A pensioner says he was left “totally stumped” when his heart operation was cancelled hours after it was meant to have taken place.

John McFarlane attended the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Dalmuir on June 16 as he had been scheduled for an operation for a new heart valve the next day.

The 72-year-old told the Post that at around 6am on June 17, he was given pre-operation medication.

He claims he was then told by nursing staff that his operation was expected to begin at around 8am.

However, John says he was still sitting in the ward at 12.15pm, when he received bad news.

John said: “I’ve been quite breathless since the beginning of the year. I was referred to Clydebank and went through all the procedures meeting with consultants, the surgeon, and completing the pre-op.

“I was visited by an anaesthetist and doctor after I got there [on June 16] and they explained everything.

“I was then told by a nurse that I’d be getting up around 6am and it would be about 7.30am I’d be going down and to get operated on at around 8am.

“I asked how long the surgery would take and I was told it would be done around 12.30pm.

"It got to 9.30am and I thought ‘something’s not right here’ and a nurse came through and told me there could be delays from time to time.

“At the back of twelve, I thought ‘If I don’t hear anything by half twelve I’ll ask again’.

"Prior to this, the surgeon had come up and said there was a problem with ICU and there didn’t appear to be any beds.

“At 12.15pm a senior staff nurse came through and said there wasn’t enough staffing for the ICU which meant my operation was cancelled, bearing in mind it was meant to have nearly been over by that point, and the steam was coming out of my ears.”

Four hours after his operation was due to begin John says he was instead having to make his way home - something that would prove to be challenging for the Elderslie resident.

As he had been expecting to spend a period of time in the hospital to recover John explained that he had given his belongings, including his wallet and house keys, to the friend who dropped him off for safekeeping.

Unfortunately, his friend was unable to make the journey to Clydebank to pick him up when he was discharged and as he had no money or keys John was left waiting in the hospital foyer.

He added: “I went downstairs to the foyer and hung around because I had nothing on me. I only had loose change in my pocket and no house keys.

“I couldn’t get home, I was waiting for my friend to come back from Falkirk but they couldn’t come back until tea time.

“If I didn’t have my phone I’d really have been lost. There was an offer to get me home but there was no point. I didn’t have keys, I was totally stumped.

“My friend went to a great deal of trouble to come through to get me.”

John’s surgery has been rescheduled for today (Friday, June 21.).

However, he says he still has some concerns.

John added: “I was phoned by the booking office who offered to book me in for Thursday for preparation to be ready for Friday morning.

“However, one of the guys who was discharged at the same time as myself [on June 17] said that was the third time his operation had been cancelled.

“I’m a bit angry and frustrated. I’m also worried this could happen again and I’ll be let down again.”

An NHS Golden Jubilee spokesperson said: “We are committed to providing high quality, safe and effective patient care for patients across Scotland.

“Due to patient confidentiality, we do not divulge information on individuals. The safety and well-being of our patients is paramount, and any decision to postpone surgery is made with this in mind.

“There are many reasons why a patient’s surgery may be postponed and we always try and reschedule treatment as soon as possible.

“Knowing that coming into hospital can be an anxious time, we make every attempt to carry out every operation on the specified day.

“Our team works carefully to manage resources and patient needs, but unforeseen circumstances can occasionally lead to changes in the surgical schedule.

“We understand the frustration caused by any delay and apologise to patients in this position. As an organisation that believes in continuous improvement, we actively encourage open lines of communication to discuss any aspect of patient or carer experience.

“Therefore, we urge any patient who wishes to discuss concerns about their care to contact us directly.”