Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

That my surgeon was switched?

56 replies

AMBE123 · 12/04/2019 08:16

MENU
Mumsnet

Talk AIBU?
That my surgeon was switched1
Today 00:21 AMBE123

Ok so I recently had to have colo-rectal surgery. The surgeon (I'll call him Dr A) came to see me when I was admitted and explained what they were doing, then the anaesthetist came and introduced himself etc. Happy so far and they took me down for the op an hour later. I was a bit puzzled that the doctor didn't come round after the surgery to explain what they'd done, how it went etc as I thought from past experience that this was a thing, but the nurse read his notes and told me what they said before they sent me home.
So this was a week ago and I have just read the discharge letter and it says that another Dr (Dr B) did the surgery. AIBU to feel like I was misled and they switched on me? I know it's the NHS and there's no guarantee of a particular doctor, but I do feel a bit that if a Dr is going to be up my bum doing nasty things while I'm unconscious, the least he could do is introduce himself first.

(What makes it worse is that I met the Dr who it now turns out did the surgery at the previous visit; he was rude, abrupt and I just didn't trust him, which is a very very rare reaction for me.)
I feel like I was deceived about who would be doing the surgery. I know what matters is that whoever does it can do a good job, but it just still doesn't sit right with me.
Any medical people here - is this normal practice in the NHS? I lived abroad for a few years so maybe my expectations got skewed.....

OP posts:
Original poster
AMBE123 · 12/04/2019 08:17

(Sorry for pasted menu at top of message, I posted earlier but it didn't appear so cut and pasted to try again...)

OP posts:
multiplemum3 · 12/04/2019 08:20

Maybe he finished his shift, had an emergency surgery come in, had a family emergency. As long as the surgery went well does it matter?

Cwtches123 · 12/04/2019 08:24

Was one the consultant leading the team and the other one of the team?

BalloonSlayer · 12/04/2019 08:24

I would be unnerved to but you it's likely to be either:

  • They are part of the same surgical team and DrB, knowing he gas a terrible bedside manner, asked Dr A to do the pattention chats for him.

Or, more likely:

  • Dr B is the team leader or consultant so the letter automatically had his name on it, but he didn't do the surgery, Dr A did.
BalloonSlayer · 12/04/2019 08:25

Bloody autocorrect sorry!

"Patient chats." The rest you can probably work out.

SuchAToDo · 12/04/2019 08:26

Op to have surgery means you sign a consent form and if you signed a consent form stating dr A was doing it and then they wheeled you all the way to operating theatre with you still believe g dr A was doing it, then you was put to sleep and dr B did it...then you need answers and to put in a complaint, because how long does it take to say your dr isn't available will you consent to dr B doing it today?

I'd be wondering why the drs were switched...don't let it go, use PALS at the hospital to help you get some answers, they did an Intimate procedure and you wasn't informed or consent to the other dr doing that to you

opinionatedfreak · 12/04/2019 08:27

Agree with previous poster.

Was one of the surgeons a registrar and the other a consultant?

Consultants names go on the letters usually.

CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson · 12/04/2019 08:32

I'm a surgeon.

I totally understand why you feel like this and ideally you should have been fully aware of who was doing the operation.

I suspect a pp is correct though, that b is the consultant (which is why the letter is in their name) and a another member of the team.

Again ideally one of the team should have come to see you afterwards, but this doesn't always work out. For example this week I didn't get back in time to see 2 of my patients because they were discharged home before my operating list finished.

The comment below by a pp is just not true though:

Op to have surgery means you sign a consent form and if you signed a consent form stating dr A was doing it and then they wheeled you all the way to operating theatre with you still believe g dr A was doing it, then you was put to sleep and dr B did it...then you need answers and to put in a complaint, because how long does it take to say your dr isn't available will you consent to dr B doing it today?

The consent form doesn't say this at all. In fact it explicitly says that there is no guarantee who will do the procedure but that they will have appropriate training.

If you're still not happy or have questions you could call either your consultants secretary or pals who will be able to look into this for you. All the best for your recovery

User457990033gYpovd7 · 12/04/2019 08:34

If you sign a consent form I thought you were just consenting to the actual surgery and to acknowledge the risks had been pointed out to you.

Is it the case that you are actually consenting to the doctor who talked it through and countersigned it actually performing the surgery? I don't know but would love to.

Isn't there more than one doctor in the theatre with more junior doctors assisting or taking on certain parts of procedures? They aren't stated on consent forms.

CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson · 12/04/2019 08:43

@User457990033gYpovd7 you are absolutely correct. You are consenting to the operation outlined on the consent form but explicitly with no guarantee who will do it (other than that they will have had appropriate training)

CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson · 12/04/2019 08:45

And @User457990033gYpovd7 also spot on with this:

Isn't there more than one doctor in the theatre with more junior doctors assisting or taking on certain parts of procedures? They aren't stated on consent forms

Sawyershair · 12/04/2019 08:47

Yes agree with the above. Our consultants do the nitty gritty bits but it’s the junior doctors doing the rest of it, the bread and butter bits!

Also the junior doctors who come around before and after the surgery

The consultants just appear godlike, whip out their scalpels, perform a miracle and disappear off again Wink

Trills · 12/04/2019 08:48

up my bum doing nasty things while I'm unconscious

This is an odd way to talk about surgery.

LillithsFamiliar · 12/04/2019 08:50

It could have been that the surgeon you liked was present at some point so I'd try not to worry about it. I hope your recovery is going well Flowers

Sawyershair · 12/04/2019 08:51

Actually we have a consultant who will cancel his theatre list if he doesn’t have someone to assist him.

They really don’t do the surgery themselves, it’s pretty standard

Langrish · 12/04/2019 08:53

Does it matter? Wouldn’t have cared who did my mastectomy as long as they were qualified and did a good job. I expect your surgeon was/did. Just be thankful for the NHS is my motto!

And ps: seriously doubt that a surgeon would do “nasty things up your bum” 🙄

polarpig · 12/04/2019 08:54

You only get the guarantee of the surgeon you want if you pay to go private, at least in my experience when my mother needed surgery that wasn't available on the NHS.

Singlenotsingle · 12/04/2019 08:54

So long as the surgery was successful, with no problems afterwards, why does it matter who did it?

LakieLady · 12/04/2019 09:00

I've never expected the consultant to be the one actually doing the surgery, but for my last three operations, they did. I was really chuffed, as the one who operated on my wrist is regarded as one of the best surgeons in the country when it comes to hands, and he did a fantastic (and very fiddly) job. (I've seen the x-rays and he managed to get an awful lot of screws into a very small bit of bone.)

I must admit, I do feel very reassured when it's the consultant who carries out an operation, but then all those consultants were junior doctors once. Their skills don't suddenly materialise overnight when they get promoted.

JessieMcJessie · 12/04/2019 09:00

I can see why it’s unnerving (especially given the particularly invasive type of surgery you had) but you’re probably a bit unreasonable to think that the surgical team did anything wrong. As others have said, maybe a chat with PALS at the hospital would help?

JessieMcJessie · 12/04/2019 09:01

PA hope you feel better soon.

viques · 12/04/2019 09:08

I hope your surgery went well OP and that you are recovering well.

I think that the hospital reality tv shows have a lot to answer for in terms of people's expectations versus reality. It's all very well seeing consultants popping in to see their patients for heartwarming chats and handholding before and after procedures, but in reality we know that doesn't happen, that they are busy with over booked clinics, surgeries, admin, private work, hospital committees, teaching etc etc and barely have time to eat and breathe. As other posters have said, it is junior doctors, and registrars who do the heavy lifting in terms of patient contact..

BottleOfJameson · 12/04/2019 09:08

I think surgery is always unnerving, especially this kind of surgery. However the surgery team did nothing wrong. If an emergency comes up and the original surgeon is needed elsewhere of course they go and you still get the surgery performed by a qualified surgeon.

Original poster
AMBE123 · 12/04/2019 09:14

Thanks, I believe that Dr A is the consultant and Dr B was one of his team, but all my letters referred to Dr A's clinic and as he came around before the op I was under the impression he was the surgeon for that day. He didn't specifically say it would be him, but he also didn't say it could be anyone in his team. I guess I'll know next time.

OP posts:
JaneEyre07 · 12/04/2019 09:15

I'd say Dr A was the Consultant, and Dr B was a member of his staff.

I also can't see why you're annoyed if the surgery went well?