"Blood tests"

A month after another patient posted about their experience, nothing has changed. The only thing that has changed in this department in the 25 years I have had to use it is that there are now a few cold, hard, metal seats in the corridor, so about 8 fewer people have to stand while waiting.

Great frontline staff but the Department has never been managed in any sense of the word. Patients do not go there from choice. They go because their clinician needs blood tests to assist with diagnosis. No one is prepared to publish the current waiting times, so the inexperienced just wait, for fear of missing their turn.

I have worked out roughly how many patients are seen per hour. So I collected my number, went to have an X-Ray, bought a paper, had a coffee and read the whole paper, had a wander and then only had to sit there for about 30 minutes!

Another comment: my Consultant had given me forms for the tests. These forms cannot be used - they have to be exchanged for different forms and my original 4 sheets of paper were replaced by 4 new ones. My X-Ray had been requested on line. No paper. I just gave my name, waited 10 minutes, had my X-Ray and left. No paper.

Are consistent systems impossible to achieve? I thought the NHS had 'paper free' plans, not 'paper doubling' plans.