"Unhappy with treatment of my sports injury in Liverpool"

I went to Liverpool Royal Hospital, after being referred by my doctor for a serious sporting injury for which I was in a lot of pain.

I visited the hospital and was seen by a nurse, and explained my problem. The nurse pretty much chose which of my problems he wanted to address and ignored other stuff, telling me I would have to go get re-referred by my doctor and would only deal with some of my complaints.

On three occasions half way through performing various tests he simply stopped what he was doing and answered his mobile phone and left me in the treatment room alone. After the final time of answering the phone he said "we will get in touch about a follow up appointment" and told me I might have anterior compartment syndrome and a number of other things and would be giving me insoles. I told him I was running on my toes and insoles would simply cause me more problems and he just ignored me and dismissed my claim.

I left very confused as he didn't perform one full test as he was interrupted by his mobile phone, he talked down to me, and dismissed most of my concerns, and didn't explain what the problem was, he just ignored me when I asked and walked out looking at his mobile phone.

I went to my follow up appointment at Broad Green Hospital in Liverpool and saw another nurse. The nurse I saw handed me some insoles, and I asked what these were for, and he said he didn't know the particulars of my case and told me to try them on. I asked them him what my problem was, he didn't know, nor did he know if should be exercising or what my conditions were.

I went to a high street sports shop to get some new trainers, they did a gait analysis which confirmed I was running on my toes and the insoles could cause me more problems, but they advised me of the right type of trainers I would need to support my feet.

So I called NHS Direct and told them what the sports shop had told me and what had happened on the 2 occasions at the hospital. The nurse called me back after doing some research and she advised me that the only way to treat my condition was an operation and I should get an appointment for the hospital as soon as possible as my condition would not go away and could cause nerve damage the longer it is left, and at worst amputation.

I re-visited my doctor's a week later, who promised to call me back about getting referred again, but I have yet to hear anything (3 month ago). I haven't had time to return to the doctors and go through the whole process again.

The service I received was shocking. I still have a number of conditions that I don't know how to treat or what they are called, because I can't remember what he said and when I asked was told I had to give them £35 to see my file. I am going to have to wait until my shin snaps due to the pressures then I will be able to get the problem sorted and hopefully I wont need amputation.