Too many patients, not enough time

HINCHINGBROOKE Hospital has been much in the news recently and I have wondered how much of the criticism should properly be aimed at the management rather than the staff.

I had first hand experience of their appointments competence last Thursday. I arrived in good time for my appointment due at 4.20pm. I waited well over an hour to be seen, together with a number of other equally disgruntled and disgusted people.

I discovered that between 2pm and 5pm the consultant had been booked to see 33, that’s right, 33 people. That’s one every 5� minutes.

In that time of course he has not only to consider the medical aspects but also to write up their notes. Despite that the clinical care was excellent both by the consultant and by the nursing staff.

But that is an impossible and totally unreasonable workload and the management should be ashamed to be loading such a burden on their staff. This is not the first time I have had delayed appointments with that consultant - always for the same reason - but this is by far the worst.

No doubt those responsible went home to a comfortable supper secure in the knowledge they had done a ‘good job’ in getting through so many people without a thought for the consultant, the nursing staff, and the customers [I think they call us patients as we have no rights of course].

I strongly object to this treatment. What is Hinchingbrooke going to do about it?.

J R OLIVER

Audley Close

St Ives