"Cancelling patient surgery after waiting in the hospital for more than 7 hours"

I am a patient on the waiting list for elective tonsil removal with Royal Perth hospital for more than three years. They eventually called me to book my surgery recently and told me to arrange a week off work and find someone to care for my three small children at home (6 month-old baby, 5 and 8 year-olds). I agreed and tried to sort out everything. Then they called me two days before my surgery day to cancel it as there was a cancer patient needed the surgery on that day. I asked them if my surgery would be rescheduled soon? The staff member said they didn't know for sure but they would call me back next week to reschedule.

Then no-one called me till the following week to rebook me for a couple of weeks later. I asked the staff member if my surgery would be rescheduled again like last time as I have 3 kids with no family here to help. It is very hard for me to ask for days off work and find someone to care for my children. I recall the staff member said it will definitely not be cancelled again. So I agreed with the surgery day. The day of the surgery, I called them in the morning to ask if my surgery was still on. They said yes so I came to the hospital at the time as per their instruction in the letter that I received. They admitted me to the ward around an hour later. Then they made me wait there without drinking and eat as I was fasting before the surgery.

A couple of hours later, I was thirsty and hungry but the nurse refused to let me drink when I asked. I asked when my surgery was on, they said that they didn't know but the doctor would come to talk to me soon. Then I was waiting passed evening. At around that time, a staff member came and asked me if anyone told me that my surgery was cancelled. I said No and was completely shocked. They told me that there was an emergency surgery that they had to do and now they would do the person before me so no chance that they would do mine. They told me to go home and they would call me back to reschedule it. I asked them when will it be rescheduled, could they do it this week but they said no. I recall they said that they didn't know when, just went home and wait for their call again. I asked would it be cancelled again like today and this was the second time that they cancelled my surgery at the very last minute. I cannot keep doing this as it was hard for me to ask for days off work and find someone to care for my three small children. The staff member said sorry but nothing that they can do and no guarantee that it will not happen again.

I was totally shocked the way they operate and treat me. They have cancelled my surgery twice and did not even tell me it was cancelled when I asked them after waiting for hours in the hospital without drinking and eating from the night before as I had to fast before the surgery. I feel they did not even try to do what they promise and acted like it was normal if they cancelled your surgery. No sorry at all until I told them that it was the second time that they cancelled mine but they should have it on file what they did to me and I did mention with them from the very first time they called me to book my surgery in about my family situation. Then I did tell them again about that when they booked me for the second time. I feel what they did is totally unacceptable and I now have lost my faith in the health system for sure. How would I trust them and agree to book my surgery again but I have been waiting for years to have this surgery done for my health. It has a very bad impact on my health, especially my mental health.

I don't know what to do and where to get help now. I really hope that something can be done to stop them doing that again to anyone.

Please help and let me know if you need anything else from me to stop them doing that again. I can be reached via phone or email.

Kind regards,

marsny75