"Extremely disappointed"

During a routine appointment I was required to provide a sample of blood. I was told to go to the waiting area ( The Foyer) and take a ticket. My number would be on a screen when it was my turn.

I took my ticket, numbered in the high 50's and proceeded to search for a unoccupied seat. Finally finding one I sat to wait my turn. Number 17 was at that time providing his/her blood sample. I expected I may be waiting for around 30-40 minutes until my number came up.....sadly I was oh so mistaken. After 45 minutes number 24 was giving his/her sample ! Yes you did read that correctly....7 patients in 45 minutes!!! Seems I was going to be in for a longer wait than I first anticipated........then came that magical time of day...Lunchtime...at which point the 2 or 3 phlebotomists became just one!!! Needless to say the crawl of patients being seen became all but stopped. I decided at this point I would go out for lunch because at this rate it could actually be supper time before I ate again !!!

I kept a tight hold of my ticket and went outside to find an eatery. It took approximately 35 minutes for me to get lunch. When I arrived back at the 'Foyer' waiting area number 44 was giving his /her sample. Yippee I thought not long now. Again I was wrong, I sat and waited for another 40 minutes before my number came up and I could give my sample.

My original appointment took just less that 15 minutes, yet it took over 2 hours to provide one blood sample!!!!!

I don't think it would be unfair to say that I think the Phlebotomy department are seriously understaffed, the waiting area is seriously lacking, not to mention distasteful and the waiting times are atrocious! !

Including travel, car parking etc.... my 15 minute appointment cost me 6 hours of my day.!!!

For a hospital as large as the MRI , serving the size of community it does, and with the glowing reputation it has in other areas, this particular area of providing a blood sample is dire to say the very least