"Totally disinterested"

Great, this form just deleted everything I typed because I clicked on the next field... here we go again!

I'm an ADHD clinic outpatient waiting (and waiting....) to get a diagnosis. Each appointment has been a question and answer sessions from a written questionnaire that I could have completed at home myself! Bloods were taken at the first appointment but results were not in at the second, 3 months later! no doubt they will be taken again and we'll have another 3 month wait.

At the second appointment in January, the Dr indicated on the form that they wanted to see me in 2 weeks. The admin staff told me bluntly that "Doctors don't decide when to see patients, that's up to the outpatients admin staff". Nice to know that clinical need is not a factor.

I tried to be patient, but called a couple of weeks later, only to be told the same again and my appointment might be in March. Now, at the end of March, an appointment card has landed for the end of May! So much for the "2 weeks" request from the doctor!

Additionally, I was told by the doctor that they would likely be able to diagnose at the 2nd appointment, but then they changed that to explain that they need to speak to another doctor first as the diagnose together and although the questionnaire was incomplete, they'd likely be able to diagnose at the next appointment and begin treatment, if necessary. However, it might be another 3 or 4 month wait after that appointment, especially if those blood results don't turn up.

I'm now 12 months after the initial referral from my local psychiatrist and look to be at least another 6 months away from a diagnosis whilst symptoms are worsening and it's getting much harder to cope!

This is disgusting treatment of a mental health patient who has suffered long enough with severe symptoms being missed by the medical and mental health profession for decades. No doubt, all these delays are engineered so that we can all get our "first appointment" and the hospital can meet government targets for patients being seen after referral. Time to stop the funding cuts and train your admin staff on how to speak to patients, particularly mental health patients.

I could have cut all of this short by paying to get a diagnosis privately, save the NHS some money, but was told that the NHS will not accept a private diagnosis, even from an ADHD specialist consultant! Way to go on saving money huh?!