Colchester mother and son in battle with Colchester Hospital

Shirley Buckingham, 83, had her left hip replaced in April 2023.

The strength in her right hip then declined and she was put on a waiting list for a second operation in September 2023.

Shirley was classed as an “urgent and high-priority” patient by Colchester Hospital.

Mother and son – Shirley Buckingham and Dave Buckingham (Image: Public) She was told by the medical team she needed to address a leg condition before they could think about operating.

After another pre-op assessment last November, son Dave, 47, claims the hospital said Shirley could be in “within one month”.

Thanks to an “incredible effort” from district nurses and private carers, her condition was resolved, but after another appointment in January, Shirley was told she had a heart condition called an atrial fibrillation.

That was resolved after medication to regulate her heartbeat, but her mobility has declined and she is now housebound and in a lot of pain.

The latest blow came last week when Shirley found out her surgeon can only perform the operation on Fridays.

As a high priority patient, Mrs Buckingham needs a post operative care unit bed and they are not available on Fridays because there are not enough staff to cover them at weekends.

Hospital – Colchester Hospital (Image: Credited) Shirley has now been told she could have to wait until April 2026 for the operation.

She said: “I expected to be put back on to the list for a date and they couldn’t give me one.

“It was such a shock to be told they can only try to fit me in before April 2026.

“I can’t be the only patient waiting for a post operative care unit bed.

“I have a lot of pain – it doesn’t seem good enough.”

Busy – Colchester Hospital (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest) Dave claims the hospital is “shambolic” and said the trust needs to use budgets to increase staff across vital wards.

“Mum said she doesn’t wish to live any more – she can’t take the pain,” he said.

“If they had the staffing ability to accommodate high risk patients seven days a week, especially at weekends, the issues would not have arisen now.

“We wouldn’t be facing this issue. There are so many departments in the NHS which are not seven days a week, and they need to be.

“My mum needs this operation. She stands a good chance of surviving – she wants to walk again.”

Mrs Buckingham is now due to have a pre-operative assessment appointment later this month.

Dr Tim Leary is the interim chief medical officer at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust which runs the hospital.

ESNEFT’s Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre, is housed in the purpose-built Dame Clare Marx Building at Colchester Hospital (Image: ast Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust) He said: “Our dedicated patient advice and liaison Service (PALS) team, and colleagues at the Essex and Suffolk Elective Orthopaedic Centre, are working with the Buckingham family to listen to their concerns and support them further.

“We appreciate how difficult it can be for patients on our waiting lists.

“We continue to work through them in priority order, based on clinical need.

“Providing patients with safe care in our hospitals is our top priority. 

“We have assured the Buckingham family that our teams are doing all they can to see and assess patients currently on our waiting lists.

“Now that Mrs Buckingham is fit to proceed, we are having conversations with her and our clinicians to schedule a date for her surgery to go ahead.”