"Poor Communication, Long Delays, and Loss of Trust"

My experience with this service has been deeply frustrating and disappointing. It began with a virtual consultation, which turned out to be a complete waste of time, as I was later told that a face-to-face consultation was necessary. That appointment took a further three months to arrange. It feels like the virtual consultation was more about meeting internal targets than delivering care.

During the in-person consultation, I was referred for an urgent biopsy, with the expectation that it would happen within four weeks. However, after waiting four weeks with no contact, I called to chase it up—only to be told it could take up to three months and that I was “on the waiting list.” It was only after I asked what “urgent” actually meant and followed up by email that a biopsy appointment was finally arranged.

The biopsy itself was handled professionally, and I want to highlight that the staff involved in that procedure were excellent.

Unfortunately, things went downhill again. My GP was initially updated with the wrong diagnosis, and my NHS record was also updated incorrectly. When the histology came back with a different result, I had to go back and forth with my GP to have this corrected, which was both confusing and stressful.

Following the biopsy, I was scheduled for another virtual consultation. My GP was promptly informed of the date, and I briefly felt hopeful that I was finally getting somewhere. But that consultation was again disappointing. The doctor seemed unaware of the purpose of the call, and I had to explain that I’d already received a diagnosis — clearly, no preparation had been done beforehand.

During the discussion, I felt that questions about potential causes were met with vague or dismissive answers. There seemed to be little interest in investigating anything beyond the most common explanation. I was encouraged to begin a trial of medication aimed at treating the symptoms rather than addressing the root cause. When I asked about potential side effects, the responses were minimal and unhelpful.

Since then, I’ve had no follow-up. My GP has not received any further communication, and I'm still waiting for clarity on next steps, including testing to determine the actual cause. Other investigations and discussions with my GP remain on hold while we wait for input from this service.

I’ve sent two emails chasing an update — both were ignored. My third email, sent today, is a formal complaint.

To reiterate: the team who handled my biopsy were excellent, and I’m grateful for their professionalism. Unfortunately, that stands in stark contrast to the rest of the experience, which has left me feeling ignored, unimportant, and without trust in this service.