"Colonoscopy cancelled on day of procedure "

I was booked in for a colonoscopy at 9.45 am on 7/7/21. I had followed all the guidance, taken time off work, as had my husband to take me to hospital and look after me on the day as I was having a general anaesthetic for the procedure. I had isolated for the recommended time after taking a COVID test 3 days prior, taken the prep, followed the light diet and completed all the necessary paperwork, pre-op assessments and mentally prepared myself for the event. I then checked into the Department at 9.20 am on the day of the procedure.

T he nurses were very thorough and I was escorted to the bay where I was to wait until I was called. I was told there were two people in front of me and it could be a wait but they would keep me informed.

At 12.20 pm both nurses who were allocated to me came to tell me that the procedure would have to be rescheduled due to the previous patient taking longer than they thought and that the anaesthetist was only booked until a certain time and time had run out.

This was a very traumatic experience. I was extremely anxious for the 3 days prior and for the whole time in the waiting area. I know that these things do happen and are unavoidable sometimes but at no point from 10.10 am when I took a seat in the waiting bay until 12.20 pm did anyone come and see me and explain the delay. I cannot now have the procedure until September. My experience today has been both distressing and a complete waste of both my time and hospital time for various members of staff - the pre-op staff, COVID tester, pharmacy, nurses, phlebotomy and administrative staff. The same procedures will have to be repeated in September.