'Gallbladder operation delays left me in unbearable pain'

Abbie Hicks' surgery on her gallbladder was cancelled three times

A woman says her life has been put "on hold" after a gallbladder operation was repeatedly cancelled.

Abbie Hicks from Axbridge, Somerset, says she is in "unbearable pain" after four cancellations.

It comes as Nigel Mercer, a surgeon who advised the NHS on waiting lists said it is not reviewing the condition of patients.

NHS England said patients with the most clinically-urgent conditions are being treated most rapidly.

Dr Mercer said it was often left to patients to "shout loudly" as they waited for updates, and that people should get "regular check-ins" from clinical teams.

The Bristol plastic surgeon was once responsible for prioritisation of all surgical procedures in England on behalf of the Federation of Surgical Specialty Operations.

A key recommendation was for every patient waiting over three months to be reviewed clinically to make sure their condition was not getting more serious.

Dr Mercer told the BBC: "It just seems that hasn't happened for the vast majority of people, unless you become extremely unwell or shout loudly.

"Sometimes they (patients) can become really unwell without knowing it," he added.

Plastic Surgeon Nigel Mercer said "people should not just be left waiting"

Ms Hicks' original operation was cancelled in December 2023.

She was due to have the surgery as an NHS patient at the private Shepton Mallet hospital run by the Practice Plus Group (PPG).

PPG have declined to confirm the reason for the cancellation, but said in general that where someone's clinical situation is more complex than originally thought "we organise to transfer NHS patients to a local NHS partner for further investigations and to ensure they are seen in the most appropriate setting".

The operation was then rescheduled for 4 Jan but cancelled again, this time, Ms Hicks said, because her bloods were abnormal.

'Quite scary'

After an MRI scan she says she was told by the private hospital that her condition had become too serious for them to deal with, so she was referred to Weston General Hospital.

Ms Hicks said: "I was taking painkillers more than once a day, being sick a lot and that could last hours, and not sleeping because of the pain.

"I was vomiting blood - it was quite scary.

"They just said that the gallstones, because they are so large and there are several of them, have over time caused cholecystitis - which is where the wall of the gallbladder becomes really thickened and inflamed so it would be hard to do keyhole [surgery]."

Ms Hicks was due to have her operation at Weston General Hospital

The 29-year-old care worker said she was then shocked to be told by Weston General that her operation, rescheduled for 10 April, was to be cancelled due to staff sickness.

She added the delays have now, she was told, "caused damage that's irreparable".

"That means my surgery has gone from keyhole to being full open surgery, which could take weeks to recover from."

Pain 'unbearable'

A statement from Weston General Hospital said the hospital never takes the decision to cancel "lightly" and that it endeavours to "reschedule any appointment and provide a new date for surgery as soon as possible".

The situation came to a head on Sunday when Ms Hicks was rushed to the Bristol Royal Infirmary due to a flare up of her gallbladder.

"The pain was unbearable," she said.

"After three hours of waiting [in A&E] wait, [there was] another seven and eight hours hours to be seen.

"So I just got my cannula removed and discharged myself as it was already four AM and I didn't feel that they were taking my case seriously enough."

'Shout to get heard'

Dr Mercer added: "With a gall bladder you can start off with a stone, you can then end up with problems with the pancreas and you can be really sick as a result of that.

"If you have that operated on in the wrong place you can be really in trouble.

"If she's [Ms Hicks] got significant biochemical problems, if she's got problems with the gland inside the gut she needs to go to somewhere where they've got the skills and the back up - particularly in intensive care - to be able to deal with that if she becomes ill afterwards.

"I've yet to hear from anybody that they were reviewed during the pandemic or indeed since.

"There are so many people waiting the clinics would be stuffed full, so I think it's almost 'he who shouted loudest' gets heard."

'Waiting lists falling'

NHS England said patients with the most clinically-urgent conditions are being treated most rapidly.

In a statement a spokesperson added: "Waiting lists have fallen by 200,000 since September.

"The NHS prioritises waiting lists based on individual patient needs, and everyone waiting for treatment should continue to receive support and regular check-ins from clinical teams.

"A&E waiting times are taken very seriously and we always see patients based on their clinical need."

Ms Hicks' operation is now due to take place on 1 May.