A nurse is demanding answers after her operation was cancelled for the third time.

Lillian Busby, 55, of Farmers Close, Witney, was due to have surgery at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, in Headington, Oxford, to investigate her hip joint on Wednesday.

But the operation was cancelled for the third time and Mrs Busby has demanded to see hospital chiefs. Mrs Busby said: "I am a nurse and I do understand the pressure the NHS is under, but this is cruel and inhumane. I just keep getting vague answers. It is just bad planning that my operation has been cancelled again. I am divorced and live alone. I had to organise someone to come and look after me and time off work again with my employer. He is furious.

"The hospital have promised my operation will go ahead next Wednesday but promises have been broken.

"They offered me a private bed, but I don't need a private bed. I need an operation. "I feel as if I am betraying the medical profession by complaining but someone has got to do something."

Mrs Busby worked in the Accident and Emergency department at the city's John Radcliffe Hospital, often doing 13 or 14 hour shifts.

She said: "I had to leave. The workload was too much and the pay was awful. I understand when you are in A&E that emergencies come in and need to go to theatre ahead of routine operations but there is no A&E at the Nuffield." General manager of medicine and orthopaedics Richard Dehavillande said: "We are sorry that it had to be cancelled. It was a decision made by the surgeon on the day. He had another case which overran because of complications and these things cannot be foreseen.

"Her operation will definitely go ahead, barring any major catastrophe, on Wednesday. She will be first in the operating theatre in the morning.

"It is unusual for an operation to be cancelled for a third time and we are investigating."

Story date: Tuesday 19 October

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