Nerve Conduction Studies - do you offer private test?
9 December 2015 - 9:52am
Hello,
I was supposed to have Carpal Tunnel surgery at my practice today but was told I need to do a nerve conduction studies and appointments for one do take a while. I am deeply upset. Carpal Tunnel has affected day to day activities and is not getting getting better. Dr Bland is this something you offer privately as I would like to arrange one to be done asap. Thank you.
I only see a few private patients. I have a very busy NHS practice and lots of research interests so not a lot of spare time. The little I do, I do mainly on principle because I do not think patients who are being seen in the private sector should have their supplementary work (diagnostic tests etc) done by the NHS - effectively subsidising the private hospitals even more than we do already by training most of their staff. What that boils down to is that I will only do private work at the request of a consultant/GP who is treating that patient privately within my own catchment area (East Kent). You will see in the 'about' page of this website that I also do not wish this website to be tainted by being seen to act as an advert for my private practice so unless you happen to live in my local patch I cannot help in that way I'm afraid.
Having said that, only telling you on the day you are listed for surgery that you need nerve conduction studies seems a bit late. Are they having second thoughts about whether the diagnosis is right? If so then not rushing into surgery is probably wise. Have any other treatments been tried? In most of the UK the wait for nerve conduction studies should be less than 6 weeks but Wales is an exception at the moment if you are there. JB