Waiting times

Dave460

Have just spoken to the hospital and they still say they are working on people from 2019 what a joke

Has anyone else been delayed that long

Nannanic

Yep! In absolute agony needing a hip replacement & was told by my consultant exactly the same, they have patients waiting from October 2019 who still do not have a date and I was looking at another 12 months minimum wait. I have reluctantly booked the op privately as I just can’t envisage having to wait that long, even going down the private route I could not get a date before mid October. It’s a huge chunk of my savings, but realistically I would not be able to carry on working much longer without the op so I’d lose my salary anyway!

duffer

Yes! refused surgery as my blood pressure was OTT thanks to the 'stand in' Consultant who advised me 'hip replacement might not work' 'you could get an infection in which case it will be amputation' or 'you could have a heart attack or stroke' - nothing positive whatever. That was in January 2019. If I had been playing rugby or mountaineering my hip would be sorted immediately - but because most sufferers are 'elective' we have to plea for help. But then - I'm still around, independent and so on. Just in pain folks! Duffer.

Mike1

I have sympathy with anyone waiting for joint replacement and other hospital procedures such as cancer treatment but I have greater sympathy for the Doctors and Nurses who have put their lives on the line, and in some cases lost their lives, helping us all during this pandemic. Pain is crippling as I know all too well but as we used to say in the forces "Pain is the body's way of saying you are alive!"

Licklelilly

I had my hip op privately 6 weeks ago today, I was faced with a possible 2-year wait after being placed on the NHS waiting list in April 2021, which meant no job, no driving lessons, and possibly no deposit on a house in case I needed my savings to live as I have no other income. Buying my hip privately was ultimately the healthiest and economically wisest decision in my lifetime! Plus it doesn't bear thinking about how my mental health could have deteriorated in those 2 years or more of waiting!

Licklelilly

@duffer That almost happened to me when I went for my pre-op, the pre-op team declared that the TRH surgery was cancelled due to my sky-high blood pressure! Because it was at a private hospital, they didn't have the equipment available in case I had a stroke! Luckily my surgeon/consultant overruled the anaesthetist and pre-op team, saying the pain, and painkillers (naproxen), plus the anxiety of the big scary operation itself was driving my blood pressure up. My surgeon won, and as he expected, my blood pressure went back to normal straight after my op! I really hope you get your surgery soon, I'm guessing you are on blood pressure meds now, its awful that they've made you wait again!!

stickywicket

I don't quite get the BP thing as my husband's anaesthetist told him pre-op that he must leave off his BP meds on the day as her job was to try to keep his BP UP. However, all these things are important. A friend forgot to mention her mild asthma and, as a result, was given the wrong anaesthetic for her. She did have a stroke.

It's also true that they do have to warn us re possibilities. There is a risk of infection and, if it all goes wrong, of amputation. I was once told that too. Maybe now they are emphasising the negatives as they know there's no way they can operate on all who need operations. It's a sad state of affairs.

Pic

After six months waiting to a NHS consultation for a hip replacement, I contact the hospital to be told the waiting time for a consultation is 64 weeks. They couldn't tell me how long the waiting time for surgery is.

Brynmor

Welcome @Pic to the Online Community. Sorry to hear you have been quoted a waiting time for a consultation appointment of 64 weeks. I do hope that you receive the hip replacement operation you need.

Do join in across the Community, ask questions, give support or just call in to say how you are getting on. You will be most welcome.

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Lilymary

Hi @Pic , that’s appalling. I’d heard of those sort of waiting times for the surgery itself, but not for just the initial consultation. Have you considered going privately for the consultation? It might speed up you being put on the NHS list for surgery. I did this many years ago when I had a problem with my eyesight as I was so worried, I saw the same NHS consultant, who also does private work, and he was able to move me onto the next stage through the NHS.

Pic

Thanks @Lilymary & @Brynmor - I've now had a private consultation & the consultant has put me on his NHS list. Pre-Covid his waiting time was 9 months, he wasn't able to tell me how long it is now.

Lilymary

Pleased to hear you’ve made some progress. Waiting times vary from one region/health trust/region to another. Even the surgeons don’t know what’s going on as things can change so suddenly with covid. Hope it’s not too long and that you can cope meanwhile,

Dave460

Thanks for your replies I feel we are all in the same boat so have to put up with it my pain relief has increased again and my mental health is now taking a bit of a battering but even a generic letter saying sorry from the nhs would show we are not forgotten