The impact of waiting for NHS surgery in Somerset

Report - 29 November 2021

Somerset’s NHS leaders asked us to help them understand how people are being affected by waiting for surgery to inform their ongoing work to improve support for patients.

Key messages

  • 48 out of 72 of people had been waiting over 40 weeks for their surgery.
  • Many people indicated a lack, or absence, of communication from their specialist during their wait.
  • A large proportion of people told us they had experienced one or more of the following due to waiting for surgery: - Their condition had deteriorated. - Their mobility had reduced during their wait, and this had impacted on their ability to carry out everyday tasks. - They had experienced changes in their daily mood.
  • 35 of 46 people relied on family and/or friends to help them manage their daily tasks.
  • Many people indicated that they did not know how much longer they would have to wait for their surgery.

Read our report

If you need this report in a different format, please email info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk or call 0800 999 1286.

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The impact of waiting for NHS surgery in Somerset
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