I've just been told off by an angry receptionist for wanting to cancel a hospital appointment at the Royal Free in London this afternoon. I live in Wales and was due to travel there (on my own cost) for a scan this afternoon but I've been stuck with a bad case of the flu and haven't left the house since the weekend.

Understandably they've been closed over Christmas weekend so I couldn't speak to someone until today (I did fill out at on-line cancellation form on Monday) but was told that as I've left it so late, I've wasted their time and won't be able to get a second appointment. I ask how else was I to contact them but she just let out a huff and put the phone down.

Does this seem fair? Surly they must take into account that people can't contact them over Christmas and that there will be last second cancellations?

You have my utmost sympathy, as you appear to have done your best in the circumstances, but I'm now intrigued as to why if you live in Wales, there isn't another hospital between there and the Royal Free in Hampstead that could have done your scan?
I appreciate that we are not privy to your ailment, but is Hampstead really the nearest place to have your scan done?

I can understand a degree of frustration, its as good as not cancelling and not showing up given its very unlikely they will be able to use the slot at shorts notice.

I struggle to believe they wont give you a second appointment, they may not be able to there and then on the phone as the receptionist is unlikely to control the booking system. You may need to go back and get another referral.

I am sympathetic to your situation, and they shouldn't be rude to you, but equally given so much money is wasted on not used appointment slots I am also sympathetic to those in the health service getting frustrated at it.

I'd be inclined to ring them back and see if you get the same woman. If not, ask to speak to a manager and explain that you filled out the cancellation form on monday, which you assumed would have been plenty of notice.

If they say it wasn't enough, ask them to tell you how you were supposed to cancel an appointment when there was no way of contacting anyone.

I suppose they're caught between a rock and a hard place really because if they allow people to make last minute cancellations whenever it suits them then it'll cause chaos so they have to have the same hardline approach with everyone even if their reasons are legitimate, as yours are.

I wouldn't let it go though - the online cancellation form should be proof that you've given them plenty of notice.

Sorry I should have explained. The Royal Free has the best machines for scanning my type of cancer. I'd love to go somewhere closer to home but alas that is where all the specialist equipment is. I could have a normal scan anywhere else but the ones in London give the most detailed images for my treatment.

You will be able to get a second appointment, it just might not be for a few weeks. If they have a cancellation they should be able to see you sooner.

Hi,

Give your local PALS (Patient advice and liaison services) a call and see if they can sort it out for you. They're good at stuff like this. Find your nearest one here: http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Pat...tionSearch/363.

That really sounds like the best advice

ETA: OP I hope your flu gets better soon, I remember from Mum's experience how hard it is having cancer and falling foul of colds and flu, how debilitating and even dangerous they can be to you. Take care

That's a useful link.
Hadn't heard of PALS.

That's ridiculous. Not like you decided at last minute you couldn't go.

Like having cancer and the flu isn't bad enough, you don't need someone being horrible down the phone and making you feel rotten about yourself. They're a receptionist, not the person doing the scan, so how does it effect the receptionist personally? It doesn't. I think you should complain. They're being a bully and is probably doing the same thing to many other people who can't cope as well being spoken to like that. You had already cancelled and was giving the hospital a curtesy call. Also when they're a doctor, they can decide if you can have another appointment or not, this silly idiot could kill you with behaviour like that. What if you were too frightened to call again? It isn't the receptionist's call, they're not an oracle. 😡

Try PALS then go National / Viral (Daily Mail?). Make a fuss.

My Dad didn't like playing the Cancer Card, but then he found it had advantages when the computer, or stroppy people, said No.

(difficult in a Hospital or Oncology Dept of course). Maybe you could stress that even a small delay in treatment might prove long-term fatal, whether that is true in your case or not.

Best of Luck

I agree with this. If the woman does not have enough intelligence to distinguish between people abusing NHS services and someone who is too ill to attend their appointment and did all they could to notify the hospital, she should find another job.

I've had to travel to London for two occasions for a specialist scan. On each visit the scan was cancelled at the last minute for technical reasons ( trace fluid manufacture was faulty. This of course required repeat visits.
Obviously these cancellations couldn't be helped, but the hospital should realise these things work both ways and take a more understanding view.

I also agree with this. It's not the receptionist's place to be so rude or decide what the next move is. Speaking as someone who has also had cancer and flu at the same time the last thing you need is some obnoxious receptionist scolding you like a naughty child.

Just checking but are you sure they were closed on Monday & Tuesday? Did you call their number and get no chance to leave a voice message?

I'd ring back and speak to someone else and explain you're not happy with how the call was handled and re-explain the circumstances.

I would agree with that and being annoyed at those who cancel last minute for no reason ( I do think charges should be made for those who cancel last minute or don't turn up with no valid reason) but no need for rudeness to a person who has a horrid disease such as cancer and the flu on top and had no way of informing them until today as they were not there at work to take such calls.

Hmm, were you really? You want other people to coo at you? Forget it, there was nothing else you could do. **** 'em

The receptionist is unprofessional and would be aware in her job that these things happen for various reasons. Although cancellation does cost time and money it's not for her to get cross and slame the phone down. You should complain to her practice manager.

I've used them several times myself for one thing or another, and on behalf of other people too for situations similar to the one encountered by the OP.

One case in particular I remember with pride I called PALS and explained what had happened, and within 15 minutes not only did the patient have a new and convenient appointment but the hospital in question rang up and apologised too!

PALS can move mountains and leap over tall buildings in a single bound!

No doubt if you did turn up, you'd be sent away again and told to come back when you're better.

I had similar experience with Citizens Advice Bureau once.

An organisation was being stroppy with me and refusing to play ball and sort a situation out.

I went down to CAB and the adviser looked through my paperwork and said "Oh this isn't on at all". He picked up the phone, and when connected to relevant human, said "Hello, this is Fred Smith from xyz CAB. My client has a problem with you over blah blah blah". He was quite blunt and no-nonsense.

The problem was resolved immediately.

A bit surprised at this. I know if you cancel a hospital app, it's preferable to give them 24 hrs notice at the latest, and if you don't let them know, they send you a letter asking you to contact them within such a time, or else they'll take you off their list.

Slightly off topic......

Several years ago I was attending my local hospital for a number of physio appointments.

For one of them, I was too ill to attend, so followed the instructions on my treatment plan and rang an answering service the day before the appointment.

When I attended my next appointment, I noticed that DNA was written on my notes in very large capital letters.
I asked what it meant and was told that I didn't turn up for my appointment.
I informed them that I had rung the answer service and left a message as per instructions on the treatment plan and would be able to prove I rang by producing my call details if given time. The reply was "Oh, we hardly ever check that". I was flabbergasted.
They did cross out the DNA in front of me.

I am all for charging people who just don't turn up. I would have been charged unfairly and would have fought it all the way.

We got a stroppy letter from the doctors about not turning up to an appointment and wasting NHS time & money.

However, we'd cancelled and booked a replacement appointment which had been attended.

So I replied with photo evidence of the call from my work phone, pointing out the issue lay at the hand of their reception and their failure to cancel the appointment had led to further costs including reading this letter.

They didn't reply