"What happened to my NHS appt for this January..."

I was referred by a member of staff at the Sheffield Vision Centre within the Hallamshire in May 2016 to cataract dept. They stated they could not improve my sight enough with specs until a double cataract op was done. I waited and waited and waited for an appt...... On seeing my hero doctor for my six monthly (if I'm lucky, l always have to ring to remind that dept) appt to track left eye blindness (due to a huge haemorrhage during the Caesar for the birth of my large, upside down son) for which l have the accompanying Field's test - and glaucoma check up - staff here are lovely and know me from a few decades of attendance. The doctor was surprised to find the referral in my file when they opened it in August 2016 especially as they personally had not received it in May. They noted my specs could not be made to a satisfactory standard and l stated l had received the form for upcoming 70 year olds from DVLA re my husband Ronald Dickerson (also a glaucoma patient). Unfortunately, he was killed riding his motorbike with his group of Advanced Riders by a speeding lorry in Lincolnshire, so l have to keep driving. I was 70 this year and the doctor said my op needed to be got on with in order for my eyes to have settled long enough for me to truthfully complete my 70's DVLA form. They contacted 'whoever' in the cataract dept and l waited and waited and waited. Even the guy who delivers my prescriptions had his op done and dusted during this time by another doctor and he was thrilled to bits. To cut a long story short, l was eventually seen for pre-operative checks. Then l waited weeks and weeks and weeks. I rang to see what was going on, another appt was made in November. I arrived, they started the rigmarole of the usual dozens of questions then sent me to see a very nice member of staff who repeated my eye pressures again. I said I've had all this done before " Yes, but that was over three months ago and why haven't you been operated on?".

I said because l hadn't been sent for. I stated l had been referred seven months ago and was beginning to worry about driving in the dark, especially when the doctor had said the sooner the better.

Some of the admin (?) Staff were very casual without a caring attitude and a very jolly person said they would get me in the week before Christmas, but l explained l was a widow and lived on my own with animals in a somewhat isolated area, so we shook hands on an appt being made early January 2017 when my son could take extra holiday (he lives in Birmingham).

I have worked in the NHS at both the NGH and Sheffield Royal Infirmary and all my family have been in the Medical Profession around Yorkshire since the end of the 1880's and also as a Parish Councillor for decades, l expect better than this. It is a shame that January 2017 came and went. The doctor operated on me in Claremont (£6K+).l now learn NHS patients have been done for free there this year and l need reimbursing to buy my husband's memorial.