"Virtual appointment for neurology review"

Extremely disappointed in the neurology review given to my father via telephone. He was booked for a routine review of his Parkinsons symptoms. It was initially booked for a face to face clinic in a Daisy Hill location. A week later a letter arrived stating the appointment would now occur via telephone. This was approximately a month before the appointment date.

He was anxious about the appointment for weeks as he was conscious he would have to explain his worsening tremor and its effects on his daily living, and other symptoms, on the phone. 

The telephone call occurred, which lasted a total 2 minutes 7 seconds. The response to reported neurological symptoms, was to discuss with his GP. Then a closing statement was that it would be best to be seen face-to-face the next time. This was an annual review!

Given his deteriorating condition, he should have been seen face to face, as was the original booked appointment, or at least should be recalled for an appointment within several weeks after reporting these symptoms of increased tremor to the doctor. No medication trial was discussed or offered, which is the least that should have been done.

My father felt the entire process was a waste of time and it appears us all to be merely a box-ticking exercise to mark patients off the list. What is the point of a specialist review, if in a phonecall lasting 2 minutes no specialist assessment, advice or treatment is given? 

I expect that this feedback will be taken seriously and the virtual clinic process is appropriately scrutinised for the quality of care we feel it cannot possibly provide. Working in healthcare, I am ashamed that the NHS is now functioning in this manner.