"Eye clinic Russells Hall"

Russel's Hall 1/9/14 The appointment system at Russell's Hall Eye clinic seems to be in total meltdown. My mother suffers from age related wet macular degeneration, needs regular check ups every 4-5 weeks to monitor the condition and 3-4 Lucentis injections per year to stop the eye deteriorating. She is a regular visitor to the clinic. She has already lost the sight in one of her eyes. She was last seen on 09/07/14. It is now 01/09/14 and she has not yet had a follow up appointment, which is normally 4-5 weeks after the last check up. Concerned that her eye may be deteriorating undetected, I phoned the appointments line, twice now, since her last visit, and was told the clinic is busy and my mother is on the list. I asked if any priority is given to people who have already lost sight in one eye, for obvious reasons, and was told no, everyone is in the same boat. I find that astonishing. No clinical priority is given to people who are clearly in a worse situation than others and at risk of losing the last remaining sight they have. I have had to chase follow up appointments on several occasions in the past and find it disturbing that weeks can go by where this vital check up is not done. Should my mother lose the sight of her remaining eye, I will hold the hospital to account as it in their power to treat more needy cases quicker and they choose not to do so.. The nurses in the clinic are all excellent and get you through their bit reasonably quickly, you then wait, and wait, and wait to see the consultant. Meanwhile, outrageous parking fees are clocking up. Not good.