I was told it was an 18 week wait for my 'urgent' operation, reveals radio star IAIN DALE. That's why I had to make a decision I know some may judge...

I was told it was an 18 week wait for my 'urgent' operation, reveals radio star IAIN DALE. That's why I had to make a decision I know some may judge..

. By Ethan Ennals For The Mail On Sunday Published: 11:58, 25 August 2024 | Updated: 11:58, 25 August 2024 e-mail View comments When radio presenter Iain Dale was rushed into the emergency department at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in July, he was told he'd need to undergo an invasive surgery as soon as possible. The 62-year-old, who helms the Evening Show on LBC Radio, had been suffering severe pain down the right-hand side of his abdomen for several days and had repeatedly been sick.

Within minutes of being seen, a doctor diagnosed a perforated gallbladder, and told him that the pear-shaped organ would need to come out the moment an operating room became available. The condition usually occurs when the opening to the gallbladder becomes blocked, leading to inflammation and swelling. Left untreated, it can lead to life-threatening infections.

Within minutes of being seen, a doctor diagnosed Iain Dale with a perforated gallbladder, and told him that the pear-shaped organ would need to be removed For this reason, more than 60,000 NHS patients have their gallbladder removed every year. 'I stayed in overnight,' says Iain, who earlier this year briefly quit his LBC role to run for Parliament, only to abandon his campaign three days later. 'There wasn't a bed available, so I had to lie in a reclining chair the whole time.

' The next morni.