"Waiting for blood test results"

I had an appointment at Irvine Central at the end of Feb. The appointment was fine. The doctor very pleasant. During the appointment I had a number of blood tests done and was advised that the results would be sent to my GP and I should make an appointment for 2 weeks time with him. I went to see my GP just over 2 weeks later once he had received the letter from the hospital doctor. He logged onto the computer system to check my blood test results. All my results were back except for the one my GP particularly wanted. My GP advised me that sometimes this particular blood test can take longer to come back & that he believed the blood test was sent to Glasgow & therefore he wouldn't be able to see it on the computer system. He advised I wait around a week to 10 days & call to see if the result was back & make another appointment to see him because as advised by the letter from the hospital he may need arrange for further investigations to be done but before this can be arranged he needs the blood test result.

I have phoned my GP's surgery every week since then but no results have arrived. I had an appointment with a nurse in my GP's practise a couple of days ago & I spoke to her about the results still not being back. She thought it was strange that I have had to wait so long. She logged onto the internal system again advising that she didn't believe she would be able to see the results as she thought this type blood test was sent to Glasgow. The result wasn't showing so she phoned the appropriate department where she was advised that the result had been available since the beginning of March. She was advised that the test results had been sent to the hospital & that they couldn't give her the results. As frustrated as I am all the nurse could advise was that I called the consultants secretary to see if they could give me the result. She gave me the number to call.

I called the number several times but it just rang & rang. I called again following day & I was passed through & again the phone just rang & rang. The switchboard brought me back & advised I called at another time. I explained that I had tried calling the previous day & the same thing had happened & asked when the best time to call would be? I was then advised that the reason nobody answered was because the secretary was off sick. I was then passed to someone else who took all my details & said they couldn't get any information but it was likely that they were in the process of writing to my GP. I pointed out that the hospital had had my results since the beginning of March & was it normal that it take that long to contact my GP? The lady took my mobile number & advised she would call me back. I heard nothing.

I waited until the following afternoon and phoned back, this time I spoke with the consultants actual secretary and I explained the above story. She advised me that she had a note in relation to my query. I found her to be really quite abrupt and aggressive with me. I was nothing but pleasant and patient even though I was by this point extremely frustrated. She advised that she didn't have the results and if she did she wouldn't be giving them to me over the phone. She advised that she would get the results and send the information to my GP's surgery but when I asked how long this would take she wasn't particularly pleasant & wouldn't give me a timescale until I explained it was so I could make an appointment to see my GP and know the results were there. By the time I get to see my GP it will have been 9 weeks since I had the blood tests done & 7 weeks since the actual results have been available.

I really don't like giving negative feedback as everyone has been very kind to me. I have a great respect for the healthcare profession. However I feel so very let down by the entire process. I rarely visit my GP or any another of the NHS services unless I absolutely have to. This entire experience has been so frustrating & stressful on top of what is a already difficult time for myself.