"The problems are becoming more regular"

I have dialysis treatment 3 times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and depend on the ambulance transport service to take me to the hospital and back. I also have carers who come to prepare me for bed in the evenings so I need to get back on time after my hospital appointments.

On 29 August I was taken to the hospital for a 2: 00pm appointment – this was fine. I’m usually done by 7: 00pm. On this day my dialysis finished on time but I was not collected by the ambulance service. The hospital tried to find out what was happening and in the end they had to find me a bed for the night. We never had an explanation why the ambulance failed to come.

Yesterday I was not picked up from my house until 2: 45 even though I’m supposed to be at the hospital by 2: 00. As a result of this my dialysis was not completed and I had to stop before the cycle had completed so that I would be ready on time to be picked up for the return journey.

The dialysis treatment is tiring and when the transport arrangements do not go to plan it makes it all very stressful. The drivers always say they are understaffed whenever I ask about delays but whatever the reason the problems are becoming more regular.