"A total shambles and rude"

After attending the hospital and told firstly I didn’t have an appointment, which I did. I happily sat and waited... and waited.... and waited.

At no point were we informed about a delay, which is fine because setting expectations is the key to good service!

My toddler was then getting restless after 45 minutes and so I enquiried as to simply where we were in the queue. I was told that sometimes there’s a wait at a consultants appointment... which is not only fine but pretty standard, so I’m not sure of the response and felt like I was being patronised a little. The nurse then came out and wasn’t very apologetic and stated about delays and that I must have been ‘bolted on the end’ and that the next patient who had gone in would be half an hour and I should maybe reschedule - to which I explained the appointment had been booked for weeks, but don’t worry, she just shrugged this off. I said i would reschedule.

We couldn’t wait an hour and ten minutes with our son, it’s not fair on him and so we decided to leave as during my high risk pregnancy I see consultants frequently. Although pretty amazed at the process and lack of communication between staff.

I would not have minded at all had I arrived, the receptionist had apologised for the confusion on my appointment, told me there was a delay and given me a CHOICE to rebook and make my own informed decision.

This was not presented to me and shows very poor patient service (I used to be the lead in patient service and care for the nhs and so training is lacking here!)

I then decided to leave after discussing with my husband (who had taken a morning off work) whether we should leave. So we did.

I then get home and have two phone calls, to which I called back and it was this hospital asking where we were? After discussing that we would reschedule. When I explained the reasons I was ‘corrected’ and told that the wait was only half an hour (50+30=1 hour 20) which as I stated had I been aware or without my young toddler would’ve been fine - we all have to wait sometimes and it is critical to care that patients understand this - sometimes when you’re waiting, remember somebody else has waited before because of you. (Anyway I digress)

As a self pay patient my husband and I have used all our savings to ensure we have a healthy living child again after many losses. I would not expect tone, behaviour or communicarion like this if I wasn’t paying, let alone self funding! I take patient care and customer service very seriously and wanted to share this experience.

I would rather be seen at Worthing hospital and refrain from this experience happening again despite the financial loss.

I might add the first visit to this hospital, my consultant and his private secretary have all been out of this world and I feel today was potentially an isolated case, but one that has left me most upset.

If you set clear expectations, people can make their own informed decisions.

I shan’t be rescheduling