"follow up at out patients"

I have to say that my experience at your hospital upon my arrival for my important follow up assessment was nothing less than shambolic.

The initial greeting offered to me at the main reception although a little terse did at least indicate that my appointment was on the system.

At this point I was directed to the outpatient area.

When I arrived at the reception area there was nobody in attendance at the desk.

Eventually a nurse asked if she could help, I explained my situation and told her I had been directed there from the main reception.

She said that the room was being used at the moment by another patient and that I should take a seat in the waiting area.

She eventually returned and asked me to accompany her, which I did.

I then explained again why I was there and she informed me that she did not have my notes or any information as to why I was there at this time.

She asked me to explain again why I was at the hospital which I did. The nurse inspected my dressings (which my partner had applied when the initial dressings came off in the shower) and she complimented me on how well they had been applied.

The nurse inspected the wounds, said they were healing well and there was no reason to be concerned.

She then indicated that in her opinion it was too early to remove the stiches and that I should make a further appointment.

She then proceeded to replace my dressings.

At this stage I told her that I was now experiencing a stinging pain in my right breast.

She didn’t examine it at all and simply said that I should come back on Friday and someone would look at it then.

I also asked if there were any dressings available for me to take home should the latest dressings come off again.

She said that she didn’t have enough to give me and I should buy my own.

When I indicated that my nipples were incredibly sore and that I had experienced a severe rash around the initial dressing, again she appeared disinterested, offered no remedial advice and indicated that the session had concluded.

Following this experience, I left the hospital far from pleased with the quality of care I had received.

I was experiencing a lot of discomfort where the new dressings had been applied.

When I inspected them on my return home, they were hanging off and rubbing against the wound.

Again my partner was obliged to re-apply dressings of our own.

My partner and I had made a round journey of over two hours, through busy traffic in order to get me to this appointment made by the hospital.

Nothing of any worth was achieved by my attendance at this time.

I felt very disappointed and indeed angry at the poor quality of “after care” offered by your facility.