"Impossible to get a follow up appointment!"

My daughter attended Ophthalmology back in June 2018 and was diagnosed with high pressure behind her eyes.

She received a follow up appointment for the end of December 2018.

However, on 14/11/18 this appointment was cancelled with no notice of another appointment being booked (the consultant was going to be away on 27/12/18 the date of her original appointment and a new one sent out shortly ...).

To date I have rang Queens three times asking about this appointment and the first two times were told new clinic dates had not been put on the system.

Today I finally spoke to someone in the department via a different telephone number (020 8970 5727 does not get answered).

I was told that new clinic dates hadn't been put on the system but he could give me the next available which is at the beginning of April 2019.

This doesn't seem that long off but it will now be 10 months since my daughter originally saw the consultant in June 2018 and to wait until April 2019 does seem a long time.

If I wasn't chasing I don't think my daughter would have received an appointment at all.

I don't know if the eye drops prescribed are working, hence the original appointment in December.

I would recommend this department but feel the follow up system needs looking at.

Telephone numbers need checking to make sure they work or someone answers the telephone.

What is Queen's protocol for cancelled appointments and terms of reference for re-issuing a replacement appointment.

Maybe all clinics should be pushed back when clinics are cancelled so patients aren't put to the end of the queue.

I know how busy the clinics are but systems are key in these cases.

I work for the NHS myself and understand how much pressure is put on serving the ever growing population.

I would be grateful for any comments please.