"Theatre staff"

I am bitterly disappointed to share my most recent experience of care by NHS Grampian.

I was admitted to ward 309 as a day case, shortly after arrival I was seen by a member of the medical team and I signed the consent form for the procedure. Approximately an hour later the theatre nurse,/ orderly came to collect me from the ward. With no introduction or explanation, they told the ward staff that my bed was not needed In theatre as I was only having a local, and that I could walk. I advised that my mobility was very poor and i would be unable to walk the distance ( i use 2 crutches to walk max 30metres). This member of staff told me it wasn't far, just the lifts and down the corridor/. I explained that was too far for me. to which they tutted. I pointed to my scooter in the corner of the room, and explained that whilst I could go in that, it really was not clean to go into a theatre department. I was told it would be fine, and then asked if I had signed the consent as it couldn't be found. I confirmed again that I had signed it ( as the ward nurse had also just asked this question). we left for theatre.

In the operating department I was asked to wait alone in the corridor by the nurse, who went to speak to colleagues then I was waved to follow down

On entering the empty anaesthetic room the same nurse who had collected me from the ward, again asked if i had signed the consent. To which I again replied that i had. They left me alone in the room and a few minutes later returned with a blank consent form, waved it in front of me and again asked if I had signed a form that looked like this. I confirmed that i was well aware of the form, and that i was getting annoyed at repeatedly being asked the same question like i was stupid, to which the theatre nurse replied sarcastically that they didn't know what they do on that ward.

Already very nervous and feeling very vulnerable about the procedure ahead, i was now feeling somewhat distressed and overwhelmed by the total lack of any kind of caring or compassionate interaction or reassurance by any member of staff. No introduction, no conversation, no reassurance, and now sarcastic comments were flying my way. The surgeon then arrived and said that i should be happy because they were doing me a "favour". Feeling very frustrated i advised that they were indeed not doing me any favour, and that my request for local was in relation to my safety, in accordance with previous anaesthetic risks. I certainly was now not feeling any kind of confidence to be able to lie on the table and have them carry out any procedures on me. Overwhelmed and vulnerable at this stage i left the theatre suite and returned to the ward to collect my belongings and leave.

When back on the ward the doctor who had originally taken the consent, attempted to apologise for the missing consent. However the loss of the consent was not the issue, nor was the care on the ward. It was the attitude of the theatre staff in particular the person who came to collect me from the ward, and the consultants comments. I left upset but shortly after leaving, realised that i had left some of my personal belongings, so i returned to the 4th floor to collect them. When i arrived on the 4th floor the entire team of staff from the anaesthetic room were waiting outside the lift. After collecting my belongings i returned to the lift. and the original theatre nurse, confronted me in front of their colleagues, as I waited for the lift, asking if they had upset me. I asked them to leave me alone, they further pressed knowing fair well that i had no where to go. They wanted to know so they could use it as a learning curve. i again expressed my dissatisfaction as the lift arrived and left.

None of this stress was necessary, and if the theatre staff had bothered to be a little bit thoughtful, it would not have happened and the theatre time wouldn’t have been wasted. There is a campaign https://www.hellomynameis.org.uk/ that may benefit future patients coming through the service. I have since been readmitted and had my procedure in main theatres, where the care was very good. However this incident should never happen.