"Limpsfield Ward Eye injection"

I want to start by saying in the past we have received excellent treatment and have never had this situation before.

We arrived in good time for a 3. 30pm appointment. This is one of a series of injections I have had. By 5. 15pm we were still waiting for the injection and people with later appointments were being seen before us. There were still 3 other patients also in the same situation. It was explained that the surgeon did cataract surgery first before getting to patients who were there for injections. When questioned as to why later appointments were being seen first, we were told it was up to the surgeon to decide who they wanted to see in what order. It was possible we may be at the end of the queue and so perhaps have to wait another hour or more.

We eventually had to leave without the treatment, as we have an autistic daughter having a melt down at home because we had been too long. We still had a 30 minute journey to make to get home.

What is the point of even having an appointment? Why was there only one surgeon to do the cataracts as well as the injections? Why have so many patients booked in for the same day? Why not cancel some appointments to save people having to wait so long or phone them to tell them of the delay? Is the patients time not as valuable as the Dr's?

My husband has to take half a day unpaid from work for these injections, which we can ill afford, so will now have to take another one when rescheduled. We are on tight budgets and have travel costs and car parking to consider too. I have to make arrangements for my disabled daughter to be looked after on these occasions. Its not always simple for people to just attend hospital appointments. What is happening here? I would like to think it was a one off but when we made the appointment the person on the other end of the phone actually said "don't worry if you are late" .... and I didn't think anything of it at the time .... but now wonder if its a regular occurrence?

Frustrated, cross, invalid.