The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

THE Public Hospital Authority yesterday denied that the surgeries of some of their patients were postponed last week.

On Saturday the Big T reported that several persons had their surgery appointments postponed until next year because the hospital’s “surgery roster” was lost.

However, while insisting that an investigation into the matter revealed that no postponements occurred, 
officials at the hospital did not deny reports that a surgery roster was lost.

When pressed on this point, Judy Terrell-Hamilton, Corporate Communications Manager at PHA, said: “No document was lost that impacted any services at PMH.” A press statement from the PHA said: “Members of the public should be aware that standard operating policy at the Princess Margaret Hospital is a three-step approach. Physician’s book their surgeries in advance; confirm the week before any procedure; and reconfirm 24-hours before any scheduled operation. The re-scheduling of any surgery as indicated in The Tribune report could have happened for any number of reasons. For instance, rescheduling can occur when patients present with uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes and asthma. Additionally, any scheduled elective surgery can be postponed as a result of an emergency case. Postponement of surgeries is not a new phenomena in any healthcare facility, and one that is executed with the patient’s best outcome in mind.”

On Friday a man who wished to remain anonymous, told The Tribune that after waiting five months to have his surgery, he was told last week that his surgery had been postponed until February of next year.

“My surgery,” he said, “was booked from the 6th of May and I had my last appointment on the 18th of September to prepare for the surgery. I went there on the 26th and they said someone had the appointment book and the book was lost so they had to reschedule persons. Now they trying to give me February 20th of next year as the new date for my surgery. I have an abdominal hernia caused from over exerting myself on my job. I still experience discomfort. I see this as ridiculous. You gave me the date and I gave the documents you gave me on that date. I could understand if someone came with an emergency and had to take my space, but to have my appointment cancelled just through negligence is something that I just can’t believe.”

Last week FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner said: “I found it to be very unusual that surgeries are only being booked on some kind of ledger and the fact that these were long standing appointments that these people have been waiting on, obviously something is not right here. Someone needs to speak to this. It should not be allowed to go like that. Too many of our people are dependent on the public hospital authority on their healthcare and they can’t even get the hospital roster together? That’s shameful.”

The Tribune contacted officials at the hospital concerning the issue last week Friday, but the hospital did not respond until yesterday evening.