"Outpatient Appointment"

I attended an outpatient appointment at University Hospital Wishaw yesterday. 

On arrival at the Women's Health Unit there was a notice on the door to call ‪a number‬. I called this number and in the middle of a public corridor I was asked my name and appointment time. I gave the member of staff my details and was advised there was no clinic in the department, the member of staff spoke to someone else and mentioned my name and came back on the phone and asked if I had a letter and to double check my letter and where I should be reporting to. I read out the information in the letter again I was advised I was in the wrong area and no clinics were being held in the Unit.

The member of staff then said I will come out and see you and hung up the phone. The Trained member of Nursing Staff came out to the corridor door and again I was told that there was no clinic in the department today and these clinics hadn't taken place since COVID. I explained this was a follow-up to an emergency admission earlier in the year - I was in the ward day/waiting room awaiting Scan/Xray results (PACS was down and everything was being done manually), as the patients were being decanted to Ward 16 to make the ward suitable for COVID 19 patients. The member of staff wasn't interested. The nurse asked to see my letter, took a screenshot of my letter on a mobile phone.  I was unsure if this a personal mobile phone my personal details are on. The Nurse then informed me they would give my details and get the secretary to call me the following day, as the secretaries finish at 3:30, at no point was I asked my contact details. I asked so what now, to be told - nothing I can do, it has nothing to do with them and that the clinic was only held in that department - there is a Patient Affairs Department if I want to complain. I advised the member of Nursing Staff I would be contacting someone in regards to this matter, to be told you do that. (sorry I didn't get her name as I was very anxious and annoyed).  

I have never received a letter to cancel my appointment. I had time off work to attend this appointment. Does this now mean I will need to wait another 6 months to be be seen.

The attitude of the member of Nursing Staff was appalling and in my opinion not very professional in a caring profession.  

We always hear about the time and money patients waste not turning up to appointments.What about the time and money patients use to attend appointments that don't exist, or which have been cancelled/re-arranged with no notification.

I would like to know:

Why my appointment was cancelled?

Why I haven't received a cancellation letter which should be automatically generated via TrakCare when an appointment is cancelled by the Hospital.

When my follow-up appointment will be re-arranged for?

Was/Is my personal details on a member of staff's personal mobile phone? Is this a new policy, if so I have never agreed to allow a member of staff to store my personal details on a personal mobile phone. To me this feels like a breach of GDPR.

 How is this member of staff going to be dealt with - courtesy and professionalism costs nothing. 

 Is there plans in place that Patients don't need to call a number and give personal details in the middle of a public corridor?

I plan to make an official complaint and add this to Patient Opinion. No patient should be treated in this manner.

I'm happy to discuss this further. I've provided members of the Management Team with my Personal and works Mobile numbers via an email.