I hope this all goes to plan and you don't get messed about.pete75 wrote: ↑21 Jun 2022, 8:35am I've a date through for my knee op in mid July. There's a lot in the press about long NHS waiting lists for this type of operation. In my experience this is untrue. Visited GP mid April, x-ray at the end of April, consultant appointment end of May, op scheduled for mid July. Would private be any quicker?
My exprience was quite frustrating. I received an appointment within twelve weeks of the consultant appointment only to have it cancelled three weeks before the date. I wasn't given any indication of how long I would need to wait for another appointment. I had already made arrangements to be off work from the original date and work had arranged cover for the period I was likely to be off. After 4 weeks of waiting and not knowing what was happening I received another appointed for two weeks time. When I arrived for the appointment I was told that two people had been booked for one bed but apparently I was the 'lucky' one to get the bed. I felt really bad for the other person who would have had all the anticipation and apprehension that goes with anything like this only to be let down.
At the time of my consultants appointment I asked what sort of timescale I could expect and I was told the target time was within twelve weeks but they were running four weeks behind. I could be wrong but I believe there was never any prospect of the first date ever being achieved but an appointment had to be given because of the target times.
I would hope that now target times have gone to pot because of Covid, appointments will be more likely to be realistic but I would still be concerned about double booking of beds.