"I had my first outpatients appointment..."

What I liked

I had my first outpatients appointment here in September 2010, after a little bit of a wait over two months from referral by the GP, and an initial cancellation to three weeks later, it was worth it. The consultant I saw seemed a great chap, he seemed caring, competent with a real desire to help and get to the bottom of my problems, which have been going on for well since November 2008 and haven't been sorted out to the bottom end by an Oxford hospital team. He took time to listen, asked questions and listened, went into the history and took examination. He instantly could tell what was wrong, and didn't fob me off as nothing wrong. So I was arranged to have a new MRI scan and other tests undertaken to be done as a day case at the NHNN. He seems to have a real desire to help and get me sorted out and even if he can't find the reason to all my symptoms, he will try to identify it as best he can. I would recommend the National to anyone (even though it was just my first outpatients appointment) my bloods were also taken straight after my clinic appointment without even five-minutes wait, and I would recommend my consultant as a great Neurologist consultant.

I have received my appointment to attend as a day case on the ward for investigations and MRI and this has been booked within less than a month of having been seen, and all within 6 months of the initial clinic appointment........ which is quite speedy.

I would like to say how good I think the National is, and I hope my experience and ongoing experience to come will be just as good as what I experienced at my first outpatients appointment. It is beyond believe how far I have had to go to get good rate care when I live in Oxfordshire and have to travel on public transport to get the attention and care needed when the regional centre of expertise for neurosciences at my local hospital seemed to have not taken a care at all. So well done National from me, my family and everyone around me concerned!

What could be improved

Nothing I can think of - except maybe the time it takes sometimes to get through to the admissions office phone line as I experience two lengthy waits on the phone of ringing before I finally got through to the Admissions team on ringing for a third time.