"Please put patient needs before convenience of..."

What could be improved

I attended the Pain Clinic with an elderly relative. Our appointment was at 9 am and we arrived at 8.30, having travelled some distance and not wanting to be late. We were directed upstairs to where the Pain Clinic is situated.

Whilst there is a waiting room full of chairs, patients were left waiting outside in the corridor, while staff went in, locking the door behind them. There were 3 pull-down seats in the corridor but, as one had boxes piled in front of it, only 2 could be used. By 9 am there were about 7 people standing in the corridor - people who, presumably, were in pain, given the clinic they were attending.

The reason given by staff for locking the door to the waiting room full of empty seats was that if they let patients in before the receptionist arrives at 9 am, they sit down and forget to give their names to the receptionist when (s)he arrives, and don't get called into the clinic. (I didn't see any patients who looked as though they had been sitting there for weeks).

At 9 am the door to the waiting room was unlocked and the patients went in but were not able to give their names as there was a 'Do not disturb' sign on the reception door, which made a bit of a mockery of the reason for leaving them in the corridor until 9 am.

Anything else?

Apart from the above, very efficient.