"I was refered to the general surgery ..."

What I liked

I was refered to the general surgery team at the Royal Free in September 2008. My first appointment was in October 2008. I arroived promptly, checked in and after a four hour wait was informed that the doctor was not available to see me. I arranged another appointment for the following week. Again, a four hour wait, but this time I was seen by a doctor. He examined me and requested an ultrasound. The booking for the ultrasound took 5 phone calls and two letters. When I arrived, no appointment had been booked. My follow up appointment with the consultant would have been wasted, so I requested a later date. When I arrived for this appointment, the clinic was not a general surgery clinic but a colo-rectal clinic. My rebooked appointment is in two months. It appears that the Royal free has competent clinicials but the support services are a shambles.

What could be improved

A booking system that actually works and does not send out multiple for each appoint ment on the same day. On day i received 4 letters in the post informing me ofthe same appointment -- I terrible waste of taxpayers money