To ask anyone in the NHS how day surgery lists are determined?

[ScuderiaSedici]

As above

I’m not bothered by that. I’d rather not get it than sit and wait for 12 hours in a day surgery unit.

Would agree with this! Quite a lot of variables. Good luck !

You can't need the surgery that badly if you are prepared to get up and leave 🙄

My son's last surgery which was his only planned surgery was quite early in the day but the surgeon had previously operated on him and she'd had him on her list for this date for months. He also had to fast for 2 days before the surgery as opposed to just the night before so they wanted him down ASAP as he was really, really struggling with not eating.

Are you serious? Do you think it’s a nail appointment?

I had a minor procedure last year. In the hospital for 7:30am, didn’t go to theatre until about 3pm. It’s was boring, and incredibly cold, but otherwise fine. Lots of podcasts, a magazine and a book for company. Was home by 7pm, and gobbled down some pasta carbonara.

Fortunately how much tax you pay will not influence anything.
You are also choosing to over-fast.

I think that simple, non complex surgeries should be done asap, instead of leaving me to sit and fast for hours upon hours, just to cancel!

I'm assuming that you are a bit anxious about this - its making you sound more than a little entitled and unreasonable though!

You may well usually eat your evening meal at a certain time, but that doesn't mean you can't eat supper shortly before the time the hospital has set your fasting time. It's a simple and sensible way to reduce hunger if you are waiting longer than expected.

You obviously want the procedure done or you wouldn't have got this far. Don't mess people around (and put yourself back to square one) by walking out of there is a delay. Bring a book/podcast etc and plan a lovely meal for afterwards. Hope the op goes well!

I wil eat dinner at the normal time and then that’s that - im not going to gorge on food.

I wil eat dinner at the normal time and then that’s that - im not going to gorge on food.

I wil eat dinner at the normal time and then that’s that - im not going to gorge on food.

If you genuinely think making people sit until evening without eating is humane or okay, then that’s on you.

Think of the flip side of that. Should someone who is in pain, with issues that are affecting their everyday life, who's facing a risky surgery, complications and/or lengthy recovery have to wait all day worrying about their op, or be taken asap?

But that could easily be the case with a future appointment by that argument?

If you have a morning slot the likelihood is that your surgeon will have other commitments in the afternoon and the unit will be busy admitting the afternoon list patients by 1pm. Day units tend to run a very tight ship.

Are you the same poster having difficulty with your father? If so please just have a snack before bed, tell him clearly that you will be in contact when you are ready ( actually probably the staff will) and take along something to occupy you. You really are overthinking this entire thing. You go in, wait your turn and then go home when you’re ready. All done.

That sounds patronising but it’s just the truth.

Same for both me and DD.

I guess a lot depends on who else is on the list!

I was giving priority once as id travelled further when others where cancelled and sent home

I’m in pain everyday. I have issues affecting my everyday life.

I’d also rather the staff just did their jobs.

I’ve just had surgery on a day unit and my care was excellent. The nurses were wonderful. They certainly don’t deserve your attitude and walking out at 2pm if you, a non clinical person, doesn’t get what you think you deserve when you want it.

They honestly don’t get paid enough for that.

Then surely they should just operate on me, instead of leaving me sat there till 6pm!

Then surely they should just operate on me, instead of leaving me sat there till 6pm!

What on earth do you mean?

I’m out.

You’d be surprised how many people waste NHS time with this entitled attitude. “Would not wait” is a sadly used to often reason for cancellation on the day and results in wastage annd elongated waits. Just FYI, if you refuse to wait you’ll go back to bottom of the waiting list. Though to be fair, the biggest reason for cancellations on the day is patients not fit for surgery (coughs/colds/ not followed pre op advice re meds), would not wait is definitely not the majority. But you do see it more in the simpler cases/LA/injections, rather than those waiting for say hip surgery or major abdominal surgery.

conversely, many people wait all day if that’s what it takes as they’re so desperate to be treated. Issues come up some times on the day meaning the list don’t go to plan. For example, with the hot weather recently, one of our theatres broke and the only space we had was in the afternoon, so people had to wait. Cancers were on the morning lists and we couldn’t cancel them, just because someone else had paid their taxes/fasted and therefore should go first.

i absolutely get your frustration and anxiety re list order, wait time and fasting. Not much worse than being hungry! So many factors determine list order and it quite often changes on the day: kit availability, anaesthetist caught in traffic so start off with the LA cases instead, urgent case being added.

if it’s a morning session though you’ll know well before 2 if you’re being cancelled - more like 10:30/11 at the latest.

Wish you all the luck and hope all goes to plan and you are first on the list. There’s more adults/non-diabetic, non transport patients so chances are you’d be really unlucky to have that combo on the same list as you