"Lack of Action and Communication"

Today I was due to have a hip replacement operation to cure what is now excruciating constant pain and an inability to walk.

However thirteen days ago I attended a pre-op and though I got all the physical aids, attended all the briefings, I was found to have a heart complaint with an uneven rate.

The senior nurse phoned by GP practice and sent me away.

I attended the next day.

I was prescribed heart stabilising tablets and self-monitoring of my pulse.

I went to see my GP yesterday and they said 'we’ve done all we can to control the palpitating heart get in touch with the hospital and get yourself sorted'.

This I did.

It was confirmed that my op was cancelled (though I have never been notified in writing of this). The person to whom I spoke said 'I’d need to see the consultant'.

I said –“why I’ve been through everything, the assessment, the briefings, I was due to have the op tomorrow (now today) – surely all I need is confirmation that my heart condition (one I was blissfully unaware of until the pre-op) has been controlled to satisfy the anaesthetist?

I phoned back later and after about a 45 minute wait I spoke to someone else. They said they’d contact the consultant.

My GP phoned last night and told me they’d written to the hospital and all had been sent electronically.

Today I phoned on my return. I spoke to the person I spoke to yesterday who said they’d received my notes and would be sending them to the nurse who would then send them to the anaesthetist.

I hate to speak badly of a hospital that has given so much satisfaction thus far, but I have endured a total lack of empathy and no urgency whatsoever.

I was supposed to be relieved of this excruciating pain today. I was sent by the nurse to see my GP because a heart condition was detected. Someone cancelled my operation – but I do not jknow who and it was not formally done to me!

I took my prescription and the GP said I was under control – by the day before I’d have been operated on (couldn’t be earlier due to the bank holiday)!

The notes were sent to Woodthorpe by my GP last night. At 3pm they’d still not been forwarded to the people who matter. A simple photocopy surely gives notes to both nurse and anaesthetist (to save time)– surely you don’t have to wait for one in order to send the notes to the other?

The GP is happy that no more can be done.

Yet no one seems to care about the agonising pain, the stress of trying to manage your business (with no one to relieve me of my duties of visiting clients and sites– nor prospect of sick pay and where client simply goes elsewhere if you do not perform).

Why not simply give me a date for another pre-op and the operation that gives me my life back again.

I feel left in limbo - no one calls back and no one seems to have any urgency to alleviate the situation.