After nearly a year of waiting for surgery on her broken hand, a woman has criticized hospital delays.
Louise Ketteringham claimed that ever since breaking the scaphoid bone in her right hand in August 2021, she has experienced chronic pain.
The 38-year-old woman from Plumtree, Nottinghamshire, claimed she merely wished for an end to the discomfort.
The 29 March has been chosen as the new date for Mrs. Ketteringham's surgery, according to Nottingham University Hospital Trust (NUH).
The mother-of-three said doctors did not operate at the time because they initially believed the bone would heal after she injured her hand while playing with her kids.
But it was determined she would require surgery during a consultation at the Queen's Medical Center in April 2022.
She claimed that after that, she was added to the list of patients waiting to undergo bone grafting and insert a metal pin.
The former painter and decorator claimed that since the accident, she has been unable to work or perform her daily tasks, including caring for her disabled child, operating a vehicle, and preparing meals for her family.
Mrs. Ketteringham claimed that she was finding it difficult to manage and that her husband had been forced to work fewer hours in order to help the family.
She said, "My mental health has gotten really, really bad.".
"I shouldn't be taking so many medications to numb the pain, but I am. I ought to have had the procedure. ".
She claimed the hospital informed her that recent NHS strikes and the backlog at Covid were to blame for the delay.
"We are very sorry that there is a delay to the surgery Louise Ketteringham is currently waiting for," a NUH spokesperson said.
"After a course of treatment and care that started when Louise first visited the Emergency Department in August 2021, surgery was advised in April 2022.
"Last month, Louise's surgery was given a higher priority so that we could keep her waiting time to a minimum.
"Since the pandemic, we have made significant progress in reducing waiting times for all patients at NUH thanks to the tireless efforts of our staff.
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