NHS cancels more than 100,000 operations in a year
Article in the Telegraph
Extract:
"The number of cancelled operations is almost twice as high as previously admitted by the Government with thousands of patients suffering from multiple cancellations.
Ministers have previously said that cancelling operations is "unacceptable" yet have failed to act to prevent hospitals from cancelling procedures, often just hours before surgery is due to take place.
The figures have been obtained by the Conservatives who used Freedom of Information laws to request the data from NHS trusts."
The major operation I had last year was twice postponed 'at the last minute' and so instead of having it a few days after going into hospital, it was actually done almost a fortnight afterwards. This caused me agonising pain, immense extra suffering and continuing disability, and the need for carers still even now. It meant extra weeks in hospital and hundreds of hours of traveling to and from the hospital and waiting and time spent with occupational therapists and physiotherapists. It meant intense, needless, agonising pain. - And even now, it appears, I may need to have another operation because my extreme pain went unheeded and uninvestigated for almost a year after returning home after my hospital stay...)o: - Terrible, prolonged, unnecessary pain and suffering and disability; great, unnecessary additional financial cost...)o: - The NHS is a national disgrace.