no phone number ....really????

Thank you , I certainly will

Well you enjoy your holiday and the rest can wait xx

If I was just going for a week somewhere close to home I probably would have cancelled Grannyben but I'm away for 6 weeks long haul . As I'm not ill I'm not even sure if the insurance would cover it so it is what it is.

Hi NanaandGrampy, I went to the same type of clinic at my local hospital last year, it's called the rapid access clinic and they see patients with heart related problems within 14 days. I struggled to make an appointment within that time period but she told me if I couldn't they would have to cancel my referral. I cancelled my previous appointment and went. I have to say I'm pleased I did . good luck xx

I know Luckygirl I'll just cancel my holiday and that of 5 other people so they can tick that box

NanaandGrampy - hospitals have become obsessed with targets - you have upset their apple cart - how dare you!

I received a hospital appointment once through the post that I knew nothing about. I phoned the GP who said Whoops, he had made a mistake and would I just cancel it - which I thought was cheeky as it was HIS mistake. Anyway, I called the number on the letter and was told I needed a password to cancel the appointment. 'How do I get the password then?' I asked. 'It was given to you when you made the appointment', they said. 'But I didn't make the appointment', I said, 'You'll have to get back to your GP', they said. When I called the surgery I was given the password. 'Can't you call them?' I asked 'It's you who made the appointment'. 'But you're the patient', they said 'And only you can cancel it'. I cancelled it. You couldn't make it up, could you?

Update : amazingly the hospital rang at lunchtime. It wasn't even the hospital I expected and got very cross with me because I couldn't take the appointment for 13 days time.

Apparently they HAVE to see me within 14 days . It's the rules she explained loudly to the plainly deaf and stupid old lady (me) .

I explained that the GP said there was nothing to worry , it was just being thorough so I didn't think I was about to pop my clogs imminently. I also patiently explained I didn't book my holiday 8 months ago purposefully to spite her and upset her neat returns chart.

She sighed A LOT !

Eventually, after going away ( probably to bang her head against the wall at this stubborn woman who wouldn't cancel her holiday ) she gave me an appointment on June 14th.

I told her I'd be delighted to attend ( if I make it through my holiday )!

I didn't have stress before the whole thing, now I need a holiday to recover !!

rubylady we get this service as well. And every letter has a phone number for any problems - useful when the date for an operation was the same day as the follow up for the previous operation at hospitals 100 miles apart.

It is quite extraordinary that hospital communication is so poor when we have emails now. I had a similar situation where a GP letter and its copy to me took months to arrive; and in the meantime I was receiving appointments for investigations with no idea what they were for!

NanaandGrampy - do ring the hospital and they will be able to put you through and possibly give you the appointment over the phone. You are right not to want to waste a slot that someone else could use. Frustrating isn't it?

Good point granjura !!

Sadly , or hurrah - whichever you feel like - I live smack dab in the middle of a triangle of possible hospitals so it could be any. Which is going to make calling tricky. I'm going to email the practice manager and explain that I think its not unreasonable to add to the note/letter/form that no appointments until after a certain date. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Do be careful about holiday insurance though- as any cardiac problems will be seen by holiday insurance as pre-existing.

I get letters well in advance of appointments and with phone numbers on to alter if I can't make it, followed up by a text to remind me of the appointment day/date/time.

I have problems with appointment letters not arriving until after the appointment date, luckily someone has taken it into their head to phone me with the date just in case letter does not arrive. I have noticed they send letters second class mail, even more chance for delay.

Bloody ridiculous. I would do as Alea suggests.

I am waiting for the results of a MRI scan 3weeks + now!

GP said should be returned in 2 weeks.doh. Would I like to phone them! I said I did not think it was my job to do so.
That evening call from big boss GP. I expressed my dismay at the delay. He would have to chase the results up, get them typed up and then to me. Royal Mail.
It is not unknown for items to get lost in that system. Emails dont

Email. We dont do that! I sarcastically suggested pigeon post. sadly they had all flown away

Oops, just seen your post Lona!

How is your GP going to contact them in order to refer you? Clearly they do have contact numbers/emails etc, but patients are not allowed access to them. Could your GP not contact them and tell them that an appointment will not be possible between x and y dates?

Unbelievable and of course you will be blamed for not contacting them when you could not attend the appointment. Do they want to do any work I wonder?

How is the surgery contacting the clinic?
Computer says No!

I suppose the messenger pigeon could be sent to Cardiology Department, Xxx hospital.

Uh oh. Sounds like they are going the way of certain other companies who dont want to be traced so you cant complain.

They must have told you WHERE so if all else fails you could go in person and shout through their letterbox (oh, they won't have one as nobody can write to them )

Which hospital? Google their list of departments or consultants and try consultant's secretary.
You are being fobbed off.