Always difficult to get an appointment
I have a past history that means I am at higher likelihood of bowel cancer than most people. I had previously been told, that I could stop having regular reviews in the clinic, but that my name was on the list so that I could contact the Hospital Consultant's secretary if I had any new symptoms, so as to arrange a review appointment directly if I needed; so I was not being seen regularly in clinic. All was well for perhaps five or six years, but when I tried to contact the hospital clinic after several weeks of passing blood with my motions, and it not going away, I was told to see my GP to get a referral as I was no longer on the list. I contacted the GP and was told I needed to be seen before I could be referred, and that the next GP appointment was in four weeks’ time, and that I would need some tests before I could be referred back to the hospital, and that the tests could not be arranged before my appointment. Adding up the inevitable delays; (appointment to see GP, appointment for tests, appointment for results, waiting for hospital appointment), this was going to be several months until I was seen by the Specialist, even if the Specialist thought it was urgent when the GP's letter arrived. So I went to see someone in a private clinic. Fortunately all was normal. I feel particularly let-down by the GP service. Anonymous second-hand messages through the clerical staff. I rarely bother them, an annual blood test so perhaps once or twice a year, but it's always difficult to get an appointment and it's always with a different doctor, and I no longer get the feeling that they are on my side trying to help. It definitely used to be different when previous Dr was there.