A mother has revealed her terrifying ordeal after life-saving cancer surgery was nearly cancelled when her emergency COVID-19 test results mysteriously vanished within the NHS system.
Michelle Davies, 49, was scheduled for critical bowel cancer surgery at Royal Stoke University Hospital. Following strict pre-operative protocols, she took a mandatory COVID-19 test 72 hours before her procedure.
A Frantic Wait For Critical Results
"I never received the emergency test result," Michelle stated. "The hospital kept calling, asking if I had it. I was checking my phone constantly—texts, emails, junk folder—but there was nothing."
With her surgery hanging in the balance, Michelle and hospital staff embarked on a frantic search for the missing results. The operation, crucial for her cancer treatment, could not proceed without confirmation she was COVID-negative.
System Failure Puts Lives at Risk
Her case exposes a alarming flaw in the NHS Test and Trace infrastructure, where critical results can apparently disappear into a digital black hole, putting vulnerable patients at serious risk.
"The stress was unbearable," Michelle recounted. "Facing cancer is hard enough without this added nightmare. You put your trust in the system, and it completely lets you down."
NHS Responds to Testing Crisis
An NHS spokesperson acknowledged the incident: "While the NHS Test and Trace service has delivered over 300 million tests, we regret any instance where expected results are not received."
"We encourage individuals to contact 119 if they do not receive their results within the expected timeframe, especially before time-sensitive procedures."
Fortunately, after hours of anxiety and relentless efforts by hospital administrators, Michelle's result was finally located and her surgery proceeded successfully.
Her story serves as a stark warning about the real-world consequences of administrative failures within critical healthcare systems during emergency protocols.
