"Terrible Communication & Service - Go Elsewhere"

What I liked

Nothing at all.

What could be improved

I attended A & E at 6am in an attempto to miss the crowds. Having arrived on crutches due to extreme pain and swelling in an injured knee I was told by a receptionist who did not even have the courtesy to look up from what she was doing to stand on the yellow line and wait to be called. So I joined the line and stood for fifteen minutes for the triage nurse to call me through. I explained my medical complaint which was clear (knee was double the size of the other and extremely painful) following a trauma to it. The nurse told me to take a seat in the waiting area. Having waited three and a half hours I grew a little frustrated and approached the receptionist. I was then told that I had been referred to Meddoc and that I was waiting for them to open at 10am. A little perplexed I took a seat again and was eventually taken through to the Meddoc area. I was seen shortly after entering there and immediately the clinician said I dont know why they have referred you in here you need to see an orthopeadic doctor. An A & E doctor then examined me in Meddoc and said you need an urgent MRI scan and X Ray. So I was asked to return to return to the A & E. I approached the desk and explained what had happened. She explained that as a result of being sent to Meddoc I had been discharged from A & E and would need to join the line again and re register. The story goes on...I again saw the triage nurse (now four and a half hours after I had arrived) She referred me for an X Ray. I made my way down to X Ray where there is no signage explaining what to do so everyone just arrrives and stands wondering what to do. Someone eventually emerged and took my and others forms. Having had the X Ray I returned to A & E where the Orhtopeadic doctor apologised for the wait I had had and said that I should have been seen hours ago in A & E. So you think the incompetence would stop there... you would be wrong.... I had an MRI scan two weeks later which was referred to as urgent.... cont below

Anything else?

At the MRI the assistant noted that it was an urgent appointment and told me that he would complete the report so that when I attended the outpatient appt in two weeks time the consultant would have access to it. So two weeks later I attended the outpatient appt and surprise surprise the report had not been completed. Absolute waste of time for all. I attended some weeks later for the seoond appt and was seen by a registrar. Now many weeks in to my treatment I was referred to another consultant for no reason at all. I was being seen by a knee specialist and was referred to another knee specialist. At no stage did anyone explain what had happened to my knee or what they were planning to do with it. I was sent away being told you may be contacted by the second consultants office for an appointment. I emphasise the word MAY. Some weeks later still not having heard I contactedt the hospital and was told I had not been referred to him.

I have now discharged myself from the care of Medway as its been an absolute joke. From start to finish the communication has been worse than poor and the the level of service appalling.

I am now being treated by another NHS Trust and am awaiting reconstructive surgery on my knee.

Very long winded I know but wanted to highlight the ongoing poor communication.