"Three day wait for emergency procedure"

My elderly mother in law was admitted to the urology ward a few days ago in East Surrey Hospital and we were told 3 days ago that she needed an 'emergency' procedure.

She is 88 years old, suffers from dementia and very underweight. She has been on 'nil by mouth' instructions for the past 3 days waiting for this so called 'emergency' procedure to be carried out! Meanwhile she is still bleeding and must obviously be becoming weaker for lack of nutrition.

Although strenuously denied I can't help but feel her age and dementia plays a factor in why she is continuously going to the bottom of the list for a so called 'emergency' procedure.

The nurses have been very sympathetic but their hands are tied and they have no influence over who gets to go first etc.

Why are there not enough theatre slots to accomodate the emergency operations? How can it be right to be left 3 days and still waiting?

I can't help but feel we are in a hopeless situation. I feel I have let her down as I can do nothing to help her. She doesn't deserve this - how can it be right to leave a vulnerable person without food for so long (and who knows it may be even longer if it doesn't get done today) It is now 5pm on her 3rd day of fasting.