"Long delay and inappropriate appointment"

I’m sharing serious concerns about how NHS Fife handled a gynaecology referral for a teenager.

The GP marked the referral as urgent, due to the impact the condition was having on her daily life, school attendance, and other health issues. Despite this, it took over 12 months to be offered an appointment. For an urgent case, this delay is completely unacceptable and raises serious questions about how referrals are being prioritised.

We received no meaningful updates, and due to the long wait and lack of communication, we eventually had to seek private care to ensure she received the help she needed.

When the NHS appointment finally came through, it was with a male consultant. While we respect the professionalism of all consultants, this was not appropriate for a young girl, given the intimate nature of the issue. More consideration should be given to a young patient’s comfort and gender preferences, especially in gynaecological care.

This whole experience has caused a lot of unnecessary stress. We hope NHS Fife will review how they:

Prioritise urgent referrals

Reduce waiting times for young patients

Match patients with consultants in a way that respects age and gender sensitivities

Others shouldn’t have to go through this.