@SpindleWhorl
Yes. And I complain to PALS every time now to get my records changed.
I'm buggered if I'm going to have 'time waster' on my file.
And I've heard some bizarre explanations, too. Basically it's a combination of human error and incompatible data systems.
Yes, same with my OH. He has incurable blood cancer and has been under the local oncology department for 4 years now. At the start, his treatment was second to none. He went through a few months of chemotherapy with no problems (well not administrative anyway, obviously he suffered with side effects etc).
At the start of 2020, his "levels" had increased and he needed to be back on chemotherapy. Started well enough, but then covid happened. They cancelled his treatment (curt phone call on morning of his usual weekly infusion) with the promise someone would ring him back to re-schedule, but weeks passed with no communication, not even the usual monthly consultant appointments he'd been having for the past 3 years! Complete radio silence. Then he started trying to contact them, but it was either answerphones or whenever he spoke to a human, it was always "someone will call back" but they never did.
Anyway, last Summer, 4 months later, he finally got a telephone appointment with his consultant fixed. But, the day and time came and went with no phone call. He phoned mid day, to be told by a receptionist that the oncologist was "running late" but would call when she could. 3 pm in the afternoon, still no call, so he phoned again, to be told by the receptionist that the oncologist had finished for the day, but the record showed a "DNA", i.e. did not attend. So he was logged down as a missed appnt. Took several phone calls to get a new appt made which was another 4 weeks later. All the time, he's missing his chemotherapy!
Anyway, finally got to speak to her and chemo was restarted (no apology nor explanation for why his treatment had been forgotten nor why she'd put him down as DNA when she hadn't tried to phone him!).
Same keeps happening since. Consultant won't do any face to face appointments, so it's got to be monthly phone calls. But every 2 or 3 times, she just doesn't call and it keeps getting logged as a did not attend. OH got fed up with the constant chasing and delays (as always has to wait another 4 weeks to reschedule) he's started making a formal complaint via PALS every time it happens, and also, other delays/errors, such as his chemo being cancelled at last minute and never being re-arranged without him having to chase it, blood tests being cancelled and not re-arranged, etc. It's almost a full time job trying to keep on top of it as the oncology dept admin systems seem to have collapsed. Literally nothing happens without him having to chase it up. I can't say it's improved with the PALS complaints being made, but at least it's now on record and it stops them covering it up and blaming OH for their administrative foul ups!