A pensioner has complained to hospital managers after waiting more than two and a half hours to see a consultant.

Janet Frere finally walked out of the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington, because she was not prepared to wait any longer for a consultation.

Mrs Frere, 71, of Marcham, near Abingdon, said: "The whole exercise was a nonsense."

Mrs Frere was referred to geratologist Dr Neil Stewart after she suffered temporary amnesia on December 14.

She first saw Dr Stewart before Christmas at the Radcliffe Infirmary, in Woodstock Road. He suggested she saw him again after a brain scan.

But her second appointment, at the John Radcliffe, was arranged for Tuesday, January 15 -- before she had undergone any tests.

Mrs Frere arrived early for her 2pm consultation, but by 4.35pm had still not been seen.

The Government's Patient Charter states patients should wait no more than 30 minutes to see a consultant.

She has complained to David Highton, chief executive of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust.

Hospital spokesman Melanie Proudfoot said Dr Stewart rang Mrs Frere as soon as he realised what had happened, the next day.

Mrs Proudfoot said: "He re-arranged for her to have a scan on January 29.

"He will also see her after that in the day hospital at the Radcliffe Infirmary. He apologised for what had happened.

"There were some difficulties on that day and these are being looked at, to make sure they don't happen again."