"Referral service was inefficient"

Having developed a pain in my eye during the night I called the referral management service for a possible appointment today. I called at 8: 30 this morning and was told there were no appointments available. I asked if I could speak to someone to get some advice as my eye was very painful and worrying. I was put through to Suite B outpatients unit but was cut off after being kept waiting for 10-15 minutes.

I called again and went through the same process all over again, after a further 10-15 minute wait I was referred to a doctor on a ward who advised me to call back at 10: 00 when he would be able to speak to me.

I duly called at 10: 00, no one knew anything about my previous conversation and was advised to call the referral service again.

When I asked to be connected to the Ayr Outpatients Suite B I was put through to Day Surgery and had to go through the process all over again – this happened twice.

Over the course of the numerous calls this morning I was put through to two incorrect departments and given a number that did not take external calls.

I did eventually manage to speak to a doctor who asked me to go to the Ayr outpatients’ clinic on the understanding that I would have to wait to be seen and this may take a few hours. I have no problem with this, at least I know my eye will be looked at sometime today. What I do have a problem with is the £17 it has cost me having to make numerous calls, being kept waiting, being misdirected when I feel the whole process could and should have been a lot simpler and less costly.