Braces and jaw-alignment on the NHS (UK)

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#1 Post by **luke88** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:32 am

hello

I'm really glad i've found this forum. everyone's going through the same thing and knows how each other feels. it's a great.

i'm from the U.K and i've been on the national health service waiting list for a jaw alignment operation, braces and rhinoplasty for 24 months now. i'm getting really fed up of the waiting and it's making me really unhappy. i really want to start treatment, it's going to take around 2 years and a half to finally achieve the result I want. i'm 19 already and go to university. although having barces and operations during this period will be difficult, it'll ultimately make me happier later on and i'd rather get it over and done with now.

to those in the UK. how long did you had to wait?

#2 Post by **kelly12300** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:03 pm

Awww poor you. I've also had my treatment on the NHS (just braces though) and I had to wait for about 2 and a half years. It was a nightmare. I knew I'd have to wait but I really didn't think it would take so long.

Sorry you've had to wait so long too. I found giving them a ring and writing every so often (which my dentist told me to do) did seem to speed things up a bit. I hope you don't have to wait much longer

#3 Post by **platinum** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:07 pm

You shuold call them etc. My boyfriend was/is in the queue to get his wisom teeth removed for two years. In the meanwhile his dentist and he decided not take them away. He is still in the list, though, but it seems NHS has forgotten him.

#4 Post by **luke88** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:10 pm

do you think things would be a lot quicker if i visited my doctor and told him how much it's affecting me? i.e it's making me really unhappy. 2 years is long enough... 2 and a half years... nightmare!

ive rang them up countless times and they just don't tell me how long ive got to wait because they said they really dont know.

whats this governemnt pledge about everyone having an operaiton within 18 weeks.

#5 Post by **platinum** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 1:26 pm

do you think things would be a lot quicker if i visited my doctor and told him how much it's affecting me? i.e it's making me really unhappy. 2 years is long enough... 2 and a half years... nightmare!

Go and visit a shrink. You may get a statement how your teeth make you unhappy etc.

#6 Post by **PfectPitch** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:12 pm

This post is really interesting given that I just saw Michael Moore's new film, "Sicko", here in the states. His picture of NHS was certainly more rosy than these posts: no waiting, good staff, no bills, etc. Does the response time depend on the urgency of the condition? For example, if I needed a heart bypass, would that get done faster than orthodontia? Just curious...

#7 Post by **macca** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:44 am

Hi Luke,

Sorry you've been waiting so long, that's not on at all. We're supposed to be a highly developed nation and for the amount of money we pump into the NHS things should be much better than this. Not that I'm blaming anyone who works in the NHS, it's the people running it in my opinion.

You could try your doc as you suggest, if he is willing to take up your case it is bound to carry more weight than anything you can do.

Good luck and I hope your waiting is over soon.

#8 Post by **Lisa65** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 5:47 am

What people seem to forget is that the NHS is paid for by people's National Insurance contributions. Nat. Ins. also pays for state pensions, sickness benefits, maternity leave, widow's benefits etc etc. The NHS was founded in 1948. It's outdated now, and it's overstretched for many reasons, the main one of which is that people now live longer and therefore demand those resources for a longer period of time. People moan about being unable to get modern expensive drugs or having to wait a long time for non-urgent surgery on the NHS, but the amount of money available is finite.

Orthognathic surgery, while important to the person wanting it, isn't in the same category as urgent open-heart surgery (for instance). So PfectPitch, yes - if you needed heart surgery to save your life, or if you'd been in a road accident and were bleeding to death, you would be given urgent treatment immediately.

I know it's upsetting when you have to wait for treatment which seems inportant to you, but with limited funding and staffing, non-urgent cases just have to wait. The other option is to go private.

I work for the NHS and have done on and off for 20 years, so I've seen it from both sides.

Luke, I don't mean to sound horrible, because I have waited for surgery myself and know how frustrating and upsetting it is, and maybe speaking to your doctor might help. At least they might be able to give you a rough idea of where you are on the list.