"Puzzled !!"

My emergency pre booked eye appointment was at 11.10 am.

I arrived at 10.55 pm, I booked in and was told to find a seat if I could. It was busy.

At 12.00, my wife suggested we ask reception if they could give us a idea of where we were in the queue of patients. Always reluctant to do that as they seem to think you are asking for some sort of priority which I wasn’t.

It’s the NHS, I expect delays.

My wife went and asked very politely the ‘question’.

The receptionist went to find out and on returning informed my wife ‘that your paperwork must be in someone’s hand’ because she couldn’t find it, anyway there were 3-4 in front of us and I was the last appointment.

An 11.10 appointment was the last ?

At 12.40 pm I saw a nurse for a basic eye check.

At 1.15 pm someone came in without a referral, but asked to see a doctor about her eye. I could hear all this as the place was quite deserted by now.

The receptionist went and spoke to someone and they then sat down in the waiting area.

At 1.30 pm a women who was obviously there for an eye problem came back to the waiting area to meet up with her partner. She said to me that her appointment had been for 11.30 am and what a long wait that had been. I informed her that my appointment was for 11.10am and I was still waiting.

Yes, she did ask the question of how she got processed before me.

At 1.40 pm I saw the doctor.

We left at 1.55 pm, three hours since our arrival.

To add insult to the day, the person who came in without a referral at 1.15 pm was already being seen after approximately a 30 minute wait.

QUESTIONS :-

Why were people who turned up with referrals on the day apparently processed before those also with ‘emergency’ pre booked appointments ?

The women who’s 11.30 appointment was processed before me was already in the waiting area when I arrived at 10.55am. Does this mean the appointment ‘system’ doesn’t work on the appointment time, but when you actually get to reception ?

As this ear/nose/throat/eye area is always busy so I understand, surely there should be a excellent people processing system in place for that very reason. It shouldn’t fall apart because it’s busy !

Why is there no information system available so that you don’t have to be asking for information at a potential hotspot

I.e. The reception ?

Even a simple number system that exists in most blood clinics is better than nothing. It gives you at least the opportunity to visit the toilets etc when you are there for hours without fear of missing your turn especially if you are on your own.

As a final note, the treatment I had when I was finally seen was excellent, as it has been since with the consultant and hopefully the surgery I will have this week.