"Unnecessary patient anxiety"

My wife had a strange rash on her tongue in 2020 and had a biopsy later that year at Dundee Dental Hospital but thankfully it was found to be non-malignant. In 2022 the rash continued so another biopsy was arranged on her tongue and she was advised that the result would be given to her by telephone appointment (as she requested) 3 days prior to Christmas. However imagine our disappointment to receive a telephone call from a staff member two days previous to say that the consultant had gone on holiday and would not be able to give the results until the start of January.

It would seem to me that the consultant could have shown some concern for the patient and phoned whenever it was known that such a holiday was on the horizon and managed her expectations rather than make her fret through the festive season.  If a colleague had been available to make that call in December that would have sufficed. Fortunately she is made of strong character and has coped admirably.   It beggars belief that in an undoubtedly caring industry such cavalier attitude can prevail. 

No matter what the outcome of the biopsy, good or bad, we will cope but the important lesson here is to make sure that someone within the service will realise the cruelty such behaviour can inflict.  Hopefully this is an isolated case and it can be addressed but I have to say it has left a bitter taste.

Kind regards