"Poor communications, disorganised booking. Lack..."

Initial clinic appointment for biopsy result left me waiting long past my appointment time  without explanation. When I asked if things were running late a helpful nurse found someone to see me. That registrar seemed unprepared for me, and flustered, and the whole discussion seemed awkward. I asked questions but received limited information. The nurse was helpful, and a surgeon who called in briefly gave a little more info... but we left feeling it was all a bit of a muddle.

My pre-op appointment letter arrived, I attended. The check in machines would not recognise my letter barcode. At the department I was told I wasn't booked in on their system - they weren't expecting me, so they had not got my medical records to hand. Again, the nursing staff were wonderful and fitted me in and did the best they could without my records to get my pre-op assessment done.

The operation nursing staff were attentive and helpful to me, though no one told me afterwards how the operation had gone other than it was 'all done'. The anaesthetist told me they had no idea how well the operation had gone as their job was to just keep me alive! I thanked him for doing that.

The surgeon didn't see me afterwards. Maybe they were busy with the next operation.

Parking at the hospital is a joke. The person coming to collect me after my operation which had been under general anaesthetic was driving around for more than an hour trying to find a vacant parking space. He said there was a convoy of cars all going round and round each parking area trying to find a space. In the end I l walked out alone to find him as he parked up on double yellow lines to phone me to tell me why he was so late and unable to collect me.

I was informed of my follow-up appointment by a brief text message (to a phone I seldom use) telling me I had an appointment at Southmead hospital, and the date. No indication of department or who I was to see. I received no phone call or paper appointment by mail.

When I presented at the check-in desk I was informed which gate to go to, and when I asked at the gate why I hadn't received an appointment letter, the receptionist was disinterested and totally unhelpful.

It seems particularly silly that you check in at the main entrance, then check in at the correct  gate, sit and watch a screen to then be told which other waiting area you need to move on to where you sit and wait yet again to be called in to see your specialist in another room, rather than going directly to the waiting destination for your appointment. This made things difficult for my partner who has chronic pain when walking and repeatedly sitting/standing.

To be honest, my whole experience of Southmead makes me feel that money has been put into the building style, without remembering the service is intended for human beings to use. The staff are mostly very good and the medical quality is undoubtedly excellent, but the personal and human aspect of organisation and communication has been forgotten.