To assume my operation isn't going ahead?

[NotSureWhatImDoing]

Reposted here from Health board for traffic
I wonder if anyone can help?

I am due for surgery on Wednesday for prolapse repair. The news came out last week that all non urgent operations are to be cancelled until the end of the month.

Do I assume that mine will definitely not go ahead? I've not had a letter or phone call advising me either way so I'm a bit in limbo.
I haven't been able to contact anyone to get a straight answer, it's all been quite stressful as I've been waiting 4 years for this procedure, have arranged work cover and had to sort childcare arrangements and I'm just not sure what's happening now.

Can anyone shed any light on this for me? Is it an absolute blanket cancellation, regardless of whether I've actually received a letter or phone call?

Unless they contact you, assume it will go ahead. I appreciate it leaves you in limbo and how important it is for your wellbeing to sort this problem. As well as the time off and childcare headache, not easy!

There are a lot of very poorly people in hospital beds. Their care can’t be postponed, hence the cancellations of all overnight stay elective surgeries.
I’m so sorry this is happening, I can only imagine how frustrating this must be for you :( But in reistating the lists, cancellations are taken into consideration, so you will have your operation. I hope you’ll have an easy recovery and your quality of life improves :)

You need to speak to someone I think. There's a good chance it will be but I reckon most hospitals will be different in their capacity.

Did you have a pre-op assessment? You could try their number tomorrow or pals if you're unsure where to go for an answer.

I really think you need to contact the hospital or consultant's office as I very much doubt anyone on here will have the answer.

Unless they tell you otherwise then follow the instructions on the letter you already have. Of course it can still be cancelled on the day but for now I would presume it’s going ahead.

The likelihood is they will not know until the date or slightly before your operation. Most hospitals are running on black alert. However whether elective operations are cancelled or not is usually made on a day to day basis and then they need to prioritise from previous cancellations. I would assume until they call you or you call them that it is going ahead. However I suspect they won’t be able to tell you until 24-48hours before you planned procedure.

I also think it depends on the bed situation on the day, sadly.

I'm in Wales and had a scheduled surgery planned. As advised, I rang the ward 7.30 am to check it was still going ahead. They said yes, come to the ward for 1pm. Got there, waited to one side, checked again that all was going ahead. Yes they said, just waiting for the bed. So, DH can go home? ( we live 40miles away and DS needed picking up) Yes, he can go.

Not 20minutes after he had left, they told me it was cancelled due to no bed. Fuming wasn't in it.

So, I hope it goes ahead for you, but just be prepared mentally that it can go to the wire. FWIW I've had Prolapse surgery and I wish you success and a great recovery. Don't do too much too soon!

Yes YABU to assume.

Call in the morning.

I think the advice given was unless you're contacted to say it isn't going ahead, turn up as advised in your letter.

I would ring the department tomorrow and ask. In our area things aren’t as bad as others - I went to A n E last weekend and was seen and treated and sent home in 2.5 hours (!) so I would assume whatever you read about the nhs in the news applies to all areas.

Wouldn’t - not would.

There is not a blanket NHS wide cancellation policy on all elective surgery. If your Trust can do the surgery they will do otherwise it just causes issues further down the line for them. I would assume you are having the surgery unless told otherwise.

Thank you all for your responses.

I have tried to call my consultant's Secretary on several occasions but I couldn't get through. It was who I was advised to call should I need to speak to anyone about the op, hence why I've posted here on the off chance anyone else who is awaiting surgery may have been contacted to let them know. Just not sure what the procedure would be.

My letter outlined that in normal circumstances surgeries may be cancelled upon your arrival due to lack of beds etc, so I'm kind of prepared for either outcome I guess. I'm just nervous and its hard not knowing one way or the other I suppose.

Yes, I've had my pre op a few days ago, but this was before the news broke out

Thanks again all

If you had the pre op then I’d say they are hoping to go ahead.

I had scheduled surgery in January a few years ago although in a specialist hospital. The first date was postponed the day before. Second time around I waited all day to hear if I’d be admitted that evening. Eventually I was asked to arrive at 7am on the day of surgery. I was consented and prepped in out patients and walked straight up into theatre. For quite extensive neurosurgery. It was quite surreal. They were still arguing about where I was actually going in recovery but a bed was found. Not ideal but that’s what happens when running at 100% capacity unfortunately.

Good luck.

Thank you!

I think what's stressing me out the most is that when I drop my 4 year old to school on the morning of the op, I'm not able to tell him whether I'll see him that afternoon or if it'll be several days until he's home with me again (he's being looked after while I recover)

Plus, work are going to be seriously pissed off if they then have to shuffle everything around again if it is cancelled. Gah!

It’s always a bit of a lottery with elective surgery. My mum has had serious operations cancelled on the day in the past and it is really stressful so I don’t envy you your position. It’s hard to psych yourself up for surgery and put everything in place to then be disappointed. I have my fingers crossed for you. Try not to worry about work if it is rescheduled it’s not your fault and they can’t hold it against you!

Where are you? My trust has cancelled all non urgent operations at the moment. Patients were phoned on Friday, but if your consultant's PA doesn't work on a Friday, they may do it Monday.
Sorry, it is shit but there really isn't anything we can do about it at the moment.

Just checking you’re in England? As I know that this is happening far less in Scotland.

I'm Heart of England trust.

Yeah I know none of this can be helped and I'm fully aware that there's people much much worse off than I am. I'm just clutching at straws as I'm so anxious about having the op anyway.
I'll just have to sit tight!

Assume it’s going ahead until someone contacts you to say otherwise and be prepared that you may be contacted very very last minute, maybe even when you’re at the hospital.

My Trust has cancelled all elective non-urgent surgeries but we always hold out hope we’ll be able to do them until we know 100% that we can’t. Decisions are made on an hourly basis, the situation is so dire at the moment

I hope it does go ahead for you. The staff will know how frustrating and infuriating it is for you and will be feeling terrible.

Thank you for your well wishes, very kind

I'd prepare for it to be postponed unfortunately. It is not a day case, not an emergency or an urgent case.

My local gynae ward is full of medical patients with only a miniscule percentage being actual gynae patients.