The hottest day of the year

It was a glorious day yesterday. Sunny & warm. I was debating the previous evening with Trish as to where to go Sunday afternoon.

I was at Dads when I got the text that she had managed to trip over a tree root and hurt her shoulder. When I got home she was in pain and so off to A&E. Now I have to say the service was quick! We were in and out with x-rays done in an hour and five minutes! Honestly my local hospital, which is rated inadequate, was excellent!

So any way Trish had a fractured Humerus!

Anyhow Harlow Hospital said she had to visit her local hospital and they would send her x-rays to her and she would need to book a follow up.

So this morning I drove her and her car home. Thanks to my mate Trevor for coming down to pick me up. We phoned said hospital and found that it wasn't them but another! Said hospital was rung.

So we contacted the Fracture Clinic who said we had to talk to the Appointments department. They pointed us to a secretary of the fracture consultant  who advised that they would need the x-rays (we explained that they had probably gone to Horsham) and we were advised anyway a referral must come from her GP.

So off to her GP. Who apparently can't refer without the x-rays and said Harlow would have to send to them. Whilst this was going on I was on the phone to PAH Harlow and was told that the GP would have to request them!! This was relayed to the lady on the GP desk who promised to help.

I drove home and after 15 years of working in local government I am aware that perserverance is a handy trait and you can get lucky and find that one person who isn't a jobs worth. I therefore wandered into the Minor Injuries unit at Harlow and relayed the above to a male Nurse Practitioner. He said that they never send x-rays to GP's but that the above seemed daft to him. He promptly phoned xxx hospital and was getting the same runaround,  he then got hold of a direct line to xxxx Fracture clinic whilst waiting the nurse who treated Trish yesterday came back on duty relieving her male colleague. He told her to tell xxx that Harlow had seen the x-ray, my friends arm was fractured and she needed an appointment and they Harlow were were referring her. Within 20 minutes I left with an appointment for my friend!

I have to say that you to the nurse practitioners in Harlow Hospital minor injury unit. They really were superb!

And positive vibes for Trish.... the fracture takes 4-6 weeks to heal and in 5 weeks she is meant to be going away!