Target practice
Sir: Pauline Holroyd’s experience regarding choice in NHS referrals (Letters, 19 January) becomes even more frustrating when government targets interfere. I was referred in much the same way last November and made an appointment with the only realistically available hospital clinic on the list offered. A few days before the appointment on 8 January the hospital called to cancel it owing to the clinic not operating on that day. (No other explanation.) I rebooked for the next available date: 23 January.
I was then offered an important job interview on that very day and called to change the appointment. I was refused a new one as it would take me over the target of seeing me within 18 weeks from the date of the referral. I was told that if I cancelled, I was to contact my GP for a new referral so that the next appointment would be within a new 18-week target period. In this way, clearly the NHS can show it never misses the target.
Stephen Saunders
West Sussex
Previous page
