Is this a way to shorten the waiting list?

[Toddlersarehardwork]

I am really upset today for my mum.
She has been waiting for over a year for a hysterectomy and prolapse repair.
Her operation is in 8 days and today she had an appointment with the doctor who will be doing the operation. She was expecting a short appointment to go through the surgical consent and to be able to ask questions.
At my mum's appointment today she was asked why she was there, because she didn't have cancer. Why did she want the operation as the pessary was managing symptoms. She should cancel the surgery today or tomorrow so that the slot could be given to someone else. At the end of the appointment my mum was told that she should cancel today, but that if she decided to have the operation, the doctor would do it.
At no point was the operation discussed. Mum does not know what would actually be done, and they didn't go through the consent forms. The doctor did do a scan when my mum said that her bleeding had started again and said that it wasn't coming from the womb.
My mum is now in a really difficult place. If she has the operation next week, this is the doctor that will do it. Mum is so shaken by her manner today that I don't think she can face seeing her. She has no time to think or get any other medical advice.
I feel that this is a way to get my mum off the waiting list. She struggles with her prolapses and wants to get them repaired. Each time she has bleeding she is sent for a hysteroscopy, which has to be done under general anaesthetic. Last time the hysterectomy was recommended. The doctor that mum saw today was part of the team that recommended mum have this surgery.
I am really worried that mum will cancel the operation as she is scared of having to see this doctor after being told that she should cancel and I can't actually see a way that my mum could proceed at this point. I am worried that her prolapses will get worse in the future and that she will have another wait of over a year for an operation while she is getting older and may be unfit for an operation in the future.
Has anyone had a similar experience or have any advice for her next steps?

Go to your MP.

That’s appalling. I’d suggest she talks to her GP and complains to PALS. She could join the Hysterectomy Sisters facebook group also where she might get advice. Deffo talk to PALS though as that sounds hugely unprofessional and a way of pressuring her off the waiting list.

Oh and she should go ahead with the surgery

Thank you so much. It really helps that other people also think that this is not right.

So sorry for your mum. Of course she should go ahead with the operation, but also put in a complaint. That's appalling. As if women don't have enough issues with the medical profession not taking our concerns seriously... I wish her a speedy recovery.

This sounds like an awful situation for your mum. I would contact PALS to make a complaint. I wonder if the Dr is concerned about quality of life before op vs quality of life after surgery if they feel the pessary is working for her? Regardless though, this has been handled in a terrible manner!

how long has your mum been waiting for her operation? The average wait time in my NHS board is 166 weeks 😳

166 week wait is horrifying. Mum's wait was over 60 weeks.
I fo agree that there could be a concern about quality of life afterwards, but I don't think that was mentioned at all. I don't think she was asked how she is getting on with the pessary either.

I highly, highly doubt that she was told that.

Yes, in the NHS on the elective lists, we do confirm that people actually want to have the operation. Multiple times after booking. You’d be surprised by the number of who just don’t turn up, wasting theatre time.

I know it sounds really far fetched. Something has gone very wrong somewhere.

.

Sounds more like an admin error and she was booked into a 2ww clinic by mistake, she didn’t think to question it? A “surgical appointment” is no longer a thing, unless you’re going in for something like a joint replacement. These days you discuss the surgery in the appointment when you’re listed, sign a consent form at that appointment and then a consent to the anaesthetic on the day.

It’s fair enough that she was told if she wanted to cancel she should do it sooner rather than later - the earlier you cancel the better for the hospital as it means they can fill her slot. I’ve had people this week call and cancel two days before surgery because they “forgot” they were going on holiday!!

I also think people need to understand why the waiting times are so long - for each elective hysterectomy, for example, you can put on 4 2ww hysteroscopies, which are being done under a general more and more commonly. This is 4 women potentially receiving the news of cancer earlier. For each elective hysterectomy there’s at least one urgent cancer hysterectomy that needs to be prioritised.

Not sure why it’s done that twice!

Hi, your mum should go ahead with the op. Do not cancel. It seems to me that they are looking at your mum and seeing that she's managing, but that's not living is it? She deserves more than to just manage her symptoms. The fact that she's bleeding, needing hysteroscopys, and needs prolapse repairs, means she's definitely a candidate for surgery, don't let them fob your mum off. Complain to PALS, plus this is a good time of year to be having the operation, in the spring where she can sit out and recover in the lovely weather. Wish your mum a speedy recovery.

PALS for what? Someone telling her the truth? The earlier you cancel the better. I will tell patients who sound unsure this, because they appreciate that we’re truthful.

You're acting like you were sat there next to ops mum during her appt! Op states mum has been waiting over a year for her operation, she's had hysteroscopys under general anaesthetic, she's bleeding and not from her womb. She has prolapses that need to be repaired, and the Dr was pressuring her to cancel her operation? It sounds unprofessional! So yes pals need to be contacted to support the patient and to put in a complaint. It sounds like the patient wasn't going to cancel and was expecting a pre op appt. The fact that ops mum has waited over a year means that she's waited long enough for her appt.

A pre-op appointment is no longer a thing.

She would not have been told to cancel. She was likely told that if for any reason she needs to, the sooner the better.

That's funny because I had a pre op appt in Dec last year before my hysterectomy, and my daughter had her pre op today for a laparoscopy.

Alexandrasm, I understand your disbelief, this is all very unbelievable.

You likely had a pre-op assessment. Not a pre-op meeting with your surgeon. You do that when they list you.

She simply wasn’t told to cancel. She was told that if she needs to, the sooner the better for NHS money! I wish more people were told it plainly. If only you’d hear some of the excuses people come up with.

Why are you stating this as fact when you weren’t present?

i can well believe this happened. Having had very similar myself. And witnessing my friend experience similar too.

Sorry you seem to be confusing elective to mean no clinical need. Elective just means it’s not an emergency: it does not mean that this surgery is not needed.

how dare you attempt to guilt people? And if you’re going to come back at me with “just explaining how the waiting list works “ everyone understands that appointments are prioritised by need. Your comment very very clearly reads as “unless it’s cancer or potential cancer you shouldn’t be taking a slot” which is rude and frankly dangerous.

I agree, does sound like an admin error.

@Toddlersarehardwork do you know if she'd been back to her GP regarding the bleeding recently? If so she may have been referred again on a cancer pathway and booked into the clinic, and it was actually nothing to do with her upcoming surgery. The doctor was probably confused as to why she was there, but that doesn't excuse the way she spoke to your mum.

I wouldn't cancel the surgery and I would actually recommend contacting pals as they will be able to clarify things and support your mum.

I doubt she's confused about what elective means, it was likely just that she used the incorrect word.

I also don't think the post was intended to guilt anyone, it's just a fact. Of course non urgent patients are entitled to surgery but they will be cancelled to accommodate diagnostics on a cancer pathway or confirmed cancer cases if necessary. I've posted the same on other threads, and also about cancelling routine gynae surgery to accommodate material request sections. Doesn't mean people can't request a section, or that I'd expect them not to. Fact is, resources are limited.

Thank god this is not my job anymore!!

SkibidiSigma, she had not been back to the Dr. recently about the new bleeding as it has only started in the last few days so no, the appointment was not a new 2ww referral.

there is still a clinically need even when it’s not cancer . Elective makes it sound like it’s something someone is choosing to do. Hysterectomy is major surgery and almost always a last resort .

get onto pals OP and support your mum to have the surgery she needs