At first I assumed it was a mistake. I had emailed my NHS Trust to change a hospital appointment and they'd emailed back with a date for next January. Seven months to wait for an appointment that would probably take 15 minutes? I phoned to query it. The woman in the 'booking team' gave an almost audible shrug. The only chance of an earlier appointment was if someone cancelled. How would I know about it? You'll have to check, she said. A study published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia showed there were 1.6 million fewer operations carried out in hospitals and England and Wales because of the pandemic last year So I should phone every day or maybe every hour of every day just in case? I could see the rest of my life ebbing away as I listened to a machine telling me to hold and, when I finally got through to a human, being told there had been no cancellation so I'd have to phone again tomorrow. And then again into eternity . . . Twenty-four hours later a report was published that put all this into context. Mine was an inconvenience — for others, this was… Read full this story
- JOHN HUMPHRYS: As Guardian journalist Suzanne Moore is hounded out by her own colleagues for daring to express an opinion… Why witch hunts must NEVER be allowed to stop the presses
- Coronavirus vaccinations could be under way for ALL adults by the end of January after the most vulnerable get jabs next month, leaked NHS plans show
- NHS sick days due to mental health doubled before coronavirus pandemic
- I kissed Lynn, held her hand and said 'Thank you for our wonderful life together': John Stapleton reveals grief in first interview since the death of his wife, who gave voice to the powerless
- The NHS Reserve: Health volunteers who signed up during the coronavirus crisis could be kept on the books to help during public health disasters or demand surges in winter
- All you need to know about: Ashtanga yoga
- What you need to know about coronavirus on Friday, October 9
- SARAH VINE: Ho-ho-NO! Christmas isn't saved for mums in need of a rest
- Free-flu jabs will be offered to all over-50s this winter as NHS battles 'twin threat' of seasonal illness and coronavirus
- Is December 9 the day Britain starts its Covid vaccination drive? Nottingham health chiefs say NHS-Army operation will 'go live' in a fortnight if a jab is approved – even though ministers wanted it ready from December 1
JOHN HUMPHRYS: January until I can see my specialist? The NHS needs life support have 416 words, post on www.dailymail.co.uk at June 19, 2021. This is cached page on CuBird. If you want remove this page, please contact us.