Hospital bosses ‘sorry’ as OAP is sent home from op
HOSPITAL bosses have apologised after a pensioner was sent home from a planned operation because his coronavirus test had not come back in time.
Stepping Hill Hospital admitted coronavirus test results for several patients had not been returned in time for their planned procedures last Wednesday.
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust - which runs the hospital - has apologised.
But bosses said swabbing patients to check for the virus prior to operations is essential and it’s “appropriate” to postpone procedures if test results do not come back in time.
One septuagenarian - who the Express is not naming - was due to undergo a procedure to rectify a painful hernia on Wednesday.
The 71-year-old self-isolated at home with his wife for two weeks prior to the operation and had a Covid-19 test on Monday ahead of his operation.
He was told if he didn’t hear back about the test, he should assume it was negative and he could go ahead with the operation.
But after a four-hour wait on Wednesday morning, the pensioner was sent home.
His son has branded the whole experience as “utter farce”.
Writing to our sister paper the M.E.N that day, he explained that his father’s hernia operation had been delayed for some time.
“He and my mother have been isolating for the last two weeks in preparation for the operation,” he wrote.
“He had a Covid test on Monday, which he had to walk to - kind of painful with a hernia.
“He was told if he didn’t hear back, it meant all was ok and to turn up for the operation today, Weds at 7.30am, the operation would be sometime today and he’d be home by the evening.
“He has now been sent home after waiting there for four or five hours, not having eaten in some time (as requested) as they have lost his and the other four people in the waiting room’s Covid test results.”
Describing the situation as “utter farce” he added: “He’s incurred the stress, the isolation, the time wasted and lack of food today and the hospital has presumably wasted money on an empty theatre for him, the other patients and the surgeon.”
A Stockport NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “Swabbing patients prior to a procedure is essential to ensure the safety of all of our patients and staff and where test results do not come back in time it is appropriate to postpone and reschedule any procedures.
“We appreciate the inconvenience and frustration this causes and apologise profusely to any patient whose procedure is delayed.”