"Cancelled Surgery and Miscommunication"

Events:

•My spouse suffered a severe hand injury (5–6cm laceration, 1cm deep, across their palm, with tendon exposed) after cutting themselves on glass. We immediately attended a nearby hospital Casualty Department, where the two male admissions nurses provided exemplary professional and compassionate care. By 2:15pm, my spouse had received pain medication, an x-ray, wound rinsing, intravenous antibiotics, and a doctor had assessed them. The doctor then phoned Sydney Hand Hospital, and after discussing the visible tendon, arranged a specialist review. The hospital told my spouse to fast from waking on the following hospital, and to present at Sydney Hand Hospital as requested during the phone call.

•The following day: We arrived at the first floor of Sydney Hand Hospital (slightly late, due to emergency railworks on the A4 line). We waited in the triage area, where we were overlooked for over 45 minutes. A friendly nurse eventually noticed, apologised, unwrapped the wound (still bleeding), and called a doctor. After a brief review, the doctor said surgery could not be performed that day and told us to return the following day, fasting from midnight, as surgery might be required. The nurse cleaned the wound (removing butterfly clips applied by the initial hospital), and placed my spouse's arm in a sling.

•On the following day we arrived at the Day Surgery Department and waited in the area with other day patients. At 12:00pm, my spouse was called for pre-op preparations (questions, ankle tags; their arm did not require marking as this had been done previously). Hours later, after weighing and measuring, we were advised by a nurse there was a “99% chance” surgery would proceed that day. My spouse returned to the waiting room.

By 2:40pm, concerned about the lack of updates, I approached the nurses’ desk for confirmation. The nurse checked the register, shrugged, and spoke to another nurse. They came out and said there were “no guarantees” the operation would proceed, although my spouse was seventh on the list and should be done early due to being postponed on the previous day. When I respectfully voiced concerns about leaving the wound open another day, they told me they could not answer because they weren't a doctor. The nurse moved us to a room with a recliner and brought my spouse black coffee, as the were faint from fasting.

Over the next several hours I checked three more times on surgery status, out of concern for possible staff turnover. Each time, there was no certainty. The nurse told me at those times that surgeries were “often done up to midnight, and if needed, until 2am”—contradicted later by the doctor.

At 5:30pm, I checked again and the nurse said the bone graft surgery was still ongoing. At 5:45pm, the doctor spoke to us and confirmed surgery was cancelled, stating the hospital was not permitted to operate after 6:00pm (contradicting the earlier nurse statement). When asked about the risks of leaving the wound open, the doctor shrugged and offered no guidance, then repeated the rule about no surgery past 6pm. They also explained they had cancelled several surgeries and that elective procedures booked weeks in advance could not be displaced. When I asked why emergency (casualty) patients were not prioritised, they replied that elective surgeries cannot be delayed as they were booked in advance. The doctor also said that administration had overbooked the number of elective surgeries and indicated that this was normal practice. When asked about alternative hospitals, the doctor said my spouse would go to the bottom of their list.

We were told to return the following morning, repeating the fasting, with no guarantee surgery would not be postponed again. The doctor said further delays could result in surgery being deferred to the day after or even the day after that, as cases pushed back would fill each day's docket. Staff explained that surgeries are regularly pushed back due to overbooking and lengthy procedures, creating uncertainty and anxiety for patients.

•The following morning: We arrived. Around 9:30am, my spouse was prepped by the admissions nurse, and by 9:50am they were called for surgery. At approximately 10:00am, after I had raised concerns the previous day about fasting patients being left for up to eight hours without fluids, apple juice was distributed to those in the waiting area. By 11:50am I asked the person at the desk if my spouse had come out of surgery and they responded, "I dont know, you will have to wait for them to call you". I explained that I was hoping to go for a walk to get lunch and stretch my legs but didn't know if there would be enough time. Again they told me very abruptly to wait for the phone call. It wasn't until nearly 2pm that I received the call to say my spouse was in the waiting room (3) and to please make my way back to get them as I had just left to go for a walk. 

Summary of Complaints:

1.Despite recommendation and referral by another hospital, emergency instructions to fast and present by 9am, and visible tendon increasing urgency, my spouse was overlooked and delayed at Sydney Hand Hospital.

2.Communication throughout was inconsistent and contradictory—particularly regarding surgery times, cancellation likelihood, and surgical prioritisation. Staff gave conflicting information about surgery hours (up to midnight or 2am vs. ending 6pm), and no specialist advice was given regarding the risk of further delay.

3.Scheduling consistently favoured elective cases over urgent casualty needs, resulting in postponement and distress.

4.Basic patient welfare, such as provision of fluids during fasting, was only offered after my advocacy.

I ask Sydney Hand Hospital to urgently review its patient communication protocols, triage, and scheduling systems, and to ensure emergency cases receive timely and compassionate treatment.