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"Wait times"

About: Mater Hospital / Macular Unit

(as the patient),

My appointment was for around 1pm and I was waiting until an hour and half to be seen. I have issues with toileting etc and this left me feeling very vulnerable as my daughter was not there to help due to the lack of parking. I am also diabetic and need to eat regularly. I left the house at around 12 and I didn’t get home til nearly 5pm. This elongated time frame meant I was late measuring and monitoring my blood sugar levels which could have significant impact on my health.

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Responses

Response from Laura Reut, Ophthalmology Assistant Service Manager for Macular and Glaucoma Services, Ophthalmology Mater Hospital, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust 6 days ago
Laura Reut
Ophthalmology Assistant Service Manager for Macular and Glaucoma Services, Ophthalmology Mater Hospital,
Belfast Health & Social Care Trust
Submitted on 03/07/2025 at 09:21
Published on Care Opinion at 09:45


picture of Laura Reut

Dear capellatq73,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us. I am truly sorry to hear about the distress caused by the long wait during your recent visit to our Macular Unit. I completely understand how difficult and uncomfortable this must have been for you, especially given your medical needs and the additional challenges you mentioned.

Unfortunately, as much as we try to keep everything running on schedule, delays do sometimes occur due to unforeseen circumstances such as staff sickness or emergency cases that require urgent attention. However, I appreciate how frustrating this can be, and I’m sorry that it affected your day and your health management.

I want to let you know that we do have posters in our waiting areas advising patients—particularly those with diabetes—to inform our nursing staff of their condition. This is so we can offer support such as tea, coffee, toast, or anything else that may help. That said, I will personally speak with the team to ensure these notices are more visible and that all patients are actively reminded of this support.

Furthermore, I will be making it a point of learning for our whole team to regularly offer help with toileting needs and refreshments proactively—even if not specifically asked for. Our patients’ wellbeing is our top priority, and we want to make sure no one feels vulnerable or forgotten during their time with us.

Please don't hesitate to ask the team for anything you might need during your next visit, we are always happy to help. While the clinic can be very busy at times, we never want anyone to feel overlooked.

Thank you again for your feedback, it helps us improve the care we give.

Warm regards,

Laura.

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