Well, you can see him but he has other patients to see."

What am I then? chopped liver? 

"You may have to wait a long time because he has other people to see."
"My appointment is 9am."
"You'll have to wait."

At which point said member of their team interjects: "No problem, perhaps we can bring in another patient and this lady can see the consultant" and hands my file back to the nurse who is still trying to get me to stay where I am and be seen by a member of their team. 

Starting to stew a little, I go back into the waiting room, which by now is full to bursting, approach the reception desk and ask how long I am likely to wait, have I been put back at the bottom of the pile for my insolence?

"The consultant only sees new people, those with complex issues and anyone else is seen by a member of their team" she intones without looking up -  a clear case of 'Computer Says No' delivered in the same deadpan tones only nowhere near as amusing as David Walliams.

"I am a new person" I say and wish that it were literally true.  No back problems, no twisty curving spine with all the problems it brings and looking like there is nothing wrong with me on the outside.

"Well, you still have to wait."

"How long?"
"Well he had his secretary in there for 20 minutes this morning so we're already  running late."
'Oh aye' I say to myself, but am sorely tempted to say it out loud.
"With paperwork" the receptionist says quickly, "they don't have time to do paperwork so it has to be done in clinic."'

I explain the problems I have with my back and that I have seen this particular consultant twice in the past, so while I am 'new' today I have seen him in the past and he has told me to come back and see him again if needs be.  Needs definitely be - so here I am.

"He doesn't see follow ups as a rule" receptionist says

"I am not a follow up, I am new" I state again.
I'm liking my composure here, seems to be getting her more irked.
"If you take a seat for ten minutes and come back to me, I'll see what I can do."
"Ok."

Fifteen minutes later I go back.

She comes round the desk to my side: "What have you decided?"
"You said to give it ten minutes and you'd see what you could do."
"Well it's a little longer than that" she says tartly.
I take a deep breath.
"Wait here" she says and off she goes into the consulting rooms.

Five minutes later she comes out again.

"He really is very busy."

"Yes, I think we've established that already" I say, "and I am a patient who had an appointment at 9am with this consultant."
"He doesn't see follow ups, they are usually seen by a member of their team."

"I'll rearrange the appointment then."  

 

Never mind the very early start, getting the dog into the car as he is too elderly to leave on his own in the house, make sure he has some biscuits and fresh water to keep him going, husband trying to find somewhere out of the sun to keep him cool, trying to beat the traffic jam on the M20 this morning, paying for the petrol to get there, paying the car park fee when we get there, getting there on time and then everything stops.

 

"I can't do that here, you'll have to go to planned care and they'll do it."

At this point I am usually throwing my toys out of the pram but today, I shrug it off, I am not willing to let some little martinet ruin my day so I smile sweetly at her and say:  "I am not a follow up. I am a new person, I have seen this consultant before and I want to see him again, I have a thyroid condition and he is a thyroid specialist"

"He is running late today and everyone is late in to see him."

"What is the latest I am likely to wait, how long is this clinic on for?"
"Well he has to be in surgery this afternoon, so no later than 12 noon."

Progress ... of sorts.

"I'll wait."

Just over half an hour later at 10.25, I am seen but it was a close run thing. The consultant is, as ever, lovely, kind, professional and courteous.  I wonder if he knows about the petty one upmanship going on in the waiting rooms around hospitals here as the receptionists know they have the upper hand and are bereft of caring or give that impression certainly.

If only patients didn't keep getting in the way of their admin, I think they'd do a pretty good job, these swivel chair dictators and their petty minded powers...

 

© silversapphire 2013

All rights reserved.  No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

 

 

I know its been a while but this is just so unbelievable I had to post it.

Just done battle with Customs and Excise.  You may not believe this but here goes:  They used to have 2 tiers of charging.  One was anything over £15.00 for gifts attracted charges, that is still the case but the other tier of anything over £18.00 for merchandise has been scrapped. See what they did there?  Now you pay charges for practically anything.  One of my parcels was for 3 small Star Trek Pins totalling $23.97 and I went over the £15.00 limit by a whopping, tax destroying, bring the whole country to its knees cost of … £0.03p.  So for this enormous sin of going over the threshold by such an enormous amount I have been hit with a VAT charge of £3.03 and £8.00 'Handling Fee' from Royal Mail.  Won't be buying from this particular place again.  The second cost attracted VAT of £9.99 and the 'Handling Fee' of £8.00 this should make your eyes water - apparently I have to pay VAT on the cost of the postage AS WELL AS the VAT on the boots.  You couldn't make it up but it is correct and guess where it comes from … go on … you'll never guess … the EU of course, got it in one.  The EU has decreed that British people have to pay VAT on post costs associated with getting the parcel from where it was sent.  I'm just wondering what they'll dream up for their next tax whizz, what colour shoes did the person have one when they were sending the parcel? say £10 for red, £15 for blue etc and what time did they get up? You could have a sliding scale for the time of day they got up, and what about the sender's star sign, their preference of pet, where they went to school, what food they like to eat – the list is endless!  I say these things in jest but they may already be thinking these things up as I write.  Either that or I've just given them the idea.

Can we PLEASE come out of this useless EU NOW!

 

© silversapphire 2012

All rights reserved.  No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Surely its a crime to be disabled in Britain now?

Don't dare to be disabled or sick in this rotten country. This government is even worse than the last one, and that's putting it mildly. Their latest wheeze is to time limit the contribution based WRAG (Work Related Activity Group) of the ESA (Employment & Support Allowance) to 12 months retrospectively, so that IF this change is made law it will come in to force in April 2012 and those unfortunate enough to be in this group will have their money cut immediately, so they won't be able to pay rent, pay for food, or medicine and well, make your own mind up about where that's going to lead. But the Department for Work & Pensions are starting to send letters to those affected NOW, why? They are obviously all of one mind that this nasty government will get its way in the House of Lords when the bill is debated, and you know why? Because they have shifted the reading of the bill from the main floor of the house, where they know they'd be defeated and put it instead into a side room where there are not enough places for a decent enough hearing and therefore not too many objections - nice eh? Bet these bully boy millionaires are all congratulating themselves on how they are getting their own way so easily, but then it's easy to do when you circumvent democracy isn't it.

This group is meant to be for people who could work given the right support, but in fact people with terminal illnesses, people from hospices and those really too disabled to work are being put into this group because the company being paid by the government to find people fit for work is happily doing this even where people are way too ill or disabled to work. It stinks and everybody just lets it happen but a word of warning, disability doesn't care who it strikes next. Keep baying for all the benefits to be stopped and you may very well end up being on the receiving end of this government's nastiness towards those unable to fend for themselves. Even jobcentres are wholly disgusted at the people they are seeing for work related interviews (a condition of being in this group) saying people from hospices and those too ill or disabled to work, they say they have never seen these people before and they are shocked. This government is failing those who need this care at the very time they need it. But why should they care? They don't have to worry about paying bills, or not knowing where their next meal is coming from.

I am amazed that instead of blocking this nastiness by this wholly abhorrent government, people are actively encouraging it and in some cases even pre-empting it. Where has the compassion and the caring gone? stifled that's where. It is now ok to abuse the disabled, mock them, throw stones and verbally have a go because people know they can do it and get away with it. Try writing to your MP but because they are so blinded with being in power they are not even remotely interested in helping. I've written to mine three times now, a conservative member for my area, and surprise, surprise - nothing.

While we are busy giving our money away to other countries and worrying about their welfare, we are taking it away from our own people. Those who have jobs and their health seem to be thinking they are better than their disabled countrymen, but like I said earlier disability doesn't care who it picks and chooses. Seems we all have to suffer for those 3% who play the system and who really are the scroungers but we are always told we are all the same, yet what about those who have paid into the system when they could work? Why are they having money stopped arbitrarily? If you haven't paid in to the system you cannot have any benefits paid – end of! But no, we take in everyone from anywhere and give them money, no wonder we have to start taking it off the disabled, as they can't afford to keep paying out to keep the world.

It is downright disgusting and because not too many people know what's going on unless they have a family member with a disability, they're being kept in the dark by this rotten excuse for a government. Seems to me it is wholly the fault of the disabled of Britain who has caused the dire financial state we are in, not the bankers. No, if it were the bankers they'd be penalised surely?

What an utter disgrace this government is. In a few years time when the scale of their nastiness becomes apparent when the disabled are out on the street, or worse they will have some serious questions to answer but in all probability we will be propping up another useless excuse for a government, and by then it will be too late.

This party has gained the nickname the nasty party and boy are they ever showing their true colours now. They forget that the sick and disabled in Britain have a vote, we will use it at the next election, if we still have homes, and are still here. Seems to me we won't be if this government keeps on the way it is.

Nasty by name???

© silversapphire 2011

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Goodbye Midsomer Murders as we know it

Brian True-May, the producer of Midsomer Murders is 'stepping down' at the end of this current run to be replaced by Jo Wright.  Apparently the still to be commisssioned 15th series needs to be 'refreshed.' 

This sounds ominous, and I fear for the series' future if it is, as expected, going to change dramatically to appease the politically correct; all this will do in my humble opinion is kill off the series altogether.  We have far too many androgenous cop shows on telly at the moment as it is.  Anyone remember how good The Bill used to be in it's hour long formats? 

Brian True-May had integrity and vision for MM and I fear for the show's longevity once he leaves.

© silversapphire 2011

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Village Idiot Convention 2011 - Auditions Start Today!!!

It's official, the Village Idiot Convention begins local auditions today. 

So far we have a young idiot who goes round the village doing that godawful noise from a song on an insurance advert; you know the one - the one with the disco ball and the bridge in the song which goes 'owah owah' in a high pitched tone.  Well, there's ya winner right there!  This is a village idiot par excellence; the parents must be so proud!  It actually encourages the other idiots (in training) to emulate their leader; what a singularly glowing advertisement this village is to anyone daft enough to stumble across it. 

Midsomer County anyone?

© silversapphire 2011

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Parched Earth, Battered Roses and Old Dogs

Well, we managed to have a semi torrential downpour here yesterday (sodding bully boy of a thing, battered my lovely white roses to hell and back) and a little bit more of the same today.  It's all very well saying 'at last - rain'  but it's not much use unless it rains for a while, like all day for a couple of days.  Earth here is as dry as concrete.  Makes me wonder why this little bit of the south east corner of England is always the driest, warmest place in the spring and summer.  Why just here and not, say the south west; Cornwall, Devon and the like, it's unbearable at times especially when there is high humidity.  It's not like the south east is anything special weather wise, like under a gulf stream all the time, drives me mad. 

The sunshine and the warmth is very nice but not at the cost of the crops and the flowers which need the rain.  At least it's not snow (can't even say that word out loud yet or the dog goes potty looking for it, yes and he's a border collie too - gives his breed a bad name at times).  Old doggie (and he is old now bless him) still goes out in the rain, using the hedges in the back garden to scratch his back, and come in again with half the garden on his back where he's been right in under the hedges to the fence to see who is trying to get in (gardening to you and me).  He refuses to believe he is getting on for 12 and still behaves like a 2 year old.  His brain is leaps and bounds ahead of him and he looks so bewildered when he can't get to whatever it is he needs to get to as fast as he thinks he can.  Yep, getting old is no fun and I can vouch for that.  Me and him in the same boat at times.

© silversapphire 2011
All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

I am officially converted into a Midsomer Murders Fan

Some fourteen years after Midsomer Murders (henceforth referred to as MM) arrived on British TV I have, for my sins, finally and forever become a fan of this great show.   Starring the ever brilliant John Nettles (Sgt Jim Bergerac in the eighties)  as Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby, ably assisted by Sergeant Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey) at least that's where I'm up to at the time of writing.  I love this portrayal of an older, more experienced policeman than the shoot em up squads we seem to get from all over the place.  Barnaby's gentle voiced policeman is much more effective at getting at the truth than the shout and scream at 'em brigade.

It's all the present husband's fault; he decided one Wednesday night to go an a sponsored sulk and took himself off into the night 'for a drive' so I, took myself to the living room with a large glass of a very expensive red wine and flicked on the telly.  MM was just about to come on and, having dismissed the show for many years I thought I'd watch it as there was nothing else on.  Cringeworthy to all the die-hard fans out there I know, but hooked I was from the moment the eerie theme tune started.  The theme for those like me, who didn't know what the music is played on, it's called a Theremin.  A device which is played without being touched!  The device has two antennae which protrude from the top, one controls pitch and the other controls volume.  It's quite an achievement to be able to play it and the person who did the theme for MM is obviously well practised in the art of playing this spooky sounding piece of kit.

My Wednesday night episode was The Maid in Splendour,  guest starring William Gaunt, yes, him off The Champions if you're young enough to remember them and remember them I do, fondly.  I met William Gaunt once in a charity shop in Chester, as you do.  He was opening the shop as he was appearing in a play at The Gateway Theatre in the city and I happened to be in town that day.  He was lovely, I asked him to sign one of my Champions photos and he groaned and said it was such a long time ago.  I said I know, I was young back then too.  Shop opened and people had photos taken and autographs signed and then he was off, blending effortlessly into the crowd on his way back to the theatre. 

Loved the episode and now love the series.  Collecting them regularly in the boxed sets which look like books and have ten DVDs in them.  Great idea as they don't take up too much space.  As I was busy collecting these I wondered what Bergerac was like way back then because I was too busy in the eighties to be watching telly.  In 1981 I had just been married for the first time and was living in deepest darkest north Wales in a tiny village you couldn't pronounce so I won't write it down, took me ages to learn it and I'm a scouser!  Farm life meant being busy after my regular job in the daytime, and at weekends too - lambing, shearing, dipping, baling hay and driving tractors across fields; obviously to get the hay, not just for the hell of it ... although I dunno.  Bliss at the time, it really was.  Anyway, in 1987 I was divorced and started off on another chapter.  Thus telly then started to play a big part in my lif but Bergerac had all but finished by then, so I must be the only one who never watched it.  Buying these discs now too, only to find that one some of them the manufacturers have included the daytime edits and so the episodes are cut to bits (Granada TV eanyone?) and I'll have to go buy the boxed set of the whole thing when I have a spare £50+ knocking around.  Just loving watching all this stuff now, Jersey in the eighties is probably a totally different place now but it's good to see it as it was back then.  Perhaps the boxed set will be a bit better to see, the single sets are so dark it's hopeless.

DCI Tom Barnaby (and his family) are the creations of the amazingly talented writer Caroline Graham, her plots and twists, turns and anything else she can get into them is wonderful to read. So glad that ITV decided to make some of the stories into MM otherwise DCI Barnaby would still be ensconced in the pages of her exquisitely written novels.  Incidentally, the series is internationally known as 'Inspector Barnaby' so when John Nettles retired from the role they had to keep the main character's name the same.  When Neil Dudgeon took over the role as Tom Barnaby's cousin John everything seemed to be ok, except I've just seen another early episode (Garden of Death) with Mr Dudgeon in MM as a very, well, erm, randy gardener to put it mildly.  He did reprise his role as DCI John Barnaby in The Sword of Guillaume, an episode set in Brighton where Tom asks for help in sorting out a problem which began in Causton.  The interaction between the two characters was wonderful.  My only hope now is that the show does not fail after the departure of John Nettles as his character retires but feel this will be it's final outing and that ITV won't renew it's contract after 2012.  If last night's episode The Oblong Murders was anything to go by, MM is careering off down the very slow action only route and not investing in the wonderfully written screenplays which were the benchmark of the John Nettles era MM.  It's all about the writing and if that goes, well then so does the show.  I actually walked away from MM last night, that's how poor I found this episode.  Also, dropped like the proverbial last night is the news that we've lost another main character in the shape of George Bullard, the erstwhile police pathologist, (ably played by Barry Jackson) who is off retiring to Ireland.  In MM prior to this, George did not have a sister that we knew about, yet they suddenly introduce her and whare is George's GP wife all of a sudden?  Desperation on the part of the writer?  Awful, and asking the viewer to invest their time in such nonsense is not acceptable ITV.

I've also asked ITV why they are mucking about with the new show as it started off ok on Wednesday nights and then it's kinda been dropped like the proverbial, they said it was 'never intended to be shown every week but when there was a gap in the schedule'- eh?  No, sorry, if you want a show to be succesful, especially when the star has just left it, you need to keep it on air to give it a chance.  They said it will be back 'towards the end of the month.'  Which month I hear you ask - well, take your pick I'd guess.  When I asked why they were treating it so badly, almost like they want it to fail they said: 'Well, we have commissioned it until 2012' well, there we are, that's all right then!  It's failing all right guys, with hopeless storylines like this to come it's such a sad end for such a great show, but this happens all too often when the lead actor leaves.

I'm probably like all the die-hards out there who wish Mr Nettles hadn't left but I'm sure, once ITV have stopped buggering about with the schedules that it may have a decent enough chance to keep going and I wish it would pick itself up, dust itself off and keep going if nothing more than for the sake of the now 2 stars of the show Jason Hughes and Neil Dudgeon, both trying very hard to make it work but if last nights very poor excuse for an episode is anything to go by they will struggle.

Bah Humbug ITV, and it isn't even Christmas yet.

© silversapphire 2011

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author