"Difficulty in getting an appointment, plus other issues about my records"

After a visit to my doctor I was referred to the neurology dept for investigations -  that was October 2023. I received a letter with how to book an appointment online, following numerous  times to book an appointment I phoned the contact telephone number.

I spoke to an operator who said there was no available appointments, then I had a phone call with an appointment in Poole. I travelled to Poole for the appointment but when I saw the Doctor they did not have my records available on their computer, luckily I had my folder with my reports from my records. If I did not have my folder this appointment would have totally wasted the Doctor's time and mine.

The problem I have is that my NHS records from Dorchester Hospital were not available to be viewed by the Doctor at Poole. The Doctor was very good and examined me and had put me forward to have a brain scan.

My issue is that being referred in October 2023  I only got to see a doctor in October 2024. I found the online system to book an appointment totally useless as I could not even get a date for an appointment. Being referred by my doctor with concerns for my health and not being able to been seen by a Doctor was a worry for me.

I feel that the appointment booking system failed, and for my NHS  records not being available to the doctor when I did get an appointment is another failure in the system. Being in Dorset  I would have thought my NHS records would be available.

On my return home I phoned my doctors to find out why my records were not available in Poole. They told me that I should contact Dorchester hospital and ask them to send my records to Poole. The Neurology appointment are only in Poole as I could not get an appointment locally, so if a lot of people from Weymouth and surrounding areas go to Poole for an appointment ,they to will have to get their records sent to Poole. Are Dorchester and Poole Hospitals on different IT systems?

I feel let down by your system and worried that my investigation into my condition has taken a year from being referred by my Doctor.

Appointments