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Rank: Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/1/2011 Posts: 17 Location: cheltenham
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Hi,
I have just received a letter from the doctors about my first rheumy appointment.
The thing is they have given me a choice, I can go to Cheltenham or Gloucester, how do I find out which one to go for, would one be better than the other, or is it just a case of go to the nearest, which for me is Cheltenham.
If anyone has experience of either, I would love to hear your thoughts
thanks
minxie
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/20/2010 Posts: 1,749 Location: Somerset
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Sorry I did not get a choice so had the one I was given. Perhaps google both Hospitals
to see who would be the best.
I have no knowledge of either of your Hospitals
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,157 Location: Huddersfield
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Hi Minxie,
I would say the same as Rose, google both hospitals and see what they offer in terms of rheumy care.
Doreen xx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/13/2010 Posts: 118 Location: Shrivenham, Oxfordshire
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You could look on the healthcare unlocked site at the NRAS section. http://nras.healthunlocked.comPeople can review hospitals on there. However remember these are only patients perceptions of the hospitals so might not be accurate. Becky
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/30/2010 Posts: 507 Location: Gravesend
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Hiya Minxie .. just had a look on NHS ChoicesHave a look yourself .. but if it is Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal .. then they both have the same consultants showing for both hospitals as it is the same foundation trust :O Click Hospitals ..Put in the search "Cheltenham" and then Rhematology ... then click find . when that page opens .. click detailed comparison. Doesn't really tell you a lot about the Rheumatology services except average waiting times which are 57 and 62.7 days respectively. Just looked at mine and they are saying "Data unavailable " --well it is as they are not taking appointments til December this year. :O In theory you should be able to go anywhere you wish :) Rich :) "The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009
Posts: 2,127
Location: Thornton Cleveleys
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Hi Minxie Someone on health Unlocked uses Gloucester and is far from happy and looking for a change; very long wait for follow up appointments, lack of referral to physiotherapy and no rheumatology nurse specialist or call back service. As both Cheltenham and Gloucester are within the same trust this could be a problem. They seem to have a satellite base at Stroud too. The ratings from Gloucester seem low and Cheltenham has only been reviewed once! Really doesn't help  As Rich says you can choose to go anywhere you wish so perhaps a little time researching now may pay huge bonuses further down the line. You can always change later if you're unhappy but so much better if you can get it right at the outset. Hope you find somewhere suitable  Lyn x
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009
Posts: 1,035
Location: in a house
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but they have may lost the rhum nurse like my hospital did ??? but now they have got 5 .It may have gone pear shaped where whos employed . check it out as they may be recuiting . CHRIS . The chocolate eating housewife ...The washer woman .....naughty lady
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 2,237 Location: nr Southampton
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Hi
I know a bit about this as one of my dear RA friends I met yrs ago lives your way. She goes to the Cheltenham option and generally they are good. As a general hospital they are fine.
BUT
Rheumatoid wise, she goes to the Rheumatic Diseases Hospital in Bath, where she keeps herself ticking along with really good inpatient and outpatient care. "The Min" as its affectionately known, has close links with cheltenham if it was an option you ever looked at. Dr Ellie there is smashing.
Jenni xxhow to be a velvet bulldoser
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Rank: Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/1/2011 Posts: 17 Location: cheltenham
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ohh thanks for that, I just went onto NHS Choices and I do like the sound of Bath,as mentioned by Jennib it says on the site, you can choose anywhere in the country, its your choice, but when I pop in my ref number etc to make my appointment, it only gives me the choices of cheltenham or gloucester, so I guess I have to ask my GP to refer me to that particular hospital, it nearly 40miles away but as Lynw says, get it right first time is key.
So thanks all for the advice, thats been really helpful
minxie
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Rank: Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/1/2011 Posts: 17 Location: cheltenham
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Blimey, I just went on line to book my first appointment and there are no appointments in Cheltenham available at all for the who knows how long. So as I definately don't want glos, (60 days wait)I did a search of the hospital in Bath mentioned by Jennib, and I like the sound of it, so I had to ring my drs secretary and get her to put the referral on line for me under my reference number and bingo, I get the hospital I want. It clearly states on the site that you can choose where to go anywhere in the country for your treatment. So I am very happy at the moment and even more so when I eventually get an appointment booked. So thanks Rich for telling me about nhschoice and thanks jennib for telling me about Bath, and thanks everyone else to minxie 
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/30/2010 Posts: 507 Location: Gravesend
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Yayyyyyyy !!! Choose and Book does has it's limitations and i am sure when i see my GP doing the online form for that .. he selects from a list .. then you select from an even smaller list. Unfortunately Bath is a little too far for an appointment for me .. and i can imagine the arguments with NNS Newcastle or even Bath Hospital in trying to get my fares back ...haha. Hopefully you get an appointment soon :) Yayyyy again :) Rich "The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."
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