Posted by revengingangel on Mon 9 Jan 12, 5:58 PM to revengingangel's blog.
Tommorow I was due to pick someone up and take them to the hospital for a now rather routine but not in no way trivial operation.
I no longer am. With one day to spare. This forces me to change my plans. This is easy for me. I command a degree of flexibility where I work wimply because it's not proven to be a good idea to not stay out of my way. Changing my plans doesn't bother me.
What bothers me is that everyone else must change their plans. Hospitals aren't on everyones doorsteps. Travel plans have been made, time off must be obtained.
While this isn't the end of the world disrupted and changed plans are stressful for almost everyone who isn't a cold emotionless breezeblock of a person. Look at the airplane groundings over that volcano. Many people stressed about still being on holiday. No matter how great the situation turns out to be, sometimes when it's not how you had things planned out it's inevitably stressful.
In addition to having to change their travel plans and work plans, there is the stress of uncertainty. Of the unknown. And now there is a big gap of unknown.
Does it matter? In the long term, probably not. The operation was scheduled very quickly. I'm sure it will be rescheduled just as quickly. The patient is far less at risk now they know the score than they would have been a few weeks ago. In the long run some changes will be made, some rescheduling will happen and everything will turn out roses.
But today. Today, the day before the operation, to suddenly be faced with a load of wasted, impotent plans and arrangements and an unknown tomorrow... Today it fucking matters. The day before an op is not adequate time for a cancellation. This is my opinion and this is why I'm angry on behalf of many people who have every right to be angry.
ANGREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
(p.s. Next person I meat who works for the NHS who isn't an actual doctor or nurse I will punch in the face, merely on principle. You are warned.)
| 9 Jan 12, 6:07 PM Caracal UK(SS), 5 yrs        |
Probably because there wasn't a bed. Bed management is delicately balanced between running as close to capacity as possible to keep waiting lists as short as possible against events like patients not being well enough to be discharged, or an epidemic of flu, a major incident (motorway pile up etc) taking up beds and so on. You wouldn't want your friend being chucked out of hospital before they're ready would you or operated on by someone with a contagious bug? It wasn't deliberate you know....and non-clinicians are just as key to running the NHS as doctors and nurses! | ||
| 9 Jan 12, 6:38 PM revengingangel UK(SO), 4 yrs |
Oh I know exactly why it is happening, and while I can't disagree totally with the reasoning, The time frame is terrible. There were reports early in the week in the papers that some wards had closed. I haven't caught the news since then, and it was only broadcast on the local news. First he and his family know is the day before it was supposed to happen. Maybe a little warning that it was even likely to happen wouldn't have gone amiss. Maybe you like being in the dark. I don't, not today. You know what the trouble with peace is? No organization. | ||
| 9 Jan 12, 6:44 PM simply_sub_lime UK(SP), 2 yrs |
A very annoying situation certainly, and my condolences to the person due to have the op. However, I work in the NHS and have experienced severe short staffing due to recent bouts of sickness, persistent coughs etc. Budget cuts mean that there simply isnt any available money to bring in bank staff. The sick staff still get paid, bank staff earn significantly more, do the maths yourself. Departments have budgets and have to work within them. IF the op had gone ahead, and perhaps the care be less than you expected, or something had gone wrong, YOU might have been the first to blame the NHS, even to sue them. The NHS cant win, whatever they do. | ||
| 9 Jan 12, 7:20 PM Souci_X UK(BA), 5 yrs |
It is more than frustrating, on top of the emotion. However this is a blameless thing it really is, as you say it isn't the end of the world. | ||
| 9 Jan 12, 8:00 PM Arceye UK(S), 7 yrs |
Off topic but to do with NHS, I was recently crossing the road- in the grounds of the local NHS clinic- when a car driver came charging round the blind bend into the clinic, stopped six inches from me and blared his horn angrily. Then tried to accuse me of 'walking in the road'. I replied 'Gotta be in the road to cross it fella, s'all I'm doing, crossing the road'. Then he became all professionally nice, as I realised the driver was a Doctor! We were heading for the same department, and I have to say it gave me great pleasure to slam the door in his face.
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| 9 Jan 12, 9:27 PM xAdamx  UK(SE), 9 yrs |
Can I use your calmness and skills of diplomacy for transport bus/tube/rail related problems. | ||
| 9 Jan 12, 10:22 PM Souci_X UK(BA), 5 yrs |
I think because its to do with me, one of my family members is having a triple heart bypass and I was on the phone in floods of tears when they cancelled, I guess that is why he is so angry. | ||
| 13 Jan 12, 7:11 PM xAdamx UK(SE), 9 yrs |
massive fail my end understanding the uqgency in the post..please accept my apologies |
