"Great hospital but planning of services needs..."

I have formerly been an NHS outpatient and inpatient in the Gynaecology Department at Queen Charlottes Hospital for the treatment of uterine fibroids in 2014-5 and a private patient in the IVF Unit of Hammersmith Hospital in 2015-16 and have previously left positive reviews on this website for the brilliance of my gynaecological surgeon for the laparoscopic removal of a 6cm fibroid and also the compassionate patient service received at Queen Charlottes Hospital in the Victor Bonney ward. I went on to also receive a thoroughly satisfying patient experience at Hammersmith IVF while undergoing an egg freezing cycle and am grateful for the practical advice received from my fertility consultant when pursuing IVF treatment in my forties and was so pleased to see that Hammersmith IVF does not give up on women simply because they are in their forties at the time of IVF treatment as is the case for some private clinics. Obviously, my decision to select Hammersmith Hospital for IVF treatment was heavily influenced by my preceding positive experience at Queen Charlottes Hospital. My concern relates to the planning of patient services at Queen Charlottes Hospital. When recently referred to Queen Charlottes Hospital again by my GP for recurrent menorrhagia, I was disappointed to learn that on account of an expanding Gynaecology Oncology Department at Queen Charlottes Hospital, I needed to switch over to a new consultant/surgeon at Imperial NHS Trust for the same recurring medical condition as my former consultant/surgeon at Queen Charlottes Hospital was apparently now on a strict “job plan” which restricted them to Gynaecology Oncology work only.

I am currently awaiting an appointment to see a new consultant in the Gynaecology Department of St Mary’s Hospital.

I remain under no doubt that my new consultant is equally capable as my former consultant at Queen Charlottes Hospital in every manner and respect and is a popular choice for my type of medical condition. However, something has clearly gone wrong in the planning of patient services at Imperial NHS Trust if patients have to move between gynaecology consultants/surgeons and even hospitals at Imperial NHS Trust over a relatively short period of time to receive the right level of patient care. Particularly when the senior consultant who had carried out my operation at Queen Charlottes Hospital in January 2015 notably also sits on the planning committees for Gynaecology and Gynaecology Oncology at Imperial NHS Trust. Is the NHS really a soft touch when it comes to continuity of care and professional accountability among its gynaecology consultants/surgeons at Imperial NHS Trust? How can switching over to a new gynaecological consultant/surgeon in this type of manner be in the patient interest? The ratings given are based upon my recent experience of being forced to switch to a new gynaecology consultant/surgeon in recent weeks at Imperial NHS Trust.