NHS surgery waiting lists - Does anyone know the system?

[Easy]

I don't think we can do anything, but .....
My mum is waiting for a hip replacement. She came to the top of the list in June. When she went to the hospital for her pre-op exam, she asked if she would be fit to go on her planned holiday in September. The nurse said that if she wanted to go then, they would advise her to defer, they would get her back in later.

She's come up the list again, had her pre-op exam today, and been told she's scheduled for 20th Dec. and will spend Christmas in hospital. She's absolutely distraught (it's the hospital my father was in before he died, which makes it worse).
They've told her that if she chooses to defer again, she'll go back to the bottom of the list. They didn't say anything about that last time.

We live about 230 miles away from her, and the hosp is another 30 miles on from that, so it will be difficult to spend time with her on Christmas day, esp. with a 5 year old.

I thought the hospitals always tried to clear the wards before Christmas anyway, so they could reduce staffing.

I know the health service is under pressure, and I'm not being prissy about it, but can we do anything?

Easy, the best thing to do would be to contact the consultant or his secretary and explain the situation. Explain that you will have difficulty visiting and ask to defer until after Christmas.There is no reason to put your mum back to the bottom of the waiting list, if she gives them plenty of notice that the date is not convenient. The consultant should have no difficulty finding someone who wants to be in over Christmas (old person, no family or antisocial bugger who hates the season, or person of another faith who isn't bothered). That will mean that everyone on the waiting list will move up one space. Unfortunately, we don't try and clear the wards for Christmas; that would mean that everyone would have to wait at least two weeks longer for their surgery.

Thanx tissy, for the inside info.

My mum rang me on her mobile from the hospital car park, totally in pieces.

She's got home Now. I suggested she rang her consultant's secretary, which she has done. The secretary said the rule about moving her to the bottom of the list was "bullshit" !!! (wow, strong words).

The secvretary says my mum needs to ring the hospital admissions office, and ask them, who should be able to do something. If she get's nowhere there, I'm going to try ringing her GP about it.

We're particularly worried cos she's verged on depression since my dad died a few years ago, and she's VERY scared (won't admit it), cos I had a new hip last year, which broke, and it's taken me 18 months to get any sort of normality back.