""Not our problem""

This week I was scheduled for a hysteroscopy and resection at the Berkshire Independent. I had a barrage of tests which all seemed to be fine, despite having been awkwardly scheduled at the last minute because the hospital apparently forgot I needed them until the weekend before the operation. Still, aside from the ECG (which was completely normal) they were all repeats of the tests that I’d had at the Circle, the results of which were passed on to the Independent, so it’s not like they were surprised with new information.

24 hours almost to the minute before I was scheduled for admission, I get a call telling me the procedure has been cancelled because I am too high risk, citing one of the risk factors as my ‘mobility issues’. I don’t have any mobility issues, as was clearly observed by the nurses who saw me decline the lift in favour of the stairs, and as the four-page medical questionnaire on which every medical issue I’ve ever had (none of them relating to mobility) was quite thoroughly covered. I guess this is code for ‘you’re overweight, therefore you must have mobility issues, even though you can jog up the stairs at the same pace as our nurse’.

If you visit this hospital, I hope you don’t expect administrative competence, timely information or courteous advance warning, or for anyone with an above average BMI (sorry, I mean ‘mobility issues’) to be fairly treated. I have, however, been assured that I can rebook the procedure with my consultant at the Royal Berks — while in the same call they admitted that it isn’t taking elective procedures due to the flu pandemic and winter crisis. Couldn’t say ‘Not our problem’ louder if you tried.