Cromford woman speaks of her frustration over operation delays due to Covid-19

Coun Joyce Pawley, who is a Derbyshire Dales district councillor, was first scheduled to have an operation to stop pre-cancerous cells turning cancerous before Christmas however due to complications and limited hospital space, Coun Pawley is still waiting.

Coun Pawley was finally admitted to hospital on January 21, but was told her operation could only go ahead if there was a high dependancy bed available for her.

After arriving at the hospital at 7am, three and half hours later Coun Pawley was told her operation was being delayed again.

She said: “The surgeon arrived to say the bed had been taken by a Covid patient and I was off home with no given date for my operation.

"Let me make this clear, none, I repeat none of this is the result of inefficiency of our NHS staff.

“Much of this is the result of the irresponsible behaviour of those in our society who think that Covid rules do not apply to them.

"I have seen the staff continuing to do their work, keeping their spirits up by laughing, singing and eating chocolate biscuits, but they are exhausted.

"And still they find the energy to have empathy for those they care for. Still they care. “If their patient was one of those people who seem to have the idea that Covid will pass them by who was poorly they would still give their all to get them through.

"For those of you who think what you do does not affect others, think again, it does.

"I am sitting here washed out and angry. Angry at ignorance, angry at denial and angry that our doctors and nurses are not appreciated more than they are.

"Offering them a few weeks of well meaning clapping in 2020 is not enough, we have gone beyond that, they need to know that we are all willing to play our part in stopping the spread of this disease; otherwise all the massive contributions that they have made will seem lessened.

"Our NHS and patients like me who have done everything they can to avoid getting the virus need your help.”

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