athroscopy

After being told that I will have to wait a further 6 months for Arthroscopy with ligament surgery, I am now looking at the option of travelling abroad, I do know someone who has travelled to the Czech Republic paying around £2,395 and are extremely happy with how the operation went and how everything was handled by the company they booked with.

does anyone else have experience of travelling abroad for an operation before I make the final decision ?

Comments

  • No but it might depend on where you live.  If an operation has been agreed there may be a waiting time guarantee, there is a 9 week one in Scotland - I doubt England will be that different, especially for acute sites.

  • I heard an interview on the Jeremy Vine show on Friday with the CEO of a company called Operations Abroad Worldwide,  I have taken a look at the website, very interesting.  I think I may complete an enquiry form and see what comes back.  

  • Hi , just thought that I would give you an update.  After completing the online application I received a call from a patient liaison advisor who went through the package details for me.  

    I have now decided to travel with Operations Abroad Worldwide for the surgery and just waiting for a final travel date,  looks like this will be before the end of September,  I feel so relieved that things are moving forward and I will finally be feeling motivated again.

    Watch this space for my feed back   image

     

  • Hi Elizabeth. As a nurse working in an orthopaedic outpatient department, I would urge you to look for somewhere without such a long wait, within the NHS, which you are within your rights to do. You have to realise that the operation its self is not the end of the matter. You will need rehabilitation advice, and follow up after the op. Also if anything goes wrong abroad it will be very hard for you to get any redress. You can look for the surgeons with the best outcomes on the NHS sites, and many Trusts still use the 18 week waiting times which were mandatory under the last government. My own Trust, which is Huddersfield and Calderdale NHS foundation Trust do. Some of the Surgeons have an even shorter waiting list.

    Good luck

  • Hi Liz, thank you for your reply.  I'm not knocking our NHS and definitely not our Nursing staff, I'm just really fed up of waiting,  don't really fancy going to another Trust as that makes visiting etc harder for the family.

    The company offers an exclusive insurance package that covers any costs of return trips,  they only use reputable surgeons who provide their full CV if requested, which I have never heard of with the NHS.

     

    I think sometimes we just have to move forward and take the matter into our own hands,  have a look at the website, the testimonials are fantastic. I don't think they could have been in business for 13 years if they aren't doing something right ?

     

    Lizzy 

  • Hello Lizzy again

    I was certainly NOT implying that you were knocking our NHS, although it could do with knocking in some areas! I am just concerned that you are spending a lot of money, which you could probably use to get a private surgeon and the follow up which you would need at home. You would be spared the journey, which could be quite uncomfortable post operatively, and would hopefully be able to understand the nurse who wakes you up from the anaesthetic (and she or he, you) You could also be visited more easily by your family if you were kept in hospital, although most patients are scoped as day patients nowadays.

    You can look up the outcomes of orthopaedic surgeons on the website of the British Orthopaedic Association.

    I understand how you feel, having torn my own meniscus this spring time. I would just ask you to consider the above points, as well as the fact that a company, who is selling something are not likely to put complaints onto their website, and if you look at the patient's feedback forms received by people going privately or through the NHS in this country, most are glowing with satisfactionimage

    Again, good luck.

    Liz

  • Hi Liz

    I wish that I could agree with you, but let's face it, we only hear negatives about the NHS and most other companies when it is splashed all over our TV screens.

    Anyway, following our discussion and after months of debating and everyone saying what I should and shouldn't do, I AM BOOKED, fly out on the 23rd September, had a lovely conversation with the consultant this morning then rang Operations Abroad and confirmed my booking.

    I feel so positive, and just know that I have made the right decision.

     

    Thank you for your input Liz 

     

    Lizzy x

  • This post looks quite like some advertising I received in response to a post about my knee injury on another site.

    Elizabeth, if you are genuine I hope your op went well. Let us know

     

  • Hi Elizabeth

    How did your arthroscopy go? I had mine two days ago, together with microfractures as the wear was so bad. It means that I am crutch bound for 6 weeks. I am so glad that I am in touch with the team that did it, as I feel at sea as to rehab. What have you been told?

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