"Outpatients department"

Outpatients monday am

10. 00 am

Both areas pretty well full.

No one at the entrance welcoming patients.

You find a staff member and of you are lucky they smile and say please take a seat. Some just look at you briefly and take your letter.

Two people have arrived in wheelchairs. One was told to park themselves, though there was nowhere to do so.

The second, the staff took away her letter, and turned away, saying thank you and to find a place, away from the patient so they could not hear, and were left just staring at her back. The two carers and their patients looked totally bemused and confused.

The staff make virtually no eye contact or emotional contact wIth patients.

There are two TVs on. , one has daytime television, with enough sound just to hear. The second is silent, running information. , half the content seems to be no win no fee ads, injury helplines, asbestos info re claiming ££££s...there is some health info, but no one looks at it, because the daytime tv with noise takes your attention.

People are rushing through the area in all directions.

We all, look around at each other wondering what is going on, and how long we are going to wait. Lots of people are frowning.

At 9. 55 staff said Mr Lewthwaite was half an hour late. Then someone asked, and another doctor was announced as half an hour late.

As usual there is no one sitting in the reception desk by the entrance, where everyone looks for help. Nonsense.

It is disorganised chaos. And we all know it but try to ignore it.

And no apologies about lateness. No apologies.

The staff only ever talk to each other, across our heads, across the waiting area. The weekend, their hairstyle...

Oh, and the TV is not level, so it is irritatingly disconcerting and adds to the impression of an uncared for area.

It's been like this for years. Does anyone care?