Letters to Editor: Hospital wait without end

Hospital wait without end

I was pleased to see hospital waiting lists had shortened and there is more funding for elective surgery; the hardest part is getting on the waiting list. In my case, after suffering for about a year with a bad hip, my doctor sent me to see a physiotherapist, which took a further six months.

I was then sent to see a surgeon, which took a further six months. He advised that I needed surgery but it wasn't his decision to make and I would be notified by post as to if and when surgery would take place.

After four months and numerous phone calls, I had still heard nothing so I decided to write to the CEO, he was very apologetic and passed my letter on to the elctive services manager. The reply was swift and retribution was immediate. I was not to be placed on the list but referred back to my doctor, who was already giving me maximum pain relief.

So now I am back to square one after approximately two and a half years.

The good news is that I had just been in hospital for a prostate operation prior to my hip operation that I am not going to get.

The staff were just great and couldn't have been nicer.

Hope that the board achieve their quota of operations for the next six months and qualify for future funding for the next six months, perhaps then I might strike lucky, but I won't hold my breath.John HosegoodNapierSmoking is bad lookThere's nothing more unappealing than driving past the Hawke's Bay Hospital and seeing several staff outside sitting on the footpaths eating their lunch and smoking, in uniform!

This looks unsightly and is not a good look for the hospital in promoting good health!

Come on HB District Health Board, provide a lunch/smoking area for your staff that cannot be seen from the public eye! Just like the rest of the town does, you don't see every other industry or shop owner doing this, so come on and smarten up your act.

I would also like to add that the picketers that stand out the front entrance to the hospital picketing against "abortion" should be removed! This looks appalling outside the main entrance to a hospital. How about keeping their opinions to themselves, after all it is a free country. It downgrades the entire town with this loitering around a public hospital.

M Harrington, Hawke's Bay