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Care Opinion

Cancelled Surgery

Posted By Patient relative

"Cancelled Surgery"

About: Raigmore Hospital / Urology

(as a relative),

My husband went in for planned urology surgery recently at Raigmore. Cancelled as no post op beds. In summary - 6 months wait for a diagnosis, supposedly 12 week wait for surgery (breached end of August) and a further 15 weeks wait until recently, and then cancelled. Process – delay, delay, delay.

Outcome – off work for 12 months, no surgery, emergency admission for pain control 4 weeks ago and no future plan. Clinical staff were brilliant, but the system is a mess. What needs to happen to get the needed care?

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Responses

Response from Elaine Mead, Chief Executive, NHS Highland 9 years ago
Elaine Mead
Chief Executive,
NHS Highland

Responsible for the delivery of health care in the Highlands

Submitted on 16/12/2014 at 16:08
Published on Care Opinion at 17:45

Dear patient relative

I am really sorry that your husbands urology surgery was recently cancelled as there were no post operative beds.

The Raigmore hospital team meet every morning at a 'huddle' to review the current position, and review both what happened during the last 24 hours, and who is planned to be brought in for surgery on the day. They also predict the number of emergency admissions that are likely to arrive which would need to have a bed, and when these things together result in the high likelihood of a lack of beds they will, only as a last resort, have to cancel a patient who is expecting to have their surgery.

I do understand how upsetting this is for a patient and would like you to extend my personal apologies to your husband for this inconvenience. We also are aware that it is very difficult for families when last minute, and often complicated arrangements are disruped when surgery is cancelled. You can be assured that we will be looking to reorganise the surgery for your husband as soon as possible, and if he would like me to follow this up then please contact me by email emead@nhs.net or by phone on 01463 704838

I am aware that the urology team are experiencing some pressure on the service at the moment and so I am grateful for your positive comments about the clinical staff which I will pass onto them.

Thank you for taking the time to post your comments on Patient Opinion. We are keen to learn from your feedback, and I hope that we can arrange the surgery for your husband quickly and that he makes a speedy recovery.

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