"I would say the efficiency at ..."

What I liked

I would say the efficiency at which my complaints are dealt with, because they have been pretty good... until now!

I liked absolutely nothing else.

What could be improved

I've had one appointment cancelled without anyone telling me, another appointment where I turned up and there wasn't even a clinic, and one appointment that over-ran by 1.5 hrs with no apology or reason given.

I have a tumor that was discovered over 5 months ago. Treatment (requiring an operation to remove it) is supposed to take no more than 18 weeks from discovering it to having it removed. I was told my op would be in about 8 weeks time... 12 weeks ago. I've still not got a date. Every time I chase it up I get fobbed off.

I've never been given the answers I ask direct questions to, eg "Why am I 3rd on the list at the moment but you know it's going to be at least another 7 weeks until my op - how many operations does the surgeon do per week?" "How can you pencil me in and then an hour later tell me you've put someone else in my slot instead?" "Why has the 8 weeks waiting list more than doubled straight away - has the surgeons workload doubled all of a sudden?"

I already contacted PALS and they're absolutely useless. They came back with the exact, very limited information I'd already been given. I asked them to ask the specific questions that nobody would answer, only for them to not answer them either. They also said they would chase it up weekly for me but I've not heard a thing since.

Anything else?

Medical treatment is stressful enough without being delayed, kept in the dark, shoved to the back of the queue and ignored.

I suffer from severe anxiety (a fact that all concerned are aware of), but nobody gives a hoot.