"No follow-up after cancelled surgery"

Recently I was scheduled to have surgery through the public system at Prince of Wales Hospital (PoWH) for an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

Unfortunately after being admitted to surgery the hospital went on bed block, the Surgeon Registrar came out to inform my spouse and myself on the situation and told us that we would be contacted within the next few days with information about rescheduling.

We took this on face value, and picked up our belongings and left the hospital with mixed feelings (it was to be my first major surgery and was reasonably nervous about the whole process).

I found it strange that there was no further paperwork (as we had filled out a considerable amount in the lead up to the day) or directions/advice from the hospital staff regarding the situation.

As we had travelled from regional NSW we stayed in Sydney that night and returned home the following day. Unfortunately our accommodation was pre-paid for the next few days and we lost out on this as I was told I would be spending several days in hospital until I would be fit to be discharged.

I waited until towards the end of the week to contact the admissions department as I hadn't received any communication about my situation, I spoke to a staff member who told me they were aware of my situation along with the other patients who were affected on the day and they would try to get back to me by the end of the day with further information as they had none to offer me at the time. Disappointed, I accepted this as I realise that a lot of stakeholders within the hospital system have to be involved in getting me back into surgery.

I didn't receive any contact from the hospital via phone, text or email that day. Once again I accepted that the situation of cancelling surgery for that volume of people within the hospital system would be challenging but from my own research, not an uncommon problem.

Seven days after the cancellation of my surgery and no contact from the hospital (and now in further pain from my spinal cord condition), I rang the admissions number again and spoke to the same person, this time when I was told there was no information to give me regarding a new surgery date I pressed and asked why?

After being told that my surgeon was only allowed one day a month in the public side of PoWH (which I already was aware of) and that other patients were scheduled, I asked why the surgeon was not allowed to "catch up" as they obviously didn't get the day for September to operate due to the bed block situation that had affected me. I wasn't provided an answer (I really didn't accept what they told me but was now starting to get annoyed about the lack of information coming my way). I was then told my surgery may not happen till the new year due to the waiting list (of which I have been on for months) and was told to contact my surgeon's surgery if I wanted any more information. This response I feel was obviously to get rid of me as I know that the surgeon offices wouldn't have a clue when I might get back to the top of the list.

I did follow up with the surgeon's office and I got the answer I was expecting -they don't know.

I am now looking at alternatives in regards to using the public health system through PoWH as the experience described above has left me with little faith that I will be admitted any time soon and am wary of the situation of bed block occurring again as the cost of lost days with work, the cost of accommodation and travel, and the upheaval of my families lives with no guarantee of a result (i.e. surgery), is not an experience I would welcome again.