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Wating for over a year for a check up

Story from nhs.uk

"Wating for over a year for a check up"

About: Manchester Royal Eye Hospital / Ophthalmology

I was admitted urgently after an eye test at my local opticians after failing to get an appointment to se my GP.

I was admitted and treated in hospital for 4 days then asked to return for a check up in 3 months, I attended the appointment then told to come back in 6 months for a check up.. this is when the issues stared, I waited over a year for the check up and in the end I had to phone the appointments line to tell them, the response I had was 'you have been on a waiting list'

The following day I had a message left on my home phone when I returned from work at 6pm, to say they had arranged an appointment for the following day at 10am, obviously I could not attend with such sort notice! I rearranged the appointment and after I had attended I was asked to return again in 6 months for a check up. I attended then asked to attend another 6 month check up however told to stop taking my medication 1 month before my appointment, which was meant to be Feb 2017 I call before Christmas to ask when I would be getting an appointment and told the appointments line what the doctor had said and the response I got was you get a couple of weeks notice!

I called back in February 2017 explained again asking when I would get an appointment to be told again I am on a waiting list!! my appointment was meant to be in march 2017 and I have had no phone call/ letter to say when or if I will be getting an appointment!!

this is shocking never in all my life have I had so little correspondence from a medical organisation!!!

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Responses

Response from Patient Experience Team, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust 6 years ago
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 25/07/2017 at 15:27
Published on Care Opinion at 17:04

We are very sorry to receive your comments about the delays you have experienced in being seen in our outpatient clinics. Unfortunately demand exceeds capacity in a number of our clinics and as such we are not always able to see patients in the timescales we would like.

The eye hospital recognises this is not an acceptable position and work is on-going across all of the specialties to try and increase the capacity we can offer. For example we have opened a number of new clinics on other sites across Greater Manchester Including at Altrincham and Trafford hospitals to provide more capacity. In addition, a number of virtual services have been developed in the glaucoma, macular, diabetes, neuro-ophthalmology and strabismus services. This involves patients attending for a series of tests, the results of which are reviewed shortly afterwards by a consultant or optometrist rather than seeing the patient face to face. This dramatically increases the number of patients a consultant can review in a shorter length of time. A number of consultants are also doing additional sessions to address their waiting lists and to ensure patients do not experience lengthy delays.

Without knowing which service you are being seen in it is unfortunately difficult to respond to your specific concerns. If you have any further comments or concerns you would like to discuss these, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0161 276 8686 or by emailing pals@cmft.nhs.uk quoting reference number PO17/0105 and they will be happy to discuss your feedback and liaise with the eye hospital for more information if required.

Response from Manchester Royal Eye Hospital 6 years ago
Manchester Royal Eye Hospital

Submitted on 25/07/2017 at 15:27
Published on nhs.uk on 21/03/2019 at 17:06

We are very sorry to receive your comments about the delays you have experienced in being seen in our outpatient clinics. Unfortunately demand exceeds capacity in a number of our clinics and as such we are not always able to see patients in the timescales we would like.

The eye hospital recognises this is not an acceptable position and work is on-going across all of the specialties to try and increase the capacity we can offer. For example we have opened a number of new clinics on other sites across Greater Manchester Including at Altrincham and Trafford hospitals to provide more capacity. In addition, a number of virtual services have been developed in the glaucoma, macular, diabetes, neuro-ophthalmology and strabismus services. This involves patients attending for a series of tests, the results of which are reviewed shortly afterwards by a consultant or optometrist rather than seeing the patient face to face. This dramatically increases the number of patients a consultant can review in a shorter length of time. A number of consultants are also doing additional sessions to address their waiting lists and to ensure patients do not experience lengthy delays.

Without knowing which service you are being seen in it is unfortunately difficult to respond to your specific concerns. If you have any further comments or concerns you would like to discuss these, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0161 276 8686 or by emailing pals@cmft.nhs.uk quoting reference number PO17/0105 and they will be happy to discuss your feedback and liaise with the eye hospital for more information if required.

The Patient Experience Team.

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