Private V NHS - TKR

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi guys can I ask for your opinions/comments please? As you all know I am awaiting an appointment for TKR referral. I'm down as an urgent

case but my local NHS has a backlog and can't give me even an approximate waiting time for an urgent appointment although the routine wait is 22 weeks. The hospital have advised they want me to see the consultant who performed the arthroscopy I had in February but his list is even longer. I have looked into going private with this consultant but the cost over £11000 is quite considerable and I would have to finance that. Do I wait it out or give the private option more thought?

2

I'm not sure how much pain your dealing with? I do know that a lot of places have financial assistance and Medicaid /medicare.I dont quite understand the 22 week waiting period? If this isnt something that can wait that long ,then i would check into other options to having the surgery. Im sorry I couldnt help much but I do hope you find answers soon.

3

Thanks Tina am managing pain so so with meds if I stay home/work it's manageable but even to walk few yards to local shop is so difficult and the pain after not worth it my knee seizes up and constantly aches with sharp pains

4

Hi Freestork. I had the same dilemma in may 2015 I was classed as urgent and given a date of 6th July 2015. HOWEVER I was cancelled through no fault of my own 5 times and finally got my urgent surgery 3rd October 2016. 15 months after my first date. I seriously considered going private but my closest friend is an anesthetist who worked private for 7 years then returned to the nhs last year taking a huge paycut as he had lost confidence in the private system. He said tkrs were done like an assembly line with only 30 minutes for each procedure. AS time is money. There are quite a few post op complications but these are shipped off to the nhs so the private hospitals do not show these in their statistics. He convinced me that waiting for the nhs was the better option. And seeing as I ended up in critical care for 48 hours post op I'm so glad I waited. I wouldn't have wanted to be put in an ambulance and sent elsewhere in the state I was in. THE aftercare on my nhs ward was fantastic. Good luck with your surgery. Keep plugging away at your health trust for a date. K x

5

Thanks Kerrie appreciate your reply hope you have made a complete recovery? I will call the hospital weekly and chase for updates

Best wishes

Debs

6

I waited 6 months having initially been told 6-8 weeks wait. My consultant although does private work put me off the idea. It's really personal preference - if you have medical insurance go for it - if not be patient and wait. As for me it was worth the wait my local NHS hospital was fabulous.

7

Thanks Elizabeth, can I ask what area you from?

Debs

8

I'm only 4 weeks post op and still in lot of pain. But every day is getting easier. I still have my left knee. Both hips and ankles to be replaced yet but I'm staying positive. Hope everything works out well for you. Xx

9

My nearest NHS hospital is just one mile from my home. Whiston Hospital - Merseyside. It's very new! StHelens and Knowsley Trust

10

Not so far from me! Am on the Wirral waiting for Arrowe Park

11

Been waiting long? Contact PALS they should be able to give you a realistic time scale.

12

Thanks Elizabeth I will try that

13

Email sent to Wirral PALS will let you know if I get a response thanks Elizabeth

14

Thanks for this, as it really helps to understand why our Op's are being cancelled. I cannot afford to go private, Might have known the private care were shipping folk straight back to the NHS, makes my blood boil!

15

I can't afford private either Clive, I'd have to apply for finance and it's not cheap. Will just play the waiting game and see what happens

16

I would ring the consultants secretary. I had an arthroscopy in February and as it ended up bone on bone I had my TKR in July with the same consultant. I had my operations in a private hospital but under the NHS.I would have thought when you saw the consultant after your arthroscopy he would have kept your case open.

17

Hi Sara thanks for your reply I also had an arthroscopy in February and the consultant did say there was an 80% chance it wouldn't work and if it didn't I would need a TKR am not sure if I can ring his secretary though as am still waiting for my initial appointment to see him again

18

Hi Freestork,

That is a question you should be asking of the physician who gave you the referral in the first place....

and whether or not your knee is in such critical condition as to warrant immediate intervention will also depend upon how your knee feels to you.

Urgent gives you priority over routine. But Urgent does not out rank Immediate.

Yes 22 weeks seems anything but urgent when you are the one waiting.

So move over in that Wait Boat cause I need to sit down next to and commiserate with you...been waiting since Aug 30 for a surgery Jan 15 plus had to bump a tsr till Feb.! Feels like I am never be done. like I am wasting all of this time waiting when I would much rather be healing!

So, lets just keep each other smiling while we endure the interminable wait .

any body got something funny to say...we need a giggle here..

kind regards

judith

19

Ask your GP to refer you to the consultant in question through Choose and Book at the private hospital he works in. This way you will be under his care at a private hospital with no fees.

This is how the NHS get around waiting lists and breaches. The privatisation of the NHS is far more widespread than many people realise but we may as well make the most of it where possible.

20

Hi Elizabeth I took your advice and emailed PALS yesterday and received a reply today with an appointment for 29 November! Many many thanks for your advice

Debs