"Cancelled Outpatient Appointment"

I arrived at St Helier Hospital at approx 2.55 pm for my 3.15 pm Ophthalmology outpatient appointment. No sooner had I stepped into the hospital I received a call on my Mobile to say that my appointment had been cancelled as the Doctor had gone sick. They did apologise, but apparently they had only just been informed! As I explained I was already at the hospital, I was told I could go to the Eye Unit to re-book my appointment. However when I got there, I was told they were unable to do so and the Admin Team upstairs would be re-booking my appointment, as an extra clinic would be put on.

I then spoke to a nurse who explained that the Minor op's clinic started at 1.45 pm, but they had only just found out that the Doctor had gone sick, at around 2.45 pm. I was told that there were other patients that had been waiting at the clinic from 1.45 pm onwards. They just thought the Doctor had been held up somewhere else, as sometimes they are over at Epsom Hospital operating and can be a bit late. In this instance the Doctor had gone sick and the company ( Firstcare?) that staff have to ring to report their sickness, had only just emailed the hospital to inform them. That there had been a breakdown in communication. They also apologised for the inconvenience, but said there was nothing they could do.

This is in fact the second ophthalmology outpatient appointment I have had cancelled and I have only actually been to two appointments! My husband took the day off work to accompany me to my appointment, as I was nervous about having a minor op on my eye lids and to drive me home afterwards. That ended up being a wasted days annual leave for him. Its bad enough having an appointment cancelled in the morning, before coming to the hospital, but feel it is totally unacceptable to actually turn up at the hospital, before being told. I suppose this is a consequence of Outsourcing something that used to be dealt with In House, when staff would have informed the hospital direct and not have had to go through a third party.

I was unable to go to the PALS office to inform them what had happened, as they now close at 3.00 pm (the website still states 4.00 pm) and I just got there to find they had closed, just after 3 pm. Fortunately when I got back home, I phoned the Ophthalmology Admin Team and managed to get another appointment for the following week. I just hope this one doesn't get cancelled!