Russells Hall Hospital cancels patient's 11 glaucoma check-ups
A 96-year-old glaucoma patient has not had a check-up for more than two years after a hospital rearranged and cancelled 11 appointments in a row.
Barbara Lucas, from Lye near Stourbridge, said Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley had repeatedly rearranged and cancelled check-ups.
Her daughter, Anne Harris, only found out about them after finding the letters in Mrs Lucas' house.
The hospital's chief executive admitted "it is not good enough".
Mrs Lucas said over the last two-and-a-half years, her appointments had all been cancelled and rescheduled, only to be cancelled again later.
"It is really annoying, I have glaucoma and am almost blind in one eye," she said.
"When I first started with eye trouble, I would go to the hospital every six months for a check-up and things were fine.
"It surprises me that this can happen."
Mrs Harris said she had "no idea" how long her mother had missed appointments for until she found a folder containing all of the hospital's letters at her mother's house.
"Some of the re-arranged appointments were scheduled for dates and times earlier than the original appointment," she said.
"My concern is not only for people like my mother, but also for the rest of us who are paying for these appointments to be re-arranged.
"It needs sorting out."
Her mother's next appointment is scheduled for October.
Russells Hall Hospital's chief executive, Paula Clarke, said: "We really apologise to Mrs Lucas for the fact that we have arranged her appointment so many times.
"But I agree it is not good enough and it is not the service we want to provide to our patients."