"Radiology Department going above and beyond their duty"

I had an appointment for a CT Scan first thing in the morning. I had booked Patient Transport Service for me to be able to attend my appointment.

I received a reminder text from Patient Transport Service the day before.

The day before my appointment I had received a text from a taxi company. The text was for me to click on the link to download their app. I assumed the text was spam. I didn't download.

I usually receive a phone call from Patient Transport Service at least 15 minutes before the driver is due to pick me up to let me know they are on their way. I never received any phone call.

At my appointment time, I was still at home. I phoned Patient Transport Service to inform them transport had not arrived. The woman I spoke with was very helpful and said she would phone the hospital and explain why I was late for my appointment and the transport should arrive in about 20 minutes.

25 minutes later, I received another text from the same taxi company as before telling me my driver is arriving.

The driver had pressed the intercom to let me know he had arrived. As I was getting ready, he had pressed the Intercom again. He wanted to know if he was supposed to come up to my flat to wheel me down in my wheelchair to his vehicle. I told him yes.

He arrived in the hallway just as I was putting on my coat. He started to give me a lecture on if I could walk to his vehicle I could sit in the front passenger seat... I told him I need my wheelchair.

He walked away and accused me of shouting at him and that he refused to take me to hospital. He then said that he was trying to explain to me that if I was able to walk I could have had a taxi sent to pick me up half and hour before my appointment.

He was adding insult to injury.

I spent the rest of the morning phoning Patient Transport Service and the hospital.

I received a phone call from a male staff member from Radiology Department (Apologies for not remembering his name). I explained what happened. I was glad he had phoned. I was in shock at what happened and extremely worried that I wouldn't be able to be scanned that day. He said the driver's job was to take me to hospital.

I had learnt that a complaint had been made by the Radiology Department staff about the taxi driver not taking me to hospital. I was also advised by the Patient Transport Service staff to put in a complaint about him. I put in a complaint that the driver refused to take me.

I then received a phone call from Patient Transport Service informing me that Age UK had sent one of their drivers to collect me and take me to hospital. I cried with relief.

I am extremely grateful to the staff in the Radiology Department going above and beyond their duty to help get me to the hospital and for fitting me in to their busy schedule.

I am extremely grateful to the Patient Transport Service team for their help. For the past 7 and a half years, they have arranged transport for me to be able to attend my hospital appointments. This had been the first time I had experienced a problem.

I am extremely grateful to Age UK for squeezing me in on their busy schedule. I thank the driver for treating me with respect and dignity.

I have recovered from my CT Scan, and am relieved that I did not have to reschedule.

I will never recover from the condescending attitude of the taxi driver.

From the depths of my heart I thank you all.