Who decides who cancelled operations are offered to

[BlinketyBill]

Just that really. If a person scheduled to have an operation with the NHS cancels, who decides who the place is offered to.

Bump

What do you mean by the place? Are you talking about the spot that the person having the operation would have had?

In all liklihood, there isn’t a place that’s been given to someone else. There just aren’t any beds at this time of year.

Yes I mean the spot the person having the operation would have had. I was fortunately offered it and I just wondered who decided

It depends. Each operation is worth so many time points depending on how long it is expected to take. Then the waiting list is looked at:each patient is given an urgency category (routine, urgent, two week wait) and so all two week waits will be allocated first, then urgent and then routine. Some patients may be offered an earlier slot (although in my field this isn’t that common) but usually it’s the person who has waited the longest who doesn’t have a date yet.

There are further subtleties about pooled waiting lists (any surgeon can do) versus individual waiting lists (named consultant). In additional, surgeons can be asked to take on a case that is expected to take longer than the cancelled operation but has a specific need.

Being in charge of waiting lists is damn hard work.

Why do you ask?

Ops are cancelled because the f emergencies, lack of beds , lack of key staff. Then the list is just picked up again in the same order, so there’s nothing to decide.

It will be offered to whoever is highest on the waiting list. For both my knee replacements I said when I was referred that I'd be happy to take a cancellation if it became available. I was offered an earlier date each time, which was brilliant!

interested to hear a definite answer as I’m waiting for an op.

I just assume it is whoever is next on the list, the person who was put on the list after you. Those more clinically in need are at the top of the list and will always get their op before you anyway.

Are you cancelling or hoping for an cancellation?

I had been given a date, it is just moved forward now. I just wondered who I should be thanking.

Rafals unfortunately it is not that uncommon for patients routine operations to be cancelled and rescheduled to accommodate an urgent case. Everyone hates doing it but sometimes needs must.

Hospitals have a management team. Sort of logistics for beds and allocation.

It is them who calls it.

Because the recuperation period is six weeks, I think knees and hips get cancelled by the patients fairly regularly, so as to fit in family weddings etc. Also I had mine done on the NHS but at a private hospital and I think once you were on their list they didn't differentiate between the NHS and private patients, so it really was just a matter of looking down the list and ringing whichever patient was next on it.

It sounds very complicated Moreisnnogedag

That is what I am doing Alpaca good to hear some good stories about the nhs with winter coming.

Lists aren’t just picked up again if the hospital cancels - that would mean rescheduling everyone and people make plans around the dates given.

If four people are cancelled off a list, they will be looked at as individuals and rescheduled as needed. Some will be given an early date, others later depending on various things.

In your case, the waiting list team will have looked at those patients who had “willing to come in at short notice” or some such on their booking form and you were either the first one on the list with the highest priority in terms of wait/urgency or the first one who accepted.

Ah yes if you’re waiting a hip or knee people cancel all the time or get cancelled because they’ve picked up a UTI or chest infection.

Good luck! I’m glad you’re getting sorted sooner

That's good to know More I wouldn't like to think I was taking the place because someone was very ill. Thanks

If it is hip or knee OP it has been the most wonderful life-changer and worth every agonising minute of the post op physio! I've done nearly four hours of serious off road dog walking on Salisbury Plain today - can't believe that just fourteen months ago I was tottering on two walking sticks and going down a staircase was excruciating!

I sometimes wonder if it goes to those who make the most nuisance of themselves.

Twice recently, when I've called to chase an NHS appointment, I've been told 'oh actually we have a cancellation today/tomorrow if you can make it' . These weren't operations but tests or consultations I'd been waiting so long for, I'd started to wonder if I was lost in the system, hence my call.

I also wonder if, had I not called, the spot would have gone to waste rather than being given to the next person on the list.

Usually the Inpatient Waiting List Manager for your speciality will look at replacement patients, in our Directorate the Surgeon would also be involved in deciding an appropriate replacement. It wouldn't necessarily be the longest waiter as the operation would need to fit the time slot, staffing skills, equipment available. But patients would be looked at in order from the longest waiting and working down until a suitable patient was found.

Cancellations can happen for loads of reasons:

Theatre cancellations: so your original theatre list could have been cancelled and the Directorate have negotiated a new theatre time, hence you've been brought forward into the new slot.
People do get ill and even minor problems can stop operations
Have other medical priorities
Move away or sadly, die.
Some people go private so no longer need the operation, so will get sent a date then ring in to cancel.

It's great you've got a hospital date, I hope it all goes well for you OP

When I had an operation I was asked if I wanted to go on the back up list for cancellations. So I did, and had it within a month.

Wow Alpaca that sounds amazing. It is my hip. I had the other one done last year which helped heaps, but this one has got to the point of really needing replacing now too. I tried to put it off as long as I could as they only last so long. I am looking forward to spring and being able to walk about! Which did you have done?

Haha Bestseller I didnt honest! That is interesting though. I had to cancel an endocrinology appointment because of this op and the next appoint was not until April. So I asked if I could go on the cancellation list. The lady said the best thing to do is ring up from time to time. I don't know if that would annoy them, wasting time having to answer the phone constantly for people wanting cancellations? Maybe someone has advice? My GP tells me phone lines are a big problem at my surgery.

Thank you Purple my Mum's first reaction when I told her was someone has died, so it made me feel a bit awful. Good to know it may be something minor. It is on Monday so getting a bit nervous.

Yes That's what I got asked too Charley seems it is worth saying yes, or asking to go on the list, well at least for this type of surgery.

Although I haven’t worked on this particular ward for a few years it used to work like this.
We had a ward diary and it had a list of names on the day for patients to come in.
Monday
Mary Brown - bowel surgery
Mary Smith - Gallstones
Mary green - bowel surgery
If we had patients going home then we looked to see who was getting the bed. Cancer patients got them first.
The patients had to ring in the morning to see if we had a bed. Obviously they were upset if we didn’t. We put them through to the bed manager and let her sort it.
Sometimes the patient couldn’t have the op due to change in health, then we gave it to someone else in the diary. If no other name in diary out lying patient or A&E admission.