"Check before attending X-ray!"

So my GP tells me I need a chest X-ray, hands me a piece of paper with instructions to attend a ‘walk in service’ at Hove Polyclinic. My GP requests I go after leaving the surgery to get it done so they can get the results back.

Now what this piece of paper doesn’t tell you or the boards around the hospital is if there’s 3 people sat in the waiting room at 4:15 pm there will be a notice on reception saying not seeing anymore patients today! It also doesn’t tell you to check that they won’t attempt to throw you out again and refuse you a much needed X-ray that day!

When pointing out to the person on reception that they should either inform gp surgeries not to send people down or have it on the piece of paper to check apparently they do inform gp surgeries. Sorry did you miss mine then?

Unhappy that I felt extremely ill and had gone even though I live very much the other side of Brighton I asked to speak with a manager about this. Now in all fairness she was extremely nice.

I explained to her that obviously they had not informed my doctor and she admitted they don’t!

She also agreed that as they do put the sign up saying not seeing anymore patients today this should be on the letter to check.

Again she was nice and credit where it’s due, she said she could see I was upset and would allow me to have the X-ray while I was there. I actually was upset but also more very unwell.

In the end it transpired i was in and out after having the X-ray done. The other patients seen while I was speaking to the nurse.

The nurse who did my X-ray was nice enough too although as said I saw her for literally a minute. She did seem eager to get it done.

Now after reading on here that others have also had the misfortune to attend when they are no longer taking patients that day you’d think there would be some sort of warning in place on the letter from the GP to check instead of it just stating turn up between the opening hours. This is bad management in my opinion especially as I was having trouble walking due to breathing difficulties and others being disabled. Yes I understand you get busy but to be told by the young man on reception that they only work till 4:30 and go home then perhaps make the clinic till 4:15pm to accommodate this!