"No sense of urgency"

I recently presented at A&E with severe abdominal pain and vomiting. I was particularly concerned, as I had had similar symptoms two months prior which had resulted in emergency surgery. During my visit I was consulted by members of the surgical team and told I had a suspected intestinal blockage and would need an urgent MRI. I emphasise the word urgent here. I was assured that due to the severity of the suspected diagnosis and my recent history that this would be handled urgently. I was discharged from A&E and told I would receive an appointment letter shortly.

I called the General Surgery department for an update on the MRI appointment as I had still yet to receive anything. I was told that my referral for the MRI appointment had not been put through yet. 14 days after leaving A&E and being assured my case was being treated as urgent, no-one had yet even requested an appointment be made for me.

Following my phone call, the referral was done and I had my MRI. I was told by the staff carrying out the MRI that I should have results within 2 weeks. Specifically, they said it doesn’t take that long but they advise 2 weeks as the absolute longest period between scan and results.

I called the General Surgery department again to follow up on my results as I had not received anything. I was told that my results were there and they would put them through for the doctor to review and I would receive an update shortly after.

Finally, I called the department again. On this occasion I was told that the doctor did not believe I was their patient, and therefore it was not for them to review my results. In fact my results have been completely ignored since my previous call, 17 days earlier. At this point I have been told the results need to be passed to a different doctor and I am still looking at several weeks to get my results.

I am shocked and disgusted at the treatment I've received. It has been 10 weeks since my visit to A&E and I feel this department has failed me and delayed my diagnosis and treatment on two occasions. I am currently experiencing daily pain and worsening symptoms as well as the stress of the unknown. My life is in limbo while I wait for a diagnosis, I don’t feel able to make plans as I don’t know what condition I will be in from one day to the next.

Now to find out that for almost three weeks I have been disregarded and no-one in this department has felt any responsibility to me as a patient makes me feel sick.

Even after confirming to me that my file has been consciously ignored I am still being told I will have to wait weeks for answers. There is no sense of urgency, I am not being prioritised following the mishandling of my case, I am still being fobbed off and disregarded.

I am concerned that if members of this department don’t feel responsible for me as a patient, that my file will be passed around and potentially lost. I also have the fear that these results contain something of a time sensitive nature that isn't being dealt with because of what I feel is the negligence of this department.

Honestly, I wouldn't wish this experience on my worst enemy. The stress alone is unbearable, every day is a struggle and just knowing that no-one cares enough to do anything is soul destroying.