"Discharged but never sent appointments"

I was seen at Gastroenterology at Rochdale Infirmary several months ago. I was told by the consultant I would receive an appointment for 'biofeedback' which never came. I emailed PALS as I hadn't received the appointment, only to be told I had been discharged for not attending an appointment and that my GP had been informed of this. Nobody had told me. I phoned PALS to say I had never had an appointment, but the PALS officer just kept talking over the top of me saying I had 'failed to attend' when I hadn't been informed of any appointment.

They also told me when querying another appointment at Ophthalmology which I hadn't received, that I had attended the clinic on in June. I told them I hadn't attended any appointment since the previous year. I told them I could prove that I was away on that date and nowhere near the hospital. the person on the phone wouldn't listen and as I tried to protest they started saying they would not tolerate abusive behaviour e even though I was not being abusive. I was merely disputing thier version of events. I asked my husband to phone and he was practically whispering and the person on the phone was doing the same thing to him saying they would not tolerate shouting - zero tolerance.  I think calls should be recorded.

I then rang the booking and scheduling department who confirmed that no appointment letter was generated for the appointment in June that I was supposed to have missed. As I do not have psychic powers, I could not see in the future and know they had made me an appointment if they don't actually send me a letter. I also enquired about the appointment in June where the hospital claimed I attended. I was told there was no appointment on that date.

I am very upset as this keeps happening and is causing me stress and upset. They keep writing to my GP (who ended up telling me to find another surgery) telling him I am not bothering to turn up. My GP in turn complained that I am not turning up to things after being referred and that I am a time waster. When I told him this wasn't the case he didn't believe me.

Last week I was asked to go into hospital for a sleep study. When I rang the ward as instructed about a bed they said they had no record of me. I also turned up for an appointment at a pain clinic and when I got there, there was no appointment. The clinic had been cancelled and no one had bothered to tell me. Similarly at an appointment for a breath test. The member of staff who did the test had phoned in sick and the staff there didn't let me know.

However, rather than apologise they blamed me and wrote to my GP