Hi folks.
Had an MRI a couple of weeks back, GP diagnosis of MS/chronic small vessel disease last week and a scheduled first appointment with a neurologist in…5 months time? I managed to reschedule online to make it 4 months (must have been a cancellation).
Conversations I have had often relate to geographical/regional NHS Trusts and their performance…but normally my area (North East) do so well (I am lucky I know, mostly).
How long have you found to wait between times?
First of all a GP can not and should NOT diagnose MS, they may suspect but they are neither qualified or authorised for diagnosis of MS.
I had to wait over 6 months from GP referral to my consultantion with a neuroligist. I was lucky in that 5-6 weeks before my first app I had a nasty relapse which included major double vision and motobility issues. That ment I went to A&E and then the optical department. That resulted in me seeing someone else, a locum I think. They scheduled arranged for me to have an Mri the following week and a lumbar puncture in the next few weeks along with lots of bloods done during that time. After that I just had to wait till my appointment with the Neurologist.
If I hadn’t relapsed before that first appointment I would have saw the neurologist who would have ordered the same tests and then it would have taken longer. Even now I can have an Mri and not get a letter regarding the results for over a month. Neuroligist doesn’t view the Mri results themselves, they get a report written by someone trained and experienced at reading them or then writes a report which gets sent to the Neurologist. The neuro then needs to look at it to decide what they mean and how to proceed.
Oops. Sorry - I have just been corrected by the NHS appointments team. My actual first neurologist appointment is actually August…IN 2025!!!
Oh dear.
My GP also suspects MS, but referred me to the neurologist as an emergency appointment, but there’s a six month waiting list. I’m in the Highlands.