"Concern for a friend's repeatadly cancelled opperation"

A close friend of mine broke their ankle and, after 2 ops at Balfour Hospital, was taken from Orkney to ARI and was told at Balfour Hospital by a surgeon that at the ARI would be 'given a CT scan, operated on, and home by the end of the week'. My friend was whisked there in the evening with no room for arrangements to be made at home and no argument brooked by Balfour staff.

A few days had gone by and the original operation had been cancelled 6 times.

During this time in hospital my friend had been taken as far as being gowned up and ready to go to theatre when it was cancelled at the last minute. Has been told that the op is non-essential, perhaps not even necessary, and when my friend arrived ARI were not even aware that my friend was being sent there.

I think it is worrying and unacceptable that someone should be kept in hospital and put through as many cancellations as this without even being given the option to go home and return at a later date when the surgical schedule CAN accommodate the non-essential op.

My friend now feels uneasy, and left in the dark about whether it will be possible to be home in orkney for Christmas at this rate.

Another worrying thing is that my friend happens to be the only carer for myself. Furthermore, my friends financial dealings with benefit offices at home are mounting which is having an effect on me as the other tenet.

Both of us are at a loss as to who we should contact for answers to questions and both are a little frightened by the attitude that my friend feels has been encountered with regard to being allowed to go home if the operation is not forthcoming i.e. that my friend can pay for and make the arrangements for the flight alone.

Personally, the day will undoubtedly come for me when I shall require care at the ARI and I cannot say this experience has done anything for my opinion of this hospital other than make me extremely wary of ever setting foot on a plane to go there.