Blame the bungling NHS for cancelling all the ops
ON THE day Jeremy Hunt insisted he remain Health Secretary, my husband John’s operation was cancelled. Seen as high priority because of his age, 84, and that this was an operation for bowel cancer, diagnosed last June, we didn’t expect this would happen. He was phoned the day before and told that due to the lack of beds they couldn’t admit him until the day of this major operation. To prepare for the procedure, he had to drink three lots of a high-glucose drink, the final one at 5.30am, and then it was nil by mouth. When we turned up at the hospital at 7am as instructed, this was how we were greeted: ‘Well, you are in for a very long wait — we have no beds!’ After four hours, we were told to go home. John was offered another slot ten days later, but when we asked if that would definitely go ahead, we were told there were no guarantees, but we should be reassured we stood a good chance because the hospital is fined for every operation it cancels. This bed shortage has nothing to do with the flu outbreak — it is mismanagement. Yes, the NHS is bursting at the seams, people are living longer and more illnesses are being treated. But, like businesses, the NHS has to adapt, change and move with the times. And we all have to contribute more to keep this excellent service in place. Six months after his diagnosis, I am trying to buoy up the spirits of my husband while he remains untreated. Please can we have some decent NHS managers and a Health Secretary who can handle this task.
JUDITH DUNN, Newport, Isle of Wight. THE allocation of NHS funding is controversial. However, there is a way to work out if a treatment should be provided or has to be funded privately — use the definition of ‘illness’ in the dictionary. Knee and hip replacements, and the treatment of cancer and other sicknesses, would meet the criteria, but IVF, cosmetic plastic surgery and sex changes would not.
PAUL STOKES, Chesterfield, Derbys.