Yesterday

the appointment letter should have a reference which will include the writers initials. that's a good place to start.

 

Sorry to hear your story. By the sound of it, The surgeon did his best to ensure you had a chance of being done having discovered the error on the day... but the full back story will be much more complicated than you would ever imagine... and believe it or not it boils down to senior management trying to get a handle on theatre efficiency but arguably making it worse (but that’s a huge story with a lot of history tied to it) Edit:- This point is debatable and for balance, it should be said that your individual case could be blamed on one or two specific individuals somewhere, but I personally feel there is an underlying issue with target driven healthcare at the heart of it.
Should you feel an explanation is in order, you are well within your rights to ask why it happened and what lessons have been learned to stop this error happening again. This is what is known as a clinical incident and should have been recorded as such so that the hospital can go through appropriate governance procedures to effect improvement/change. If you go to the hospitals Patient Advice and Liaison Service, they are there to help and represent people like yourself... you’re not making a fuss, there is due process to be followed and all you are asking is that the hospital is taking these issues seriously. The PALS for Furness General Hospital is here... halfway down the page

https://www.uhmb.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/compliments-concerns-complaints/

 

@feckless i had a knee arthroscopy a few years back and honestly theres nothing to worry about so no need to wind yourself up in advance
I was in and out in the day with a J tear to the cartilage resolved and its far better than the other one now despite a torn ACL

 

like I say, it’s not complaining as such, but highlighting a procedural issue that shouldn’t happen, the governance of the hospital should take steps to stop it happening again... they shouldn’t “attack” the individual who made the error (unless they are repeating the issues) but review the circumstances to why it happened and enable improvement

 

I couldn’t possibly say...

but all hospitals have the same basic governance requirements!!!

You ain’t seen me, right?

 

Sad story mate, I hope you get a new appointment soon. Well done for not looking at complaining, there is far to much whinging going on in society today.. I'm sure the hospital will investigate why the error occurred without your pushing..

 

There is a big difference between complaining or whinging to benefit yourself in some way and using the correct procedure to ensure that an internal investigation has been conducted to enhance the service given and procedures used for the patients

 

Good luck mate.....

 

What you gonna see ( in the theatre)

 

I've been there too (arthroscopy on my ankle) and its frustrating, but when you recover the difference is worth it!

On the targets ruining things in the NHS front: when you go to A&E in my local hospitals, you are met by a receptionist (one of three) within a couple of minutes - target met! You are then seen by a triage nurse (again one of three) usually an hour or two later, but no worries there - the target has already been met. Bin the three receptionists, employ another nurse and make the system actually work. You may not meet your targets, but people will be sorted quicker and more efficiently. It may also be cheaper to run