"Incorrectly redirected "

On arriving at the Urgent Eye Clinic, at about 12H50, I was advised to go downstairs to the A&E dept. by a nurse who was advising other outpatients to do the same.

This was because a notice had been placed on the kiosk saying that, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, today's clinic has been cancelled."

Apparently I was told the nurse concerned was not a member of the Urgent Eye Clinic team, but I believe this did not stop her from advising outpatients with incorrect information, as was displayed on the sign.

Four of us were thus sent round to the A&E dept. for our treatment, with at least one patient who made it very clear at the A&E dept. that he was not happy with the situation, with it reflecting very badly indeed on Watford General hospital.

I myself then had to wait there for the next 30-40 minutes to be seen at A&E, before being asked to return to the Urgent Eye clinic as they had subsequently just reopened.

I had arrived well enough in advance to be among the first in the queue and still be able to get back to work afterwards to complete my work obligations for the day.

Nevertheless I was then to find myself right at the back of the queue - with a five hour wait until 19H00 with 16 people ahead of me!

Uhuh, thank you nurse...

The Urgent Eye clinic still opened at 13H30 to book outpatients in as normal –I think this meant the hospital lied to us- by putting up a sign which said they would be closed for the rest of the day.

Needless to say, I walked out and returned to the A&E dept. informing the receptionist there that I was going to make an official complaint. Self-medication therefore appears to be my best option.

I consider this whole situation a disgrace and a very poor reflection on how this hospital is run.

In suggestion, the sign concerned should at the very least be replaced, with the change advising outpatients of the clinic's closure, specifically relating to the time of day i.e. AM or PM closure.

I think if the powers that be consider the expense of this very simple alteration to be unwarranted, maybe they ought to reconsider the alternative – in my opinion a far more considerable expense to their reputations and the hospital they work in.