About how hospitals time appointments?

[Moanyoldcow]

I'm pregnant, have a high risk pregnancy and have been referred to Haematology for a number of reasons.

I was asked to attend 30 mins early for bloods and then to wait for my appointment. So 13:00 appointment. Had bloods at 12:35 and was waiting for appointment by 12:45, all checked in.

I wasn't seen until 14:00 and spent maybe 10 mins in a rushed appointment. I was given a prescription with the wrong name and since then (30 mins ago) the pharmacy has been trying to track the doctor down to rectify the problem.

The HCA looking after the waiting room said the clinic is always late. Is it just me, or does that not mean they need to change the way the clinic is organised? They clearly don't allocate enough time per patient but they compound the problems by cramming everyone in. It's a shambles. I've been at the hospital for well over 2 hours and spent only 15 mins in actual appointments.

I love the NHS and I know there are staffing issues but this is not acute care - this is scheduling.

AIBU to think they could avoid this a lot of the time?

The NHS is on its knees right now so unless you work in it you can't possibly understand the stress that people are under. The under funding of the NHS is chronic so staff are under unimaginable stress, patients experience delays and cock ups.

Instead of bitching about it do something positive to change it like campaigning for a payrise for staff who haven't had one in years. Staff are demoralised and worn out by years of being battered by targets and underfunding, on top of this the public are mostly ungrateful for the awesome stuff that is being provided free at the point of care. Staff are leaving in droves because of subsequent governments, who make sweeping changes every few years.

Your post OP is the result of years of underfunding and crappie decisions made by governments, get angry but channel it towards ensuring the NHS survives.

How do you know what I do or don't do Juliet in terms of campaigning?

I didn't complain about the level or care at all but I don't think it's unreasonable for a little bit of reasoned thinking.

There was no need at all for that Haematology appointment-someone in need could have had it. And it is reasonable to expect a prescription is written out in the correct patient's name. Or do you disagree?

stubbly - if you read my posts I think it's reason to be warned of you are likely to be waiting for hours - several other departments already provide realistic waiting times. I don't expect the speed of private service - I do expect reasonable communication.

The maternity units, cancer unit and radiology, all of whome I've had appointments with in the last 18 months are much better run with much better communication. If it's possible there, it's possible elsewhere.

Apologies for many typos - I'm half asleep.

When I worked as an HCA in clinics I always tried to inform patients of long delays. 99% of them were fine about it. I would tell people in person and sometimes announce it in the waiting room. People could then go get a drink knowing they weren't going to miss their appointment.

When I was at the doctors last week and waited an hour to be seen I was most pissed off that the receptionist didn't tell me the GP was running so late. Shit happens, I always expect a wait but I also expect to be informed. It just makes me feel like my time isn't important because no one can be arsed to let me know I'm going to be waiting an hour.

But carry on moaning that your first class medical assistance was a whole fucking hour late.

DD was referred to rheumatology, who booked her in with the wrong consultant. Half a day wasted for me, an appointment wasted for someone who needed it. Then we went for the correct appointment. Paediatric rheumatology, so not exactly a department prone to emergency cases. We've waited for 3 hours (another wasted day), all the time being fobbed off that we will be seen any minute now, and got no diagnosis, no follow-up, no offer of further investigations, no explanation for dd's problems. Complete waste of time.

So forgive me if I'm not grateful for the amazing care I get under the NHS for "free" (ie the many thousands of pounds I pay every year into the NHS)

Thank you U2.

I was there from 12.30 until 15.00 and didn't eat because I was worried about missing either being called for the appointment or being called the the drugs. If someone had said 'were an hour behind - please feel free to take a walk and stretch your legs' then I'd have gone and eaten.

I didn't even need my last GP appointment I went to. A derm prescribed me some new meds to take. She did all the tests I needed etc and wrote to my GP saying it was fine for me to go on these meds and could they write me a prescription.

I called the surgery to ask if the prescription was ready to be told I needed to see a GP to pick it up. I explained that I just needed to pick it up and that the derm sent a letter. I waited an hour to see the GP and he simply handed me the prescription. What a waste of an hour and the GPs time.

I worked in many clinics. Some were run very well and others were a shambles.

We need to stop being grateful and being told not to moan just because it is free at the point of use. We should expect better.

Yanbu but I don't know what the answer is.
Personally I'd rather this than have a USA type system. You will be seen on time, but pay through the nose for the privilege.
I fucking love the NHS. It truly is something to be proud of. I'm 35 and I counted that I've had 6 unrelated operations in my life. And every time I've been in hospital I've been treated like gold.
Most recently I had an ectopic pregnancy. This can be life threatening. I joined some fb groups to help get some support and some members are in the states. They are posting about the post op physical and emotional pain, and then about how the fuck they are gonna pay the $30k medical bill. Then how they are going back to work 5 days post op!!!
I've had the pure luxury of 3 months off work on full pay and no medical bills! I can take up to 6 months if I really need to, but I was ready to go back.
If waiting an hour or 2 reading a magazine or surfing mumsnet means we don't have these worries, then I'll wait all day long!