NC for this but been around for a while.
Towards the end of last year I was referred to the dermatology department at my local hospital for a skin condition. I had my first appointment with them in November of last year, where the dermatologist gave me a new medication to try and said she'd see me again in three months and we would look at the next steps depending on how the new medication worked.
I eventually had the follow-up appointment (six months after the first appointment as the dermatologist had left and my name had been missed off the clinic list or something) and saw a different dermatologist, who wanted to rule out hormonal causes before trying anything else.
I had the first endocrinology appointment in the summer, where I chatted with the endocrinologist and had a blood test. I received a letter shortly after that appointment confirming they'd had most of the results back and they were fine, there were a couple of results still outstanding, but they were expecting them to also be fine given that there had been no problems with the results they had received back already.
In August, I received a letter confirming that I had been given a follow-up appointment with the endocrinologist in two months time.
I have now had the follow-up appointment and it was literally just to tell me that the rest of the results were fine. She also seemed a bit surprised that I haven't heard from dermatology and said she would write to them.
AIBU to think this could have just been sent by letter? This is now the end of my contact with endocrinology for this matter - there is no follow-up, nothing further to test or anything. I haven't had many dealings with hospitals so I'm not sure if this is standard practice or just something that this particular hospital/department does.
This is not a complaint about the NHS by any means - I think they do an absolutely wonderful job and do not get the credit they deserve - but at a time when it is incredibly stretched, shouldn't they be saving money whenever they can?
It seems pointless giving an appointment just to be told that everything is fine, a letter would have been perfectly acceptable - in fact, I would have definitely preferred a letter. I am self-employed so the time I spent traveling to/from the appointment, plus the wait time and the appointment itself, is all time taken away when I could have been earning money. I would have much rather saved the hassle of getting to/from the hospital, plus the 40 minutes in the waiting room (to clarify, I was on time for my appointment. I was taken in for a blood test and to be weighed about 10 minutes after my appointment time, was told the doctor would be seeing me soon and then had another 30 minutes wait - though I expected the appointment to be delayed as they always are so, again, not a complaint) for what was about a two minute appointment.
Not to mention, of course, that this was a complete waste of the endocrinologist's time and it meant that someone who might actually need an appointment had to wait for another appointment slot (judging from the appointment letter date to the actual appointment, I think the waiting list is about two months) even though they quite easily could have had a greater need.
AIBU? As I said, I don't know if this is standard procedure everywhere but it just seems like such a big waste of everybody's time and energy. I would love to send feedback to them - if there is a way to do so - but wondered if it would be reasonable to just expect a letter rather than have an appointment, or if I'm just annoyed because I'm panicking over the missed hours of work!
Sorry this is long, I didn't want to miss anything out!