"Missing case notes meant tests had to be repeated"

I went to see my GP first thing in the morning and was referred to the emergency surgical assessment unit at the Royal Liverpool Hospital at 10: 30 that morning. I arrived at 10: 15 and saw a triage nurse, followed by a doctor who carried out a range of checks including blood tests, an x-ray, ECG and an MRI scan (which took place at 3pm). The first doctor went off duty and the second doctor asked me where my medical notes were – they didn't know and neither did I. The medical notes had been lost which meant that the tests had to be re-done. The repeated blood tests left very large areas of bruising on my arm. By the time I was discharged at 11: 30pm I had been through 3 shifts of doctors and had been in the uncomfortable waiting area on and off for 13 hours.

(In putted on behalf of a patient by Healthwatch Liverpool Information Team.)