Advocacy: Waiting Times for Orthopaedic Surgery

West Wales Region spoke with an 84-year-old man who had been waiting for orthopaedic surgery since early 2019. During that time his ability to get about deteriorated, with even one step leaving him in a lot of pain. He described his quality of life as non-existent. The pain was so bad that he hadn’t had a good night's sleep in over four years.

His question to Llais was “have I been condemned to live the last years of my life in agony, with no chance of surgery – am I going to die waiting for surgery?”

He had suffered from cancer during this time and was treated swiftly and successfully. However, as the cancer treatment lasted longer than 21 days the guidelines suggested he be removed from any waiting list and start again when doctors agreed he was fit. This would have meant him spending years longer awaiting orthopaedic surgery.

We wrote to the Health Board asking them to put him back on the list, in the place he should have been. The Health Board agreed, and the patient has now been offered imminent surgery.

He is overjoyed and looks forward to enjoying the future pain free.