"Waiting Time + Lack of respect to paitient..."

My initial appointment with the doctor was on 19th January 2015, the examination and further investigations i.e. X Rays & Blood Tests, were carried out that day to the highest level possible. I was informed on leaving that if I had not had a follow up appointment within the next 2 months telephone the hospital. Needless to say I did not hear from the hospital within that period, as instructed I telephoned to ask where I was in the queue, not once but twice, only to be told that, that clinic was extremely busy and was assured I was on the list and would hear from the hospital in due course.

Convinced I had been lost in the system I wrote to the doctor on 20th August to point out the length of time that had elapsed since the initial appointment. I had a letter within 3 days confirming an appointment for the 15th September, unfortunately I was unable to attend that day and telephoned to inform the hospital of that fact, and received a new appointment for 21st September.

The appointment time was for 4-15 pm and I presented myself early at 4-05 pm and expected to have to wait, was I in for a surprise, whilst the waiting area was quite congested I soon learned it was in fact shared by 2 clinics, the patients waiting for the Rheumatology clinic were discussing their horror stories of the length of time they had been waiting and the length of time they had been kept waiting on previous occasions. One patient and his helper went to the office to inquire when they would be seen, they were told they in fact did not have an appointment and could choose to either make an appointment that may take weeks, or to wait until the last patient had been seen and the doctor would see them then, they elected to wait until the end. Later a young man came into the waiting area some 30 minutes after my supposed appointment time and sat down. Both of these people were seen before myself which I found very annoying as I had been told when I handed my letter into the office that there were 3 patients in front of me, when in fact 5 were seen.

I was unable to see the doctor and was seen by their assistant who carried out the same tests as on my previous visit in their consulting room, they give me a note for the Haematology department, and said It may be advisable for me to have an MRI Scan but they would have to consult the doctor first and would I wait in the waiting room until she had spoken to them.

After approximately 20 minuetsTime 6-10pm I sought out the assistant and told them I had to leave, they informed me that they would contact me by letter with the doctors decision.

My complaint is, obviously the length of waiting time and seeing a Doctor who was unable to make a decision, coupled with an administration system that allows appointment times to be disregarded to place patients out of sequence.

The doctor is obviously extremely busy, so I will discharge myself from their care and continue as before by being treated by my own GP