"Fall(s) while waiting for knee surgery"

I’ve been on a cancellation list since July 2022 for two complete knee replacements.

My stability is truly awful and in the past 4 weeks I’ve had 3 falls as my right knee just gives way without warning.

I had a fall at home last Friday and landed on my shoulder. I was home alone and had to wait an hour on my husband returning home to help me off the floor.

I’m a Carer for my Mother and there’s been several days when I can’t get out of the house to see her because of the ice which I’m terrified of as I’ve also fallen on her path and her elderly neighbour and a stranger had to assist me to get up.

Anyway I attended the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Arbroath yesterday as my shoulder was still very painful and cracking whilst reaching out or stretching up.

The Nurse who I saw was very thorough examining me and diagnosed a Rotary Cuff Injury. 

I was given exercises to do at home and told to contact my GP to arrange Physio. 

The Nurse also told me to contact NHS Tayside regarding my knee replacement surgery and it’s something I’ve already done and have been told by the List Secretary that Ninewells and Perth Royal Infirmary have suspended all elective surgeries and focusing only on Trauma.

I did mention that the Orthopaedic Surgeon I saw mention Glasgow as a choice and I said I would travel anywhere.

The List Secretary informed me that NHS Tayside are not sending patients to Glasgow although I have met 2 women recently who have had surgery at the Golden Jubilee in Glasgow within the last year.

As you can understand this is all having a detrimental impact on my daily life and I had to give up employment with the NHS 5 years ago first through having Osteoarthritis in 8 different parts of my body and secondly because of their failure to diagnose Lipoedema which has been the main factor in eroding my skeleton.

I feel NHS Tayside has failed to treat me for a Health Condition I was born with that has taken away my employment, dignity, left me financially insecure and severely effected my Mental Health.

Is it not in the NHS’s Constitution to treat a patient with effective treatment for a long term Chronic Condition.

Instead I have had to seek treatment in the Private Sector for Lipoedema at a costing thousands of pounds and this is a disgrace.

I have asked for NHS Tayside to pay for further treatment for Lipoedema as I require another 3 surgeries to help stop the erosion of my skeleton.

Their answer is no.

Yet in the 41 page Policy on waiting times that NHS Inform sent me, there’s a clause stating that failure to secure a date for surgery in a reasonable timescale means the NHS have to provide an alternative route in the Private Sector.

I used to be a believer in the NHS and have had great treatment in the past when I had Cancer.

Lipoedema on the other hand affects 12% of the population and there’s nothing in place to treat a condition that’s progressive, debilitating and robs the patient of an active lifestyle.

Thanks for reading my words, as you can read I’ve got a lot to say on Lipoedema and I have educated many Health professionals on the impact it’s had on my journey through life.