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AIBU?

To be annoyed with the hospital for making me wait again?

38 replies

newmama2018 · 21/02/2018 11:56

I have been on the waiting list for fertility surgery for nearly two years now and finally we got the call to say next month was my date. Whilst I was nervous it's has been heartbreaking ttc for three years and not getting anywhere so was pinning my hopes on this.

Today however I got a call to say there has been an emergency booking and they have had to give my place away. She said unfortunately I'll have to go back on the waiting list and I've lost my place so will have to wait again. As a kindness she has put me down as a cancellation possibility for the 2019 list.

I'm really really upset now and quite annoyed that it was December 2015 we started asking for help and now I'm back at the beginning again. Can I complain to anyone?

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TipsNotHacks · 21/02/2018 19:39

What I’m trying to say is that if it is this procedure you may find that your hospital operates in a similar way so there is no reason why you’d have to go back to the starting line to wait for it.

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MyDcAreMarvel · 21/02/2018 19:41

You should be back st the top of the list, it makes no sense.

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milliemolliemou · 21/02/2018 19:45

Agree with other PPs you should phone again to clarify and ask for them to send you an email confirming what was said. Insist on this.

If it's as you've described then certainly go to PALS and the Chief Executive.

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eurochick · 21/02/2018 19:46

I agree with everyone else. This makes no sense at all.

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Pythonesque · 21/02/2018 19:51

Years ago - and in a different country - my mother was waiting for elective surgery. More than once she was postponed, and on one occasion she postponed it herself as my younger sister had ended up seriously ill and hospitalised. Finally she left a message for her consultant to say, since it kept getting cancelled she'd manage without so take her off. He had her in for her op within a few days - he'd had no idea she was being postponed, and was horrified as he viewed her case as very urgent although it was nominally "elective".

Hope you can chase up the admin side and follow through far enough to get this sorted out in reasonable time!

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newmama2018 · 21/02/2018 21:55

Sorry I was at work. Reading all the comments now xx

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newmama2018 · 21/02/2018 22:11

Ok read it all.

They apparently have a long list of patients and have already allocated spaces for the remaining year (cancellations are offered out on a priority basis) she said 2019 is the next lost and I have been put on there as I won't meet the criteria for priority treatment.

It's fertility treatment and treating my endometriosis and PID. Until my UTI's become more frequent than twice a month I won't be a massive urgent need.

Finding the money to go private is a slow process as we have just moved house and used our savings as a deposit. As it's new I doubt we would get a further loan! Ironically by the time we've saved £7500 it will probably be next year anyway 🤦🏼‍♀️

Thank you for all the advice. I have been at work all day and asked a couple of people there what they thought. Another girl had the same experience and eventually got back to the top. However my line manager had said that she will wave the two week notice for LOA so I can tell the hospital that I will be available on a days notice if they have a cancellation last minute. Don't know if that would make a difference but someone suggested that there's not many who would be able to drop everything at super short notice.

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HobnobBob · 21/02/2018 22:15

If your surgery is cancelled you do not go to the bottom of the list, it just doesn’t work like that. I’ve worked in surgery for years and have never known this happen. You get the next available date. I would get on the phone first thing tomorrow OP and find out what is going on. Go to PALS if necessary.

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newmama2018 · 21/02/2018 22:23

@HobnobBob I asked her if I would get the next available slot and she said the list has been completed for this year and I'm not priority for cancellations. She has promised me I will be first on when they reach the 2019 list so it'll be the first couple of months.

I was upset then but now I've calmed down I understand that there must be loads in my situation and I should be grateful I'm even on the list.

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Talkingfrog · 21/02/2018 22:26

I can understand the need to sometimes prioritise someone, but it seems unfair to put you back that far.
I can understand that logistically it would be a nightmare to rearrange every appointment that has been given, but that isn't really your problem. When was your appointment given out? On the assumption that they issue all appointments around the same time in advance, yours should be the next one to be allocated. I doubt they have already issue appointments for the rest of the year yet.
If you confirm and they say the same, find out what the complaints procedure is/ask to speak to the manager.
Good luck

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newmama2018 · 21/02/2018 22:43

@Talkingfrog I was told the first week back after new year that I was on the list and would be down for 14th March. I got the call today saying there had been an emergency and I had been cancelled but would be reallocated on the 2019 list but wasn't a priority.

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2rebecca · 21/02/2018 22:50

That sounds very unfair, I can understand if you had cancelled but it sounds as though their policy of booking slots for a year is silly if they have to cancel some appointment and they should just do 3 months at a time. I would complain officially as the system is unfair, if they had to cancel then they should slot you in as a priority, OK not the next week but not next year.

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Talkingfrog · 21/02/2018 23:29

That seems a ridiculous way of allocating appointments. If they are allocating for a whole year in advance they should leave space for emergency cases. If they have not allocated for the whole year, I don't understand why they can't give you the next post they allocate.
Also, I would be wanting to know how they decided that you should be pushed back down the list, instead of someone before or after you.
Could you make a list of questions and ask to speak to someone more senior to get them answered? If you could follow it up in email or writing and get a response you have it on black and white if you need to take it further. Good luck.
When we were waiting for ivf the first consultant we saw (a stand in) said we had been put on the waiting list then, so would be waiting while tests were being done. When we saw the consultant after the tests he said we were being added to the list then. I explained what we had been told earlier and when he looked back there was a letter to our gp to say we had been added to the list. Not sure who was right but the consultant said he would add us to the list from the date of the letter. There was a difference of 9 months. It can work to question what you are being told.