"Unsatisfactory"

At the end of September I suffered from bleeding of the ear. My GP arranged an appointment with ENT at QA the next day. I attended the appointment and the consultant diagnosed a tear in the eardrum. I have a grommet in the same ear and the consultant observed that it had moved and appeared to be coming out. She said that she would want to review me in a couple of weeks.

On 1 October I received by text an appointment for 0915 on Monday 8 October at Petersfield hospital. On the day I made the 31 mile journey to the hospital I received a telephone call from ENT appointments informing me that the clinic for that day had been cancelled. I was informed that another appointment would be arranged and they would ring me back, probably on that day.

Having heard nothing from them I telephoned ENT appointments on the morning of 12 October. The young lady on the phone said that there was no record of my appointment at Petersfield and I had to justify to her why I wanted an appointment and what was wrong with me. She eventually made an appointment for 20 December. I informed her that the consultant had stated that i would be seen in a couple of weeks. She said that she could not arrange an appointment on a nearer date.

This situation is unbelievable. I now have to wait over two months for an appointment which should have been arranged in a couple of weeks.

I have been a regular outpatient at this department for a number of years and have always found the service to be excellent. No stars on this occasion.

Should i have an earlier appointment?