AIBU to think the hospital is wrong?

[mmmmkakshch]

I had an appointment today at 8 30 am for a scan ive been waiting for for quite a while. It was at 8 30 am. I arrived at the hospital at 8 13 am. There was a giant queue waiting for the receptionist. It appeared they were down staff. I waited for over 30 minutes to get to the front to be told I was late and the appointment was now cancelled and id have to get a new referral via the gp. Ive been waiting over 4 months for this scan. I explained that i arrived in plenty of time and she said there was nothing she could do.
I dont really think im being unreasonable

Ask your GP to fast track it, explain what happened. Then should be seen within 2 weeks. So sorry, it's frustrating.

My local hospital's Outpatient Dept's letters clearly state to arrive no more than 10 minutes ahead of your appt time to avoid congestion (just as OP's did) - and this clearly works as the (huge) waiting room is never over-crowded.

This happened to me at my GP and they cancelled the appointment - luckily it was just a nurse appt and I begged her so she relented and asked the nurse whose next patient hadn’t arrived so I got that slot. But now the GP has a self check in kiosk and it is way better! The nurses and doctors get notified directly that you are there and just call out for you in waiting room.

NHS has gone to shit. I've been waiting 8 months for an urgent appointment for my daughter - two formal complaints, letter from a private doctor emphasising the severity and risk and weekly phone calls to my GP later...the referral still has not been made!

YABU and actually in my experience you are actually asked not to arrive too early, as they don’t want loads of people in the waiting room.

she absolutely must complain, to as many people as possible.

If we don't complain things don't improve

true - as long as she doesn't think that will improve the situation for her. She needs to speak to PALS now to solve the immediate problem &, then yes complain to resolve it for others

Contact PALS asap. Not only might you get a re-arranged appointment but staff may be grateful for you highlighting the impact of lack of resources. Staff don’t get listened to but numbers of concerns raised/ complaints are seen.

It's a shame you didn't go straight to the PALS office, as clearly someone senior needed to step in to stop a shedload of appointments being wasted.
I wonder at what point in the day the sonographer started wondering why so many patients hadn't turned up and wandered out to reception...

The receptionist was at fault and should have asked loudly enough for people down the line to hear, that any appts for 8.00, 8.15. 8.30 etc to come to the front. Or if she had a list she could have either asked by name or just went down the line herself. I have faced many, many, long queues in my previous positions in various workplaces but did not allow myself to be overwhelmed. There was a job to do and so you do it. I feel sorry for the poster especially as a few months could mean all the difference in treating whatever is wrong with her if she knows, and a big differecne if she doesn't know and is going for diagnosis.

This is terrible and going to cause more congestion by people ignoring the 10minute request and turning up much earlier to avoid missing their slot due to queues. Definitely complain to PALS and write to your MP and GMC to let them know some of the missed appointments are due to NHS inefficiencies preventing people being allowed to their appointments and the stats are masking the truth

Me too - I’d be hopping!

it depends how you complain. "wah wah wah i was in plenty of time, followed your instructions wah wah wah" won't change anything.

Clearly stating the issue and asking for their improvements should lead to better processes, the more complaints the better.

But what do you mean it won'T improve the situation for her? should OP not complain in the hopes of making things better for everyone? including her? what a strange attitude to have.

Clearly OP is in a difficult position, and i truly sympathise. but what is done is done and what she needs now are solutions.

I'd be making an official complaint.

You did exactly as you were asked. You were not late and you didn't miss your appointment. They failed to see you.

I'd be very cross if I was in your situation.

Agreed

Yes that’s ridiculous, surely everyone else was also late and they could see people queueing.

When I go to my GP practice there's a touch screen and you check yourself. WHY don't hospitals have these?

Why on earth did you blindly leave when you were there on time. Go back to the hospital and calmly explain what happened and take a seat until somebody sees you.

Explain you have waited 4 months and will not be waiting any longer. Learn to advocate for yourself particularly when it comes to your health.

@askmenow this has nothing to do with migrants. Please stop shit stirring.

Okay. So. I think that if she goes to PALS she will get immediate help & almost certainly a speedy new date - in all probability today. If she complains formally there are targets to which complaints have to be responded to - I don't know them off by hear but several weeks. Therefore a complaint will help others but unlikely to help her - because it will have been resolved by PALS

You say " should OP not complain in the hopes of making things better for everyone? including her? what a strange attitude to have." It is not a strange attitude. My first response was to resolve it for her (go to PALS) & in response to your message I agreed & said it would help others but probably not for her. I also did suggest how to get a solution

No way, that is unacceptable. You were there for your appointment, you were not a non-attender. Therefore the receptionist should have marked that down for you. You only have to get re-referred from the GP again if you get discharged from the clinic, which you shouldn’t because you were there for your appointment. 100% stand your ground, go back to the GP and explain the situation. The lady at receptionist definitely should not have said that you need to be re-referred, what she SHOULD have done is book you another appointment if that is something she is able to do at the desk, but if not then definitely not to just tell you to go back to the GP.

I would make a polite complaint explaining that you followed the advice and along with others still missed the appointment. You would be doing them a favour. Also request an appointment asap in the note.

You should absolutely lodge a complaint. I don’t think it’s acceptable to wait another 4
months.

As an aside, it is rather fashionable to want to cut NHS admin and management. What you’re seeing is the effect of piss poor administration costing money and having an ongoing clinical impact. Good admin in any organisation is so important.

Which sums up one of the problems with the NHS right there.

Exactly this is an incompetent receptionist problem not a immigrant problem.