"The NHS is broken"

Paediatric referral for newborn baby done by GP.

Received letter from LTHFT saying I had to 'activate' the referral.

10 minute phone call to appointments line (it isn't an appointments line as you can't make an appointment) to activate.

Told that we would get a letter within 4 days with an appointment stated.

A week later called and waited on hold for a further 10 minutes to be told a consultant would 'look' at the GP letter within 4 days and an appointment given within 18 weeks.

This means our child will more than double in age before an appointment.

Was and told to go back to GP to write a letter to LTHFT to hurry it on.

What a waste of everyone's time.

The system is designed to deter patients rather than treat them.

The NHS then wonders why people turn up at Urgent and Emergency care 'inappropriately' when in actual fact the service itself is underfunded and therefore inappropriate itself.