"outpatient dept"

As a nurse attending an out patient appointment with a family member I was saddened to see that only 2 nurses had been allocated to support 6 clinics - one staff nurse and one HCA.  They did a remarkable job ensuring that all the patients had their observations performed and pacifying them with respect and understanding when a patient complained about the wait.

My family member's clinic started late not because the doctor was running late but because there weren't enough nurses to get the patients ready to be seen.  My family member waited 45 minutes to be seen and he was second on the list. The first patient went in 30 minutes late.

Outpatient clinics need to be adequately staffed to run smoothly.  East Surrey is anxious for good patient experience.  Perhaps the manager of the hospital should sit in the outpatient dept to understand how it feels for both patients and staff alike