How Long Till ENT?

Hi. I've been to see my GP about my tinnitus. She wasn't able to help but told me she was going to refer me to ENT as my tinnitus is in one ear only.

I know the NHS isn't perfect so I never expected to gat an appointment to ENT for perhaps 2-3 weeks.

I phoned the doctor today to see if I had a confirmed appointment yet. And was told it will be a 16 week wait till I can expect an appointment. 4 months seems a really long time to wait with bad tinnitus.

Is this average for the NHS? If it is then so be it. There's not much I can do about it. But does anyone think I should try and see someone sooner, especially as my tinnitus is in one ear?

I'm not being ungrateful. I appreciate the fact I can be seen. 16 weeks or not. But I don't want to not do anything, something happen (acoustic neuroma) and then find out I should have pushed for quicker intervention.

Thanks, any advise is appreciated. Should I just shut up and wait? or push to be seen earlier?

 

You should be ungrateful. Having to wait 4 months is a fucking disgrace. When I went for an MRI scan last year here in Germany, I went to the clinic without appointment and 45 minutes later, I was back on the street - with my scan completed.

If your GP suspects an AN, then she should push for a quicker scan - not you. Probably she is just sending you for a scan as precautionary measure. ANs are rare. "You don't have it."

 

Thanks. I did think it seemed too long. The NHS is a little broken but I still thought it was too long. Hopefully someone from the UK will respond soon. If they also tell me it's far too long to wait, i'll phone my GP tomorrow.

 

I waited over 4 months for my appointment at ENT hospital in London's grays inn road, and what a complete waste of time, due to my own research I wasn't expecting to much, but there attitude in my opinion was dreadful

 

I got referred to an ENT on the NHS February this year didn't hear anything back from them until last month saying i had an appointment in June.

 

Under NICE you have to be seen within a 16 week time frame, only certain situations your fast tracked within the NHS,only other option is go private.National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Google NICE guidelines Bob all info put out for patients.Most have MRI s I did,after hearing test,that's what they go by.

 

OK. Thanks for the replies. I thought I might be an odd case. But obviously not. So NICE guidelines say within 16 weeks. So they make it 16 weeks?
I'm not expecting any help anyway. I've spent a lot of time researching tinnitus over the last few days. It seems that anyone who goes to ENT with expectations of help, go home disappointed. I'm going to go expecting to be disappointed, then anything is a bonus.
Thanks for the replies. It may suck to have to wait so long. But at least I know I'm not an odd case.

 

I had to wait over one year to see an E.N.T. under our Medicare system

And then they just told me to tune it out.

 

I finally got an appointment with the only ENT available to me. 5 month wait. *>_>*

 

I waited 2 months. To be honest idk why it takes so long.

 

I waited six weeks to see a Private ENT (waste of time and money), let alone trying to see someone through the Public system. I've just had nerve function studies on an unrelated issue, done publicly because only the Public system is doing it where I am. Still waiting for the report 8 weeks on.

 

I'm waiting 3 months already.

As a trilingual person I had some other possibilities - I decided to buy a ticket to Poland, see an ENT privately after 1 day wait and fly back. Still cheaper than going private in the UK lol.

It wasn't really helpful though. I learned more from this forum, than from the doctor.