"Disheartened by treatment"

I had to organise an urgent private appointment as the waiting list to be seen in the NHS was 12 months!

The private consultation cost £195 and this DR issued me with a letter for my GP. Following 5 phone calls with my surgery, staff and GP's alike were unable to read a perfectly legible letter requesting they issue an x-ray referral at a local hospital. The surgery passed the buck stating they had not yet received clarification they needed from the private clinic! Yet when I contacted the private clinic, they were able to inform me that no requests had been made. It took my third phone call and over a week for someone to finally tell me this but it had not been flagged during calls one or two!

I am in constant pain and the staff were clearly unhappy when I informed them how disappointed I was. This is at least the 4th problem I have had with the surgery in the past three months, I think the world of my GP's but frankly their support staff leave a lot to be desired at times!

I am attending the hospital for another appointment and the lack of referral from my GP, due to their failure, will now cost me another morning off work to attend yet another appointment on a different day.

If I did my job as shabbily, I would be dismissed and replaced. I also work within Health Care and am very disappointed with this treatment.

I am very disheartened with all the treatment I have witnessed over the past three months within the NHS. Having had a close family member hospitalised on three occasions recently. These circumstances greatly sadden me.