"Horrendous elays in diagnosis and treatment"

Anything else?

Frustrated and dismayed about the continual delays and errors and miscommunication and complete lack of any ownership or coordination. My mother saw the ENT consultant in April and it was suspected that she had a lump in her thyroid which could be cancerous. She has been diagnosed with cancer that has spread to her oesophagus. And it is now mid October and to date she is still waiting for treatment ! How can that be right ? Well it is because she is being passed from pillar to post with no one person taking control of her treatment. It is quite frankly shocking. And because so many people have been involved nobody is taking responsibility ! The ENT consultant went on maternity with no one to cover her. The surgeon that might have treated mum went on sick leave with no one to cover. The radiographer did the wrong sort of scan and failed to send it to Plymouth on time. Mum's case was then sent to Plymouth and eventually she was scheduled for an Op. Unfortunately this wasn't successful because the surgeon found that the growth was bigger than expected because the wrong sort of scan had been done by RCHT. So Plymouth had to do the right sort of scan. Then mum was passed back to RCHT for radiotherapy and guess what? The member of staff who organises the radiotherapy is on holiday with no one to cover them ! I have complained to RCHT but am getting absolutely nowhere and have been told that it could be 6 months before my concerns are investigated !