"The waiting room was nicely decorated ..."

What I liked The waiting room was nicely decorated - I got to see it for almost 3 minutes before being made to wait in a cramped corridor for 45 minutes before I walked out! What could be improved? Ophthalmology - I arrived on time, in fact slightly early, to an empty waiting room and was directed to see a nurse. An odd eye test was then undertaken which, at the time, please read later, made no sense. However, I was then directed to sit in another waiting area, in a corridor. This was completely full although I did manage to find the last seat! When asked the patient next to me informed me that he had been waiting 45 minutes. At this point my name was called, when answered a nurse thrust a tissue into my hand and told me to remove my glasses - when asked why they replied 'to administer eye drops' - I informed them that the last time I had received treatment in a corridor was at a first-aid post in Tanzania (interesting comparison) was this an appropriate place? They, begrudgingly, found a room where they attempted again to administer the eye drops - as I had watched them open the door, move the chairs, and pull back the curtains all areas of high contact I asked if they would please wash their hands? This was done and the drops finally administered, I was then returned to the corridor. After another 30 minutes, so some 45 minutes after my arrival, I got up went to the desk, in accordance with the sign stating 'if you are concerned about the waiting time please see a member of staff' and informed them that sadly, the appointment had not met my requirements and I would be leaving - the receptionist the offered to see where I was on the list - I informed them that it did not matter as it was already too late - they offered me another appointment, my reply included the comments freezing over and hell, but very politely! Oh and the initial rather unusual eye test? A more cynical man than I might say that this was simply done in order to 'tick' a box stating the I had been seen, on time, and within the 'targets' required - but not me. Anything else? It is fair to say that there is something seriously wrong the your Ophthalmology patient processing. Why could we not sit in the extremely pleasant waiting room rather than the cramped and overcrowded corridor? Why are you overbooking appointments, you cannot sell seats again if others do not turn up? Why are your staff not more hygiene aware, there are enough signs around - or are they just for patients? Why are patients not treated with respect AND privacy, believe it or not the treatment was actually better in Tanzania! Why, oh why, are you wasting valuable resources having nurses perform farcical eye test simply to meet a measurement? And finally? Please do not compound your wasteful approach to our taxes by attempting to justify a system that is clearly failing....focus on the problem you are forcing too many patients through a system that cannot cope.