In my lifetime I have had three surgeries, one major and, more recently, two relatively minor done as day surgeries. All were done in private hospitals, the major surgery under health cover provided by my then employer. The other two were done under the NHS but in a private hospital. I mention the place as I don’t know if what I am about to describe happens when the procedure is done in an NHS hospital.
On all three occasions the surgeon and anaesthetist came to see me for a chat beforehand and to sign consent forms. For the third procedure, having told me roughly what time I would be going to theatre, the surgeon returned to say that he had now assessed all of the patients on his list for the day. He explained that there was one with diabetes who had to go first, then those who were very nervous next and the calmest patients put at the end. He said he had a couple of men who were so scared, they were potentially “runners”, that is, they might leave the hospital. I was deemed his calmest patient so I had now been put at the end of the list and wouldn’t be going to theatre until much later in the day. He said I could have black tea to keep me going but no food. By the time I did go to theatre, around 6:00pm, I was feeling faint from lack of food, not having eaten for almost 24 hours. I mentioned this as I was wheeled down and was told they would put something in the IV to address that.
The same thing happened to an equally calm friend of mine, pushed to the end of the list. She and I discussed, whether people were genuinely that scared or were playing the system. It’s not something I would do but I do feel there should be systems in place to give patents some nutrition during their long wait, even if it only a dextrose solution through the cannula.
