"Fibromyalgia at RLHIM"

This is hospital leaves me stressed and exhausted.

On the 3rd floor for Fibromyalgia clinics the reception area is heaving with many staff at the desks and others hovering about. However, when it is your turn to check in, it seems like a new concept to the staff. You can talk to them and they will just ignore you. It's a gamble if anyone will do anything. By contrast they are animated when gossiping among themselves acting like its a holiday camp, otherwise they seem not to hear. It is very unprofessional.

The waiting area has a few chairs with some sort of padding, the rest are hard and uncomfortable. Today I waited 1 hour for my appointment. When I asked reception why I'd not been called in whilst those arriving after me had, she had a blank expression. I stood for over five minutes as she fiddled on her computer. Finally I asked what she was doing and she told me to wait until I was called. So she told me to wait so she could find out when my turn was but she did NOTHING. Just staring at the computer and typing a bit. I thought she was looking it up so I stood there. But her blank expression of total unhelpfulness said it all. Finally after five minutes I asked why it was taking so long and he told me to wait for the doctor to call. Thus having proved to have been doing nothing. I know service is bad nowadays. But I only see this nasty behaviour in the NHS. It is shocking, disgusting and a good reason the NHS is losing public support. Staff are PAID to work not to be, deceitful, ignorant and lazy.

I think what she may have done is email the consultant. Who suddenly appeared as I stood at reception.

He apologised for the delay but his manner was and remains bizarre. He doesn't feel the need to say hello or to ever look at you. I spent less than 10 minutes with him and explained the bad reaction I had to previous medication. He prescribed another. But I feel uncomfortable, and disrespected if a doctor doesn't have the courtesy to look at me. It is not only weird but the disconnection is itself not conducive to any therapeutic intervention. Both last time and today he talks to the wall not me. I've really never come across this before. I wonder if its just a game to them to make you feel bad. Especially, if you complain. There is no oversight of these people and they do get away with whatever they want to do.

I had another appointment with the Autogenic team, that was fine. But to collect my prescription I had to wait another hour. They only had two patients before me at the pharmacy so it too is highly inefficient.

I spent over three hours at the hospital, with an additional two hours travelling. My problem is fatigue and I come home exhausted, and disheartened. The question is why can't staff simply behave better, and do their jobs? Instead of behaving like delinquents.