"Cancelled surgery and waiting times"

I had an accident earlier on this year which was causing me a terrible amount of debilitating pain so my gp referred me on for physio.

Unfortunately they could not help me so my gp advised that if I could afford to go private I should. I attended a private hospital for both a consultation and an MRI where they confirmed the diagnosis and said I would need an operation. I am a single parent and am self employed so carrying out the procedure privately was not an option as it was too expensive, so I was referred back to the NHS and placed on the waiting list. I was told this would be longer than six months! I contacted the consultant and their secretary a few times for updates and was told there was nothing more they could do, other than place me on the short notice waiting list. To which I agreed.

I then received a phone call recently from the surgeon asking if I could go in for the operation 2 days later. I agreed and asked the recovery period so I knew how long to take off work and that was the extent of the conversation. The surgeon told me their secretary would call me later that day with more details. When I hadn't heard back by the close of business I emailed their secretary and asked them to call me first thing in the morning with the details as I had arranged time off both my jobs, paid for childcare for my little one and my mum had taken time off to help my recovery. I received an email back the next morning simply saying that the surgery was cancelled as there was no beds available. Not even a phone call or apology or explanation.

On hearing this and the sudden realisation that I wasn't going to be pain free after all I broke down. Taking a range of strong painkillers and more every 4 hours has an effect after a few months. So my mother called the secretary for some answers. She was met with an abrupt attitude and told she could have the complaints procedure and no way could she speak to the surgeon anyway. Being as angry and concerned for me as she was, she demanded they called her back within the hour. She was told the secretary had no way of getting in touch with the surgeon, which can't be true because they then called within minutes. The surgeon said the short notice procedure had been explained to me where it could also be cancelled at such short notice etc which was never at any point discussed with us. If that had been the case I would not have arranged for the time off and asked my mother to do the same until we knew for sure the procedure was being carried out. The surgeon then told my mother there was still a chance they could find me a bed and to give it to the end of the day. As it is I've still not heard a thing from them and we are in to the following week. I feel this was said to get us off the phone and stop us complaining.

It feels like the staff have been complacent with their jobs and don't realise the impact it has on people's lives. As it is, I now have no income for several weeks for myself and child as my shifts cannot be returned to me at work in one job and clients have already arranged alternatives in my self employed role; my mother has had to take the leave so probably won't be available if and when I do end up getting the operation to help look after me and my child and I am also out of pocket for the childcare. I feel so let down by the NHS which I pay my tax and national insurance for. And don't know how much longer I can go on like this and in so much pain.