A parent of a teenager awaiting heart surgery in Bristol has told Bristol Live that their child has been left "traumatised" by repeated cancellations of planned open-heart surgery, forcing them to seek counselling. The family, who asked to remain anonymous, has had three dates for open heart surgery at Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital cancelled since September.
On one occasion, the parent said their child was about to go down to theatre when they were told it would not be going ahead, an experience that they say "traumatised" their child. Their most recent cancellation was at the beginning of December, but the parent says they have had no communication from the hospital since or in between the other cancellations.
They said: "The communication is just absolutely awful. They literally just ring and say, 'we've got a date for you. Are you available on such and such a date?'." Earlier this week, in response to complaints from two other parents of children on the heart surgery wait list, Professor Stuart Walker, chief medical officer for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust, said that "rescheduling planned surgery is always taken as a last resort".
