"A long wait for nothing"

What I liked

This was my second appointment with my consultant and again I was kept waiting for more than half an hour beyond my appointment time. I have a phobia about hosptials and as the waiting areas are so dark and have no windows I waited outside this time to avoid a panic attack. On my first visit in April 2011 I had been forced to wait in a corridor because the rather officious nurse said she needed to take my blood pressure and weigh me. In 20 years with my old consultant I never had to go through this and the nurse could not give me a valid reason for doing this.

When I finally found the courage to enter the hospital I found that I was next in. The nurse on this occasion was very nice and none of the silly weight and blood pressure checks were done.

However when I went into the consulting room it was obvious that the consultant had not read my notes as he thought this was my first appointment with him. He began to "talk at me" which I object to so I changed the conversation and explained that i had been having some problems with my hip. He had me lay on the couch and checked my movements and i explained that these were very good because I have Hypermobile joints. He ask for a hip xray to be done and said he'd be in touch with my GP. My old consultant sent results of such things to me and my GP.

When I checked with my GP, they had had a letter from the consultant but it said nothing about the results of the xray nor did it mention that my "good range of movements" were due to my hypermobility. I feel the whole appointment was a waste of time. he did not listen to a word I said and had no respect for me as a patient. We had travelled to Beverley from Bridlington and frankly it was a very long fruitless day.

What could be improved

Make consultants understand that listening to patients is important if you are to help them. Stop over booking clinics instead hold them more frequently.

Better parking and signage to the hospital in both directions.

Anything else?

I will be very glad when the new hospital is opened.

Rheumatology services here are still in the dark ages this is 2011 not 1960. You can't keep blaming it on "an ageing population" tailor your services to fit the need. If you don't like want is happening say so.