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Surgery Delayed 6 Months: Life on Hold for Gallstone Patient
12 Feb
Summary
- A 56-year-old woman's essential surgery was postponed for six months.
- She suffers from severe gallstone attacks up to three times weekly.
- She and her husband are now fundraising for private surgery costing £8,000.
A 56-year-old woman in the Borders region is experiencing severe distress due to a six-month postponement of her essential gallbladder removal surgery. Diagnosed with gallstones in October, her procedure, initially scheduled for December, is now not expected until July or August of next year. She endures excruciating pain attacks multiple times per week, which she states are worse than childbirth.
Her condition significantly impacts her daily life, leading to her family calling for ambulances on two occasions. She expressed understanding of NHS pressures but found the extended wait difficult. To escape the persistent pain and life disruption, she and her husband are fundraising approximately £8,000 for private surgery.
NHS Borders acknowledged the difficulty of living with chronic pain and stated they prioritize patients based on clinical need. The health board is working to reduce waiting times, aiming for no patient to wait longer than 52 weeks for surgery by March 31. Recent figures show a reduction in long-waiting inpatients and outpatients compared to previous years.
