"Ward 4 - day surgery"

Yesterday, 17/12/14 my sister-in-law and I brought my father to ward 4 for some minor surgery on patches of skin cancer on his face. It takes 2 of us to bring him because he is 88 and can only walk a few steps. His appointment was for 12 noon. We arrived at 11.45, checked in at the adfmissions desk and on the ward. My father's details were taken quickly and sympathetically by a student nurse, then the wait began. By 3.00pm we were still waiting so I went to find a nurse to ask if they knew how long we would be. By this time my father had not eaten or had a drink since 8.30am. I had difficulty finding a nurse, eventually a very pleasant male nurse said he would ring the theatre and see what was happening. It took him approx 10 minutes for him to get through and then told us a doctor was coming to see us as it was unlikely the procedure was going to be done. He was very kind and found my father a cup of tea and a sandwich. All the time we were waiting there was no information about waiting times and no staff contact with us or any of the other people waiting. The doctor arrived and said my father would not be seen that day, she discussed his treatment and then apologised. My father had treatment on Ward 4 in September. That time we had to wait 4 hours but it was a little better because a nurse kept updating us on the waiting time and brought him tea and biscuits when she knew he was last on the list. I have 2 questions. Why is a frail 88 year old man put last on the list for treatment, not once but twice? If I had not gone to ask what was happening how much longer would we have had to wait before we were told to go home?