A PATIENT whose operation was cancelled as a result of the closure of a surgical cleaning unit has criticised the lack of contingency planning by Glasgow’s health board.

Fiona Henderson has been waiting 36 weeks for surgery to correct a painful foot condition and was told on Thursday, the day before the op was due to take place, that it could not go ahead at Stobhill Hospital.

She said patients had been left with an ‘unforgivable’ lack of information, including possible timescales for the re-scheduling of procedures.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said yesterday that a further 245 planned ops had been cancelled, bringing the total to 569.

The Evening Times revealed on Friday that the Cowlairs Decontamination Unit at Springburn had closed after an inspection raised safety concerns related to the fabric of the building.

The company has now given the health board the green light to re-open the service but it is likely to be a few days before it is fully operational.

Read more: Operations across Glasgow cancelled after inspection raises concerns at sterlisation unit 

Fiona, who lectures at Glasgow Caledonian University and lives in Garrowhill, has written an open letter to cross-party politicians including Annie Wells, Anas Sarwar, Pauline McNeil, Patrick Harvie calling for improvement to communication with patients, ‘when NHS systems fail’.

She said: “We were told with less than 24 hours notice my operation is cancelled with no rescheduled date, no helpline, and no support for our employers.

“I am in constant pain and have been for two years. I do not have cancer. I am not elderly. I am not alone or vulnerable.

“But many people who are affected by this will be. It is an unforgivable lack of information for scared vulnerable people who are often enduring severe pain.

“Where is the Resilience Bunker in such a crisis? Its not 300 plus people this crisis affects. Its thousands.

“Can you influence the governance of the NHS in Scotland to create policies when their systems fail to ensure a) patients are kept informed and have access to a helpline, rescheduling is swift and the most vulnerable and urgent cases are offered ongoing (even daily) contact and support?

“My employer hired someone to cover my absence. My partner’s employer has released her and arranged cover for her for a week.

“An economic analysis of impact in such crises might add weight to the argument for resourcing a simple reactive support strategy.

Read more: Hundreds of ops cancelled including cancer surgery after sterilisation unit closes 

“In our case it has cost our employers significantly and they cannot cancel cover as we genuinely have no idea if I will be operated on in four day or four months. Communication would remove this uncertainty.”

Annie Wells, Conservative MSP for Glasgow said: “With a re-opening date still unknown, it is absolutely imperative that the health board are working on alternative arrangements for patients who have seen their operations cancelled.”

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: “Our quality assurance advisers have confirmed reinstatement of the Certification the Cowlairs Decontamination Unit.

“Our own internal infection control environmental testing is continuing. As soon as this testing is completed we will begin the process of bringing the unit back into full production.

“Patient safety remains our top priority, and, it is essential that these processes are fully completed which is likely to take a few days. The precise date will be confirmed as soon as possible.

“In the meantime, we continue to maximise our alternative capacity, working with other health boards, to ensure our emergency, trauma and urgent cases are prioritised.

“ In order to protect this emergency activity, we postponed a further 245 planned operations on Thursday.”