"Appalling NHS care"

I had a consultation in the lump and bump clinic on the 6th July. I then had an ultrasound scan on the 29th July.

I then had to ring the hospital on the 20th August to find out why I had not been offered a follow up appointment to receive the results of my scan only to be told the consultant was not running any further NHS clinic days until their next one on the 14th September. The management of Circle bath said that was when I could receive my results. I was obviously very angry with this as they expected me to wait up to Six weeks to get my results. Never before have I waited this long to get scan results on the NHS.

I made a verbal complaint to the management and it transpired that this consultants last NHS clinic was on 24thJuly and their next was 14thSeptember. That is Severn weeks with no follow up appointments for their patients. It also became clear that this consultant had no cover for their patients so as a patient we have to wait until they offer NHS clinics at Circle Bath.

It is shocking that as NHS patient I was treated with such disregard. The management spoke with the consultant regarding my scan result on 24th August following my complaint only for the consultant to state that my scan showed nothing to worry about so he felt I could wait for my result. I did not know the result and clearly the consultant has a responsibility to make sur I receive my results good or bad in a timely manner. Clearly I went to Circle Bath because I was concerned of a lump growing in my arm so clearly I should be given my results as soon as possible so that I didn't have to worry unnecessarily. Unfortunately the consultant appears not care about their patient (me) otherwise they would have given me my results. This consultant was at Circle Bath doing surgery on August 24th so I asked the management why couldn't the consultant not arrange to see me either before his day of surgery or after. The managements reply it's up to them. I also ask why could they not have given me the result via a telephone consultation if they are not offering to do NHS clinics for a period of severn weeks instead of leaving the patient waiting unnecessarily.

If I have an X-ray done on the NHS I would be given the results in 7to 10 days so why is Circle Bath allowing a consultant to leave their NHS patients for Severn weeks but again still working at Circle Bath but not with their NHS patients. This is disgusting.

On my experience I would not recommend this particular clinic under any circumstances and where a consultant only offers at best two days a month NHS clinic.