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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To go into the hospital and demand they sort this out now?

94 replies

BandOMothers · 21/12/2011 17:40

DH went into hospital at midnight on Sunday having broken his hip in a fall...he is still lyng there now and has repeatedly been bumped off the list for surgery.

This is his 4th night now and he is in pain...not only his hip but his back and neck....he's been lying still for 3 days and 3 nights....in the same position. I have just accepted it every time they had to take him off the list as I know they are stretched and have smetimes to decide another case is more desperate...but in my opinion after three days HE is more important.

Tomorrow is day 4....and if they dont garantee that he is donein the morning I and he are tempted to remove him and have him wait at home...he is very down...and I want to go to the to the press too. WHat can do? I feel so devestated.

OP posts:
YonderRevoltingPeasantWhoIsHe · 21/12/2011 17:47

:( Do you know which consultant/ surgeon will operate on him? If so you could try his/her secretary; they might be able to fill you in on what's going on. Or ring up your GP?

The thing is, you can't just march in there and collar the ward clerk or whoever, as they'll have naff all to do with who has surgery when. You might try making some calls though.

catsareevil · 21/12/2011 17:49

It wouldnt be safe to take him home. Can you contact PALS? Ask to speak to the consultant? Request that they transfer him to another hospital for the op?

Dozer · 21/12/2011 17:50

Sounds v stressful and horrible, maybe try complaining and asking to speak to a senior doctor? Even if they can't prioritise his surgery maybe they can make him more comfortable.

Original poster
BandOMothers · 21/12/2011 17:59

I ddon't think him lying there in a ward whch was recently closed with a Noro virus outbreak is healthy either...he is basically healing and becoming weaker...if they do not do his surgery then why keep him? Either he needs it or he doesn't....they can't keep him and ignore him ffs.

I am going in tonight and asking to see a doctor....I have spoken to the ward manager and she is trying her best and agrees it's not good enough....I am livid that theyve left him like this....I was patient and calm the first 3 times they put surgery off but this is it and Im not being quiet now.

OP posts:
mousysantamouse · 21/12/2011 18:01

pals might be a good idea.
sorry you and your dh have to go through this.
hopefully he will have surgery tomorrow.

DaisySteiner · 21/12/2011 18:02

That sounds pretty awful tbh. I would also be asking what they're doing to prevent pressure sores developing - if he's lying in the same position and isn't being turned he is at risk.

Sirzy · 21/12/2011 18:02

As frustrating as it is if emergencies come in then less urgent things get pushed down the list.

Your dh needs to talk to the surgeon and find out whats going on and ensue they know he is in a lot of pain etc

Hope it's sorted soon

catsareevil · 21/12/2011 18:05

It may be that if you go in after 5 you will not be able to speak to anyone who has any control over when your DH gets his op, as it will probably just be on-call staff by then, who may have no direct ongoing involvement in your DH care.

Fresh01 · 21/12/2011 18:28

This happened my granny when she broke her hip in her late eighties a couple of years ago. She had to wait on a ward, stuck lying completely flat for at least 5 days. The nurses were apologetic but it was winter, emergency cases understandably get priority for theatre time and the other priority was open fractures due to risk of infection. Hers was a closed fracture and not emergency hence she could wait. Very fustrating for all involved but maybe ask to speak to his consultant and make sure they have his pain under control.

slavetofilofax · 21/12/2011 18:32

I really feel for you.

Definately phone PALS, they are very helpful even when you are spitting with rage or are in tears. I would also ask find out who the surgeons likely to be operating are, and speak to all of their secretarys.

PeaceofCakeAndGoodWineToAllMN · 21/12/2011 18:35

The last time I had problems getting a loved one the care that she needed (they left her in a side ward, unable to move and severely dehydrated) I emailed the chief executive and went ballistic, legal action, negligence etc. It worked though and she was very, very rapidly put onto a drip.

I'm so sorry your dh is going through this, it's rediculous.

AnyoneforTurps · 21/12/2011 19:29

YANBU -this is not acceptable - there is a lot of evidence that delaying surgery leads to worse outcomes. Go to PALS and make a fuss.

There is no point ringing your GP - we have absolutely no control over what happens in hospital. There is probably not much point contacting the consultant either - s/he is probably just as angry as you are about the delay. The problem is likely to be that the hospital has not got enough operating theatres running. They need to bring in more staff, which is a decision only senior managers can take. PALS can help you.

MrsBradleyJames · 21/12/2011 19:44

Unfortunately I do agree that it's worth making a fuss. I say unfortunately because ideally the system would work and your poor DH wouldn't be in this position - but sadly, in the NHS, in my experience, the more fuss you make the sooner you will get seen.
A friend recently bumped right to the top of a waiting list for her son, not because his case was more urgent or anything had changed, but as she was told "you're the only one who keeps phoning"............

tholeon · 21/12/2011 19:50

it is tough but normal I'm afraid. DS had to have cardiac surgery as a baby - we got him washed and ready in a special surgery gown, couldn't feed him for hours (and obv couldn't explain why to him) & had to psych ourselves up for small but real chance that he might never come back from operating table- only to be bumped twice at the last minute by immediate life threatening emergencies. I never thought of complaining, they saved his life in the end.

littleducks · 21/12/2011 19:57

This sounds similar to the situation that lead to many orthopedic surgeons quitting a London hospital recently, I cant remember the details but it was in all the papers.

AnyoneforTurps · 21/12/2011 20:01

This is not about making a fuss because of inconvenience or to jump the queue. Delaying your DH's surgery is detrimental to his health. Of course life-threatening emergencies come first, but - if the hospital has to keep "bumping" him from the list for emergencies - this is a sign that they need to open up more theatres (I don't mean create new ones - there are bound to be spare theatres that are not being used).

You are absolutely right to make a fuss, OP.

CarolCervix · 21/12/2011 20:06

there may be spare theatres not being used but who do you think is going to staff them? Do you think there are spare surgeons, anasthetists, nurses, assistants, porters and cleaners just sitting around drinking coffee?
how many people do you think need to be actually present for major surgery?

No, It isn't good enough but if there is not the staff available there's simply nothing the hospital can do about it. Make a fuss but don't expect anything to come of it.

CarolCervix · 21/12/2011 20:08

But it is shite and not good enough.

hope it gets done tonight.

hollyonthesleigh · 21/12/2011 20:08

This happened to my dh three years ago,he broke his leg on the 17th december ,was scheduled for surgery the next day,it was postponed,this happened three times before he kicked off at the consultant on the 23 rd december and was finally operated on,on the 24 th december,so was in hospital for Christmas,minf you he cant rememeber much of it as he was dosed up to the eyeballs on morphine.I hope uour dh gets his op soon.

AnyoneforTurps · 21/12/2011 20:14

Carol, having actually been a surgical trainee, I'm well-aware of the staffing requirements for surgery. All hospitals that take trauma should have escalation plans to allow them to increase non-elective theatre capacity when necessary. I bet you anything you like that - while the OP's DH has been waiting - non-urgent elective surgery has been taking place because the hospital doesn't want to get fined for breaching waiting list targets. This is totally unacceptable - clinical need should trump targets - but hospitals get away with it because there is not yet a national target for fixing NOF fractures.

etJeviensEntretesReindeers · 21/12/2011 20:25

I'm really sorry it's been postponed again. I saw your thread earlier.

Let us know how you get on x

agedknees · 21/12/2011 20:28

Go in tomorrow and ask for appointment with the Chief Exec. Seriously. There is no point in complaining to ward staff. They have absolutely no power over who goes to theatre and who does not. Aim for the top - the person who earns a fat cat salary and allows people to lie in pain for endless days on a hospital ward because they are too mean with money/budgets to allow more trauma time in operating theatres.

Hope your dh gets his op soon.

CarolCervix · 21/12/2011 20:30

and put any complaints in writing and copy to head of nursing, consultant, pALS and Chief executive.

Original poster
BandOMothers · 21/12/2011 21:02

They have put an "incident form" in...the manager told me she was speaking to consultants who would go to see hm this evening...and I am supposed to call her in the morning at 8...I dont know what to do as the nurse tonight told me there's still no garantee they'll do him in the morning...i don't know how to emal the chief exec....all I can think is to call in the morning and threaten legal action...

OP posts:
PeaceofCakeAndGoodWineToAllMN · 21/12/2011 21:15

Google the hospital's details, it will tell you who the chief executive is. It took me a while, it's all on the web though.