It’s bad enough having to put up with hip pain, but having to wait for months for surgery certainly doesn’t help.

A study from Wales looked at the impact of having to wait for treatment. It is pretty sobering reading.

Here’s what they found:

• Coping with pain while waiting – and even long waiting lists for pain management clinics.
• Mobility – the inability to carry out day-to-day activities was a major issue
• Loneliness and mental health – some said they feel “powerless and distressed” by waits of 100 weeks
• Private treatment – intolerable levels of pain and mobility problems lead some people to pay for private treatment they can ill-afford.
• Loss of dignity – relying on others for intimate personal care and concern over appearance.
• Relationships – affects moods and ability to help with childcare or enjoy aspects of family life.
• Work – younger people waiting for surgery can feel an impact on careers, while sickness benefits do not take into account waiting times.
• Other issues – include cancelling holidays, getting physically worse while untreated, lack of communication and having to negotiate different NHS departments.

Source: Our Lives Are On Hold – Board of Community Heath Councils in Wales.

There are currently 420,000 patients waiting for treatment in Wales.

Things aren’t much better in England.

Private treatment isn’t cheap, but it might be less expensive than you think. Please get in touch if you’d like some advice.