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[Katejo]

I was offered a routine day surgery date unexpectedly early today. I couldn't accept it immediately because I needed to check whether a friend would be able to collect me and look after me for 24 hrs. By later in the day (once checked), it was too late and I lost the slot.
How do others get round this? If I had accepted it and then had had to cancel later in the day, I would probably have been penalised. Or doesn't this happen? My impression is that hospitals don't understand that we haven't all got someone who can drop their plans at short notice.
I am now likely to have to wait quite a few weeks for a new date.

[CLKD]

It's usual if U are on a waiting list to be offered a slot if there is a cancellation.  Some Hospitals do, others haven't se tup the system.

Don't worry about it.  U couldn't so didn't.  I spent hours driving round to pick up patients who had been told not to eat from mid-night in case someone cancelled.  No mobiles then. 

If by 11.30 we hadn't tapped the door they could have breakfast.  U won't have upset any1 at the Hospital.  U may be called earlier again unless U have told them that U need to make arrangements for care etc.. 

[Katejo]

It's usual if U are on a waiting list to be offered a slot if there is a cancellation.  Some Hospitals do, others haven't se tup the system.

Don't worry about it.  U couldn't so didn't.  I spent hours driving round to pick up patients who had been told not to eat from mid-night in case someone cancelled.  No mobiles then. 

If by 11.30 we hadn't tapped the door they could have breakfast.  U won't have upset any1 at the Hospital.  U may be called earlier again unless U have told them that U need to make arrangements for care etc..

I have told them that I will always, for any date,  need notice. In this case I think they were phoning round because patients didn't want a slot just before Christmas. I originally had a date last month and had made arrangements but it was cancelled due to a cock up by my GP practice which failed to respond to emails from the hospital (which they deny receiving but I don't believe them). I have raised a complaint about that.

[Penguin]

I've just turned down an appointment for my son today. He has finally made it to the top of the list (been on it since February) and they've called today offering a weekend slot before Christmas, which we cannot make as will be abroad. Apparently they are putting on these extra weekend clinics to get the waiting lists down, but it is too short notice for us unfortunately 🤷‍♂️

[CLKD]

At least the NHS is making attempts, probably due to the Jn Drs going on strike again?

[Katejo]

I've just turned down an appointment for my son today. He has finally made it to the top of the list (been on it since February) and they've called today offering a weekend slot before Christmas, which we cannot make as will be abroad. Apparently they are putting on these extra weekend clinics to get the waiting lists down, but it is too short notice for us unfortunately 🤷‍♂️

The one offered to me wasn't a weekend one. It was on a Tuesday but the friend willing to collect me still works full time so I couldn't assume her availability. If I had accepted it straight away and then found that she couldn't collect me so had to cancel, I just don't know whether I would have been penalised.

[VioletAquarius]

I wouldn't have thought you would be penalised

If it happens again, you could say you can take it and would it be OK if you phoned them back later if  your helper was unavailable.

[Katejo]

I wouldn't have thought you would be penalised

If it happens again, you could say you can take it and would it be OK if you phoned them back later if  your helper was unavailable.

That's what I tried to do but they wanted a definite yes on the spot. I did ring back but they had already given the slot to someone else.

[Dierdre]

I've just been given an appointment for my CT scan 2 days before going abroad at Christmas, no contrast so hopefully no side effects. Obviously people are cancelling appointments because of Christmas holidays.

[getting_old]

Did you ask them if you could accept it and have a short period, maybe an hour, to check your friend was available?

[Katejo]

Did you ask them if you could accept it and have a short period, maybe an hour, to check your friend was available?

I tried but no. They warned me that it would be difficult to get through and that the place would probably have gone. They wanted an instant definite acceptance.

[VioletAquarius]

What about maybe explaining to your helper and ask them if it would be okay if you could take a short notice appointment if they rang again, and if there were any dates they couldn't do?

That way, if they did ring again you would have the dates you could and couldn't do already.

[Katejo]

I finally had the surgery done on Tuesday to remove the cyst. I probably needn't have worried about 'proving' to the hospital that I had someone to look after me. I didn't think they would let me go home without actually seeing my 'carer' and checking that I went by taxi/car. However, this didn't happen. I had given them the carer's phone number and thought they would contact her to say when I could leave. In practice, they just told me I could ring her and go. When she arrived, I just walked out to meet her and we got the bus home...
I felt up to doing that and no one stopped us.
The worst effects of the surgery didn't hit me until yesterday.