"The hospital was very clean, when ..."

What I liked

The hospital was very clean, when you considered the amount of building work being carried out on site

Ancillary staff very helpful.

Some may say parking difficult, but compared to my local hospital it is good.

What could be improved

My initial op was around March 2008.

Communication about my follow up appointments was absolutely terrible.

Every single appointment was cancelled some times more than once.

The time between appointments could be very excessive, not just days or weeks sometimes months. It caused me no end of problems with work, trying to get time of and then having to continually change my request.

When appointment times came around found that

1/ Sometimes the Consultant/specialist was not available even after being assured over the phone that he would be. (sometimes on the day of the appointment)

2/ Was told on a couple of visits after waiting 2-3 hours that consultant was not available and I would have to see the registrar or house doctor.

Final straw recieved letter in July/Aug 2009 that my latest appointment a few weeks hence had been cancelled again and my next appointment was christmas week 2009 almost 6 months later.

Went to see my GP and got myself transferred to Wrightington hospital.

When I went to PALS and explained my situation, was informed this particular consultant was well known for cancelling appointments, so putting in a complaint did not seem to me a productive thing to do.

Even nursing and reception staff commented on this situation with this particular consultant.

Anything else?

On seeing my Gp about this situation I got transferred to Wrightington hospital and within the previous stated time period from July/Aug 2009 to christmas week 2009 I had 2 appointments (none cancelled) and a further operation.

I did have a follow up appointment which was cancelled, but guess what, my new appointment was actually brought forward.