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Care Opinion

Operation cancelled with less than 24 hours notice

Posted By Wind22

"Operation cancelled with less than 24 hours notice"

About: Ninewells Hospital / Ear, Nose & Throat

(as the patient),

I have been waiting nearly 3 years for an operation for chlorestoma, which was to take place mid September 2021. So I have been isolating and doing tests to be called today, less than 24 hours to go too. Suddenly, the hospital is too busy and elective surgery has been cancelled with no further information or dates given.

To say I am gutted and disappointed is an understatement. 3 years of ear infections, discharges and fighting to get seen by a consultant to get a diagnosis. We were then hit with  covid and operations cancelled then back up, and running to come this close, and its cancelled. I have had to take time off work, sort out child care for when in hospital and afterwards. To just cancel and return to normal until they decide to call last minute and expect us to drop everything last minute and abide by the rules to get an operation date. If I hadn't called about this date and operation, I might have missed it, as letters are not being sent out in plenty time to organise. I can't just drop work and kids at the click of a finger. I need to plan and organise. 

So in the mean time what am I supposed to do. Return to work and my ear continues to smell and discharge. When they call with a new date, what if I can't arrange everything in time - I'll need to cancel again. 

3 years of this hassle I have gone through. I have to struggle at home with not hearing and struggling at work as well. How long do I have to wait? Will I need to fight my case for another 3 years to get an operation?

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Responses

Response from NHS Tayside 2 years ago
NHS Tayside

Submitted on 17/09/2021 at 14:38
Published on Care Opinion at 14:43

I write in response to your feedback with regards to the short notice cancellation of your surgery. We appreciate the distress and frustration that you are experiencing because of this. Any patient who has had a long wait or an undue delay for surgery, especially when they anticipate that this will relieve their symptoms, is regrettable, therefore I would like to extend my sincere apologies to you.

We continue to experience exceptional and unpredictable demands on our services at present, and the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic continues to influence our ways of working, workforce availability, and patient demand. Unfortunately, like other hospitals across the country, we have had to take the decision to defer some admissions for less urgent procedures to ensure that patients requiring emergency and urgent care and treatment are admitted. This decision was very much taken as a last resort, and in response to unpredictable pressures in our system. I am sorry that you were one of our patients who has been affected in this way.

Regrettably, given the nature of the pandemic we are currently unable to provide a timeframe for your surgery. I am sorry for this delay and would ask for your patience and understanding during this unprecedented and very challenging time.

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Update posted by Wind22 (the patient)

Was given new date of 5th October for my operation so, all systems go again time off work childcare sorted aftercare sorted. Its now 3.30pm on 4th October and ENT have called to cancel my operation again as there is no theatre staff for tomorrow again as this was the reason for the first cancellation.

As I am writing this angry and annoyed, my surgeon is actually in a theatre in Ninewells hospital with theatre staff but me no, I have now got to cancel all my plans and have to go back to my work again and say sorry my operation has been cancelled again due to lack of theatre staff in NHS Tayside Ninewells.

So now I have to sit and wait it out to see what happens now and if I get a new date.

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