"I couldn’t be more disappointed"

St Mark’s Hospital was suggested to me by a well respected surgeon who I sought privately in a very desperate moment when the NHS wasn’t giving me the speedy attention I needed. He gave me a potential explanation for my symptoms, which in his opinion could had been overlooked for years, and, described St Mark’s Hospital as one of the world’s best in its field of speciality that would confirm wether he is right and give me the treatment I needed.

Needless to say I had very high regard for this institution and high expectations for my very first appointment. I couldn’t be more disappointed.

Instead of focusing on me, being compassionate and understanding my symptoms, the doctor who saw me had other plans. He dismissed any opinion from other doctors as nonsense and took a defensive stance spending most of the time angrily reprehending me for seeking private help whilst I waited months for this appointment in pain and bleeding, at times in complete agony. He repeatedly said that I should have had a colonoscopy by now, but how is this my fault? I felt shocked with the tone of animosity he chose to express his views. At one point he even asked who was going to do the talking, either me or my wife (when she was simply helping me to express myself), which came across in a very rude manner.

I can’t understand why I was reprehended for seeking private help to relieve me from physical pain when there was no other alternative, why I can’t seek second opinions, why he was being so defensive - I am still processing the reasons behind the way I was treated in a situation of complete vulnerability. There was nothing I could do apart from falling into a state of helplessness and sadness with the lack of dignity and compassion you claim you treat your patients.

I have been in so much pain and was looking forward for this appointment, which was initially booked to the wrong St Mark’s Hospital (by error from the GP practice), then booked to the right one, then after a few more months waiting it got postponed. In total, about 6 months waiting for the appointment.

I felt I had to vent my frustration and sadness by writing this comment. All I can say is that I will keep chasing every avenue of help possible to resolve my problem. I was told St Mark’s Hospital would give me the help I need and will hang on to that for now and will try not to be affected by one person’s attitude.