"day care unit"

My 82 year old mother was admitted to the day care unit for a simple carpal tunnel procedure which the consultant told her would take approx 20 minutes under a local anesthetic. She was admitted at 7.30 am and was under the impression that she was on the morning list for her procedure.

At 2pm after hearing nothing from the hsp or my mother we called the unit and was told she had still not had the operation and was next to go down.

My mother called me from the ward at 4pm very upset and distressed because she was still waiting. She had not eaten or had a hot drink since 6am that morning. She eventually had her procedure at 4.40pm and was collected by a relative who had been waiting all day at home for a call to collect her at 6.20pm. She had spent 11 hours on the daycare unit for a 20 min procedure.

This is not acceptable and the lack of communication between staff and patients is also unacceptable. Why admit a patient at 7.30am if they are not going to be treated until later in the day this just causes unnecessary stress and anxiety especially for an 82 year old