Hip and knee replacements - NHS consultant / registrar question

Bryony

I'm wondering how many of you were actually seen by your consultant surgeon before you had your hip or knee replacement on the NHS, or were you seen only by registrars, and didn't see him/her until the actual operation?

Fran54

@Bryony

I was seen by my consultant surgeon who diagnosed me as having degenerative Osteoarthritis in both my hips ( originally thought it was my knee as that was where I had all the pain ). He advised me to have my right hip done first and said there was a 3 month waiting list.

On the day of the operation I saw him again before the op. I have not seen him since, when I had various check ups. I am due to see him hopefully, on the 4th April to discuss the way forward for having the other hip replaced.

Hope this helps.🙂

Bryony

Thanks for your reply.

alwayssewing

I have seen my consultant surgeon every time for both my THR's but it was at a private hospital paid for by NHS. I was able to choose which hospital right at the beginning. I have also had telephone consultations with him to discuss ex-rays and the way forward .

Bryony

Thanks. I think at private hospitals (that are also NHS contractors) they don't use registrars, so I think they are the better option.

Unfortunately the hospitals I was offered all featured the same consultant surgeons, of whom only one does partial knee replacements, so my chances of having that were very limited, even though I was very likely suitable. I had to go slightly out of area to where there are a number trained in PKR but I had no control over that, as the e-referral system wasn't available. I couldn't make an appointment with a specific surgeon, we just get allocated the first appointment available, with whoever it is. I had my first appointment cancelled 5 times by them, and allocated a different surgeon 4 out of those 5 times.

At that NHS hospital I was only seen by registrars, the first of whom was a complete rookie and a total waste of time. In the end, after 2 years wait felt I had to go elsewhere as although I'd not been seen by the consultant surgeon, I'd learnt enough about him to have zero trust in him. I also feared he'd let loose the rookie registrar on my knee surgery. Decided to cut my losses and restart the whole process elsewhere.

To get back some sort of control, I decided which consultant surgeon I wanted to see, by looking up on the National Joint Registry, which hospitals he worked, and then booked privately the first appointment, and then asked to go on his NHS list at that same private hospital. Well worth the £175. Got to see him within a week. Now on the waiting list which is 6-9 months. But I finally feel confident I'll get a competently performed surgery.

That is what I'd advise people to do. Choose your surgeon, book the first appointment privately (at a hospital that also is contracted to do NHS surgery) then ask to be put on their NHS waiting list at the private hospital. I wish I had known that 2 years ago. I'd have had two new knees more than a year ago, had I done that.

The consultant did express surprise that the surgeon at my first hospital hadn't made the effort to at least introduce himself, which is what made me wonder what the norm is.