"Appointment cancelled one day beforehand"

I had been waiting for several months for an appointment - which was due to take place shortly at Kings.

Today, 1 working day before the appointment, I received a letter telling me my appointment had been put back a month.

I am a busy professional, so have already booked time off work, which meant rearranging my work schedule, which is particularly heavy at the moment.

Why does the NHS think it acceptable to let me know at the last minute about the postponement? If the letter had arrived 1 day later - it would have been too late and I would have made a wasted trip. NHS time is not more valuable than that of the taxpayers who fund it.

Kings finds it acceptable to send me unsolicited texts in breach of the Data Protection Act, with inane reminders about appointments - and sends out patronising letters with warning about being late or not turning up for appointments. So why not call - in good time - when you have a genuine reason, i.e. postponement of my appointment? It would be common courtesy and spare me the enormous inconvenience now suffered. Kings insists on sending letters 2nd class - previously I received a letter telling me I had an appointment that same day!

This is literally the 2nd NHS appointment that has fallen flat in 2 days! I already posted about the other (St Thomas). These hospitals are 2 of a kind.

Also, I already posted about my poor experience of recent day surgery at Kings - so these are not isolated service failures, but seem to be the norm.

The lack of respect with which patients (taxpayers) are treated is truly astounding.