I have visited Gastro again, unfortunately. I was booked in for a review of my colonoscopy four weeks after it had been completed. I received a letter in the post the day prior to my appointment stating that due to staff illness, my appointment had to be cancelled. I called and explained that I was unwell and very busy and could not delay the appointment, given I had only been given roughly eighteen hours notice of the cancellation. When I was initially referred to gastro I was placed under Consultant A, but when I turned up, I was with his registrar, not him. So, when my latest appointment was cancelled, I insisted they put me in with someone else that day. They explained that the registrar I was seeing was off and being tested for e. coli. I put my foot down and insisted they put me in to see the consultant I should have been with in the first place, in their defence, they called me back to say they had squeezed me in for the same day and time. When I arrived, I was very angry to find the registrar, who was supposedly off ill and being tested for e. coli, was in the hospital, taking appointments as usual and was looking both fit and happy. So it seems the staff lied to their patients. I was called in to my appointment and was told that I needed a colonoscopy to see what was going on. I was quite confused as I had had said colonoscopy four weeks prior to that date. The consultant left to go and find the information. He later returned and said they were waiting on my biopsy results. I explained that his registrar had told me I needed to come back exactly four weeks after for those very biopsy results and to discuss the next steps. He went off again and came back with the biopsy results. It was very embarrassing for him and it was plain incompetence on behalf of whoever it is who deals with transferring the results, patient records etc. We then discussed the next options, which were that I would be called in to swallow a camera capsule, which I would be given a recording device for, to monitor the camera's progress. I was told I would pass the capsule and could return everything the same day. Now I've received a letter through the post to get a standard camera down my throat, with no explanation why they have changed their minds and now I am somewhat anxious because I hear those procedures are awful. As in my previous review, contacting PALS is pointless. They often never answer the phone within their opening hours, if they do they fob you off, their case workers ignore your e-mails and voicemails if they cannot answer your questions and it's a complete waste of time.
"Gastro is a joke, part two."
About: Manchester Royal Infirmary Manchester Royal Infirmary Manchester M13 9WL
Posted via nhs.uk
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