"NHS Complaint - Delay in Assessment & Surgery"

I have a complaint to make and hope someone will take the time to read through and act upon - although I am not very hopeful.

I was recommended by my GP to have an MRI to NHS suspecting an issue with my heart condition - which turned out baseless, multiple tests were subsequently done finally as there was a suspected mass noted in my Kidney which came out due to the MRI.

This test was done after following up repeatedly with the GP & and other NHS authorities. I finally got nowhere and gave up when I was given no result - I assumed all was OK and maybe I need not worry about anything as that was what I was told by the surgery I was registered with. If you haven't heard anything should mean all is OK.

Finally, a few months later, I was called in by the Urology department of Wexham Park Slough and was asked to fix an appointment to review my case and results. Being surprised after so many months they were getting back, I went and met the surgeon.

He explained that there was a mass in my Kidney 5.2 cms and would need to recommend me to undergo a surgery. He said it probably was cancerous and needed immediate attention. I was quite surprised to hear this and asked him why this was being told to me after so many months. Initially he refused to acknowledge that the report was old and on verification of the date was shocked to see that the report he was referring to was dated five months earlier.

He apologised for the confusion and said he will in priority recommend my case be picked up and be sent for admission and surgery. He said I would need to go for some additional tests - Ultra Sound, CT Scan and finally they would discuss in the internal meeting on when the surgery can take place. He also clearly mentioned I may need to redo the MRI to check if there have been any further developments in the mass.

That is when the whole mess began.

I was then called for the tests which I did as suggested. When I was asked to meet the surgeon to discuss the results - the doctor was not available so was asked to meet his assistant so said the doctor was busy - but is aware of the case and would like to book me ASAP for the surgery.

Fine, because of the way things were being handled, I said and also asked if I should go "Private" as I had the option - I was dissuaded from doing so and he said not necessary as mistakes were made and to make up they would expedite the process.

I was given a date for surgery and one week prior to that went in for pre-op assessment - all good and finally on the day of surgery in the last minute when the Surgeon met me said he is cancelling the surgery as the main report MRI was "missing" - somehow the pre-op assessment guy missed the fact!

I told the surgeon then, "I can go Private". He too said, it was not needed as he was prioritizing the process and it would be faster this way.

I was asked to immediately go for an MRI so a future date could be given. I went for an MRI the very same day on priority later realizing I was Paying via Private when the test was completed and done and then another date for surgery was given.

Come the day before my operation, I got to hear my surgery has again been cancelled as the surgeon is not available.

Now, I am in a stressed state, frustrated and confused - on one hand I am told - the process is a priority, the surgery needs to be done ASAP and yet my appointments are never met by assigned doctors and surgeons keep looking for excuses to postpone. They also keep discouraging me to go private.

Now, when I contacted the Private Insurance, I am told the process may not be fully covered and I may have to pay a substantial amount to expedite the procedure on priority.

Having taken extended leave twice and then cancelling me has also put me in a bad light with my company and may need to face the repercussions for this act.

So now I am in a state where I am waiting for an answer from many ends trying to figure out what to do next and where do I stand.

I am stressed and looking for answers which I don't have and also cannot provide to my family or my company on what is going on with my surgery.

Can someone get back to me and discuss what my options are and what I can do - or do I need to wait before I am on a death bed before someone from NHS wakes up and decides the level of urgency required in acting upon my situation?