Health trust apologises

A Crawley family was ‘extremely stressed’ after a grandfather’s hip replacement was cancelled outside the operating theatre.
Robert Bertrand with his father Louise France Bertrand who had his operation cancelled just before it was due to take place. Pic Steve Robards SR1525635 SUS-151029-115237001Robert Bertrand with his father Louise France Bertrand who had his operation cancelled just before it was due to take place. Pic Steve Robards SR1525635 SUS-151029-115237001
Robert Bertrand with his father Louise France Bertrand who had his operation cancelled just before it was due to take place. Pic Steve Robards SR1525635 SUS-151029-115237001

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust apologised after the operation at East Surrey Hospital, which was booked three months in advance, was cancelled due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’.

Louise Bertrand, 72, of Burbeach Close, Bewbush, had undergone medical preparations at the hospital and not eaten for some ten hours before the cancellation.

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His son, Robert, 47, who translated for him, said: “He was with me waiting to go on the [operating] table.

“The doctor comes from the operation room and says ‘I’m having trouble here, I cannot do it on my own when I need an assistant’.

“My father was just sitting in the wheelchair, he was scared, asking ‘what’s going on, why they didn’t do my operation?’”

Louise was originally of Mauritius and a grandfather of 17. Robert said their family was left ‘extremely stressed’ by the incident on October 21.

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Michael Wilson, chief executive for the trust, said: “We apologised to Mr Bertrand for his experience. Every week our surgeons undertake over 400 operations. To ensure the safety of each patient every member of our theatre team must be present. On this occasion, due to unforeseen circumstances, the team was incomplete, which meant that the operation could not take place.

“We appreciate the inconvenience this caused and we have rebooked the operation.”