Checking out hospital and surgeons?

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hiya,

Does any of you very fine hippies know of a site where I can check on hospital and surgeons etc, been checking the normal search way, but not finding much to be honest. I did read a post where someone asked there GP to refer them to a particular surgeon, didn't think this was possible within the NHS, thought you had to go with what you are offered etc. Any help as ever most appreciated.

Stay safe

Pete 😀

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Posted

    You can ask your GP to be referred to a specific hospital - I dont think you can ask to be referred to a specific surgeon. 
  • Posted

    You do not say where you are Pete, but if you are in England it's called NHS choices. Just Google it as this site does not like links.

    You can check out private hospitals that carry out the work you need and then look at the surgeons qualifications.

    Armed with that, you can see your GP and ask for a referral. That will start the ball rolling. It does not cost the NHS any more than an NHS hospital as they pay the private ones the same amount. You also get to chose your admission date.

     

    • Posted

      Hi Tony,

      Many thanks for your reply, I'm in the East Yorkshire area, I was aware of this NHS choices site, not sure what I can make of the surgeons qualifications 😔

      But I'll check it out again, thanks again 😀

      Stay safe

      Pete

    • Posted

      Hi Pete.

      I am also in the East Riding.

      I had mine done at the Spire Hospital, Anlaby. Easy access by bus (stops outside hospital) or taxi if no car or free parking if you have.

      Look up their website and review the surgeons. Mine was Verne Johnson. Very old school and highly experienced. I had a posterior approach RTHR and was walking on crutches and discharged on my second day. There is a lot more to it but you are better off going in blind and experiencing it for yourself.

      See your GP and tell him you have reviewed your options on NHS choices and would like to be treated at (hospital and surgeon of your choice). They are obliged under the NHS choices scheme to do this.

      Many GPs have their own favourites and will try to refer you to them but discuss it with your GP and then if they want to send you to a particular surgeon/hospital, look it up before making a decision. The final choice is yours. That's why it's called NHS choices.

      I got to see the surgeon of my choice within 10 days for first discussion and then choose the date of my operation to suit my requirements. You do not get the full private treatment but it was an excellent hospital, 5 beds in the NHS ward, superb food, first class physio and much better organised/run than an NHS hospital.

      Good luck and keep in touch.

       

    • Posted

      Hi Tony,

      Mega thanks for your reply. I'll take a check on the surgeon and get onto my GP. Sounds like a nice place to go, thanks again.

      Pete 😀

    • Posted

      Pete.

      Just to put your mind at rest. NHS choices states.

      =======================================================================

      If you are referred for your first outpatient appointment then, in most cases, you have the right to choose which hospital in England to go to. This will include many private and NHS hospitals that provide services to the NHS.

      You are also able to choose which consultant-led team will be in charge of your treatment, as long as that team provides the treatment you require.

      Therefore, if you wish to be treated by a particular consultant for a procedure, you can choose to have your first outpatient appointment at the hospital where the consultant works and to be treated by that consultant's team. But this doesn't necessarily mean you will be seen by the consultant themselves.

      This choice is a legal right, if you are not offered a choice at the point of referral, ask your doctor why and say that you wish to go through your options. If you are still not offered, or refused, a choice, contact your local CCG.

      -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      We took a ride out the the hospital and checked it out in advance as well as reading up on the various surgeons and how many operations they carry out. Considering that this is major surgery, it is well worth the effort. 

      As a caveat, please remember that you will go through several weeks of pain afterwards while your body heals. You can see from the various threads that it does not happen over night but it does improve over time.

      Good luck.

    • Posted

      Hi Tony,

      Several weeks of pain or several years of pain, yep I'm guessing it's not plain sailing, but it's got to be a.better quality of life than i've got now. My brother was in the spire hospital a couple years back, I remember thinking this waiting area is as good as some entrance in a hotel, I'll certainly check it out, my wife is no matron, but she is ready to get me back up and about asap.

      Thanks again 😀

      Pete

  • Posted

    Hi, I think also if you do a search of the Orthopeadic surgeons at the hospitals near to you, then you can google the individual surgeons and find out how many ops they do each year, the ages of the patients, their success rates etc. Good luck.
  • Posted

    Look up the national joint registry. They list surgeons and hospitals. Look for the ones who do the most hip replacements. You will find some specialise in knees or shoulders so it's important to find the ones who specialise in hips. You can look at your local NHS hospitals and private hospitals on the NJR too and it will list the surgeons who work there. When you find a surgeon you like the look of, check if they work at a private hospital and then check if that hospital accepts NHS patients. You can find this out by ringing the hospital and asking to speak to the surgeon's secretary if the website doesn't mention it. Ask your GP to refer you to the surgeon at the hospital you prefer. Tell your GP you have done your research on the NJR and would like to have that surgeon operate on you. If you see the surgeon at the NHS hospital you may have one of his/her team do your op but if you see them at a private hospital you will get that surgeon. Good luck

    Ann

    • Posted

      Correct me if im wrong but I dont think you can ask to be referred to a private hospital on the nhs. 
  • Posted

    As Annie suggested you can look on the National.Joint Register but you also need to see what their revision rate is too. Some surgeons do lots as they do a lot of private work too. Doesnt mean they are the best though. My surgeon only does NHS work. He was brilliant. You do have a choice of hospital not sure about surgeon. Good luck.
  • Posted

    Can't remember where I saw the study - but it was a review of orthopedic surgery and success rates for the Netherlands and Belgium. Bottom line was the best indicator of a successful outcome was the number of relevant surgeries performed annually by the same surgeon. 

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