"Shoulder Surgery- Day Case"

After having my initial procedure cancelled the previous week i had surgery on the 15th November, My letter stated i was to be there for 12:00pm, I arrived there at around 11:30am was taken straight to a room where i was told a nurse would be with me shortly, at 12:20 i asked a nurse who was with someone else, would someone be coming in to see me anytime soon?!

Within 5 minutes they came and apologised and did the necessary BP etc, I would have liked someone to have come to me and just say we are busy and will be with you as soon as possible, Communication is key, I am a HCA in a GP surgery and if i am away from the patient for more than 10/15 mins i go back and let them know what is going on, to be sat in a room for 50 minutes before having an operation to me isn't good practice..

Then various people came into the room, Consultant, Anaesthetist who asked me various questions about what i was having done, what allergies i had etc, it transpired about half an hour later that they weren't actually anything to do with my procedure and they had come to me by mistake, The actual one that was going to be dealing with me arrived about 20 minutes after them..

At around 2:20pm i was taken to gown up and sat in another room for a furthur hour and a half then at 3:45pm i was walked down to theatre, I then waited til around 4:20pm in the room attached to the theatre where i was prepped for surgery, I would say that my procedure started 10 minutes after that, I then came round from the anaesthetic at 6:20pm and was on the ward at 6:45pm, I was given tea and toast then asked what time my family were picking me up, This was mentioned a couple of times and i got the feeling i was being got rid of to be honest, It states quite clearly that it should be 2 clear hours after a GA that you went home, I was actually back at my home for 7:55pm and i live 10 miles away from the hospital, It appears it's like a clocking out factory scenario where they shut at 8:00pm and they will be out for that time..

I had a knee replacement here in June 2015 and i couldn't praise this hospital enough and i reviewed accordingly, the nurses, the care it was perfect, However on this occasion i wasn't impressed, whether it's because it was a daycase i don't know, The communication was dire lots of pointless waiting around, I asked where i was on the list and there were two people i was the second of two, I understand that problems arise unexpectedly and i accept that but when no-one lets you know these things it's frustrating, I suppose my main gripe is the hurry to get rid of you when you are there til late, I always thought this hospital was so much better than New Cross but unfortunately it's going the same way if it isn't already there :(