# Barts and the London - insane waiting times



## BroodyChick (Nov 30, 2009)

Hi Ladies

is anyone else totally fed up and frustrated with the admin team at Barts, and how long it takes from first referral to first appointment, and then treatment?

I feel so infuriated today because I was told to ring them on the first day of my cycle for a HSG scan, and they have been unable to give me an appointment this month.

From referral to first appointment we had to wait 4 months, then sat in the waiting room for 3 hours because the team had forgotten to give us the right forms to fill in, and their confidentiality is also totally shocking.

Has anyone else experienced this and has some tips or made a complaint about it?

Is it too much to ask to be seen sooner than 8 months after your first referral for a relatively straightforward procedure such as sperm washing/IUI without any known fertility issues? 

It seems as though all of London has decided they need a baby in 2010 and Barts is the only place to come!


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## joeyrella (May 13, 2009)

i wasn't at bart's but had similar issues at our clinic - we waited 8 months from referral to our first appointment, then six months for our first IUI, then all IUI treatment was cancelled for three months without informing any patients, so we finally had our second cycle at the end of january. 

we had a lot of issues with our clinic and wrote one letter of complaint about being misled over the waiting list, which resulted in them offering our first IUI cycle immediately in their response letter.  we then had a lot of problems in our second cycle with new, inexperienced, members of staff which resulted in me leaving the clinic in tears (and bleeding!) after one appointment.  hubby made a verbal complaint after that and from then on we were only treated by the head nurse who was absolutely brilliant.

i definitely think complaining is worth it, its a good way of getting your issues recorded and sadly it seems to result in better treatment.  just be prepared that they put my written complaint on the front page of my notes so it was then there for everyone to see at all subsequent appointments.


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## BroodyChick (Nov 30, 2009)

Hi Joyrella

firstly how exciting to hear you're up the duff, how brilliant! Congratulations-  looks like all that waiting and heartache has been worth it in the end.

I agree with you though about staff needing to be aware just how trying that whole complex procedure is anyway, without added worries about waiting times, lack of information and incompetent medical treatment.

Just wish I'd been prepared for all this before, when we first contacted the appointments centre they told us it was already a "breach" if they can't see you within 2 weeks- we waited 4 months.

And it shows no sign of getting any easier. In the meantime we are continuing to try naturally, despite the added risks.

Fingers crossed we'll get there eventually! x


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## pixielou (Nov 9, 2007)

Hi Broody Chick!  


I cant believe that the waiting is that long!


I have two IUI's left at Queens in Romford and then will get referred to St, Barts. There have been so many delays along the way and I decided to go to my dr's this week and ask to be referred by her to Barts for the continuation of my IUI etc(where I would be referred to after iui anyway). I did this and got an appt in June and asked to be discharged from Queens. However after speaking to the referral lady at Barts she said that my appt would be as a new patient and that it would take so much longer than if referred by the consultant at Queens. So I have gone back to Queens and they had not yet discharged me so I will be seeing consultant in June at Queens. I'm quite confused as to what to do as if I stay on at Queens and have my IUI's there it will be relatively quick and then they can refer me to Barts, if I ask consultant to refer straight on to Barts to continue my iui there im wondering if I will be shooting myself in the foot as they may need to do all my tests again etc.


Basically I'm wondering if you go to Barts regardless or not if you have been referred from another hospital, if they do all the tests again from scratch or if they just continue and if they fast track you as you have been referred from another consultant?


I just want to get my tx underway and I'm hearing different messages. Barts one time told me that referral was about 6 months then Queens told me it was about 1 year and I'm jut really confused about the whole thing, really don't want to be waiting for 6+ months etc?!?


Have you been referred from another hospital or was it from your pct, and have you had previous tests done before etc?


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## BroodyChick (Nov 30, 2009)

No this was my first referral, but my (now ex) had been through it before with his ex wife.

He has now cancelled all further treatments, then tried to back-pedal and recall his email... To be honest I'd love the HSG scan in any case, to see if I have any "issues" but part of me just wants to put it all behind me now.

Best of luck!

It would have been over 8 months for us from inital referral to the first "proper" appointment, not counting the inital chat back in April.
Hope you are getting on ok xx


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