"HIP REPLACEMENT EXPERIENCE"

I was admitted for a hip replacement operation on Tuesday 9th October 2018. From the outset, my experience was extremely good. There was a small wait in a pleasant reception room before I was taken into an office where my paperwork was completed and I was visited by the surgeon and anaesthetist who would carry out the operation - both were extremely friendly and gave me all the information I needed, and answered my questions in an easily understandable manner. I had elected to have an epidural rather than a general anaesthetic and I was reassured that, while I would remain awake, I would not be aware of the operation taking place. I then walked to the operating theatre where I was given my epidural - quite painless - and remember nothing until I was in the post-op recovery room. Amazing! After a short spell I was wheeled to a two-person ward where I was made to feel comfortable and cared for extremely well. I remained in this ward for 24 hours before being transferred to a single room in the Derwent suite where the high level of care was carried on for a further three days before I was discharged. I can honestly say that I felt little pain throughout the procedure and that I do not believe that the level of care given to me could have been better in any way. A big thank you to all the teams involved - surgical, nursing, physiotherapy, catering and cleaning, and of course to my own GP in Poole who diagnosed the problem and referred me - you are all doing a wonderful job.

As I write, it is just over a week since I had the operation and I am able to walk using a single crutch, which I hope to be able to discard before too long. I do all the exercises that I was instructed to do, and there have been no complications, such as bleeding from the wound, so it would appear that things are progressing well.

I just wanted to make a couple of comments directed towards those who might be contemplating, or are waiting for this procedure. Firstly, don't worry about the procedure itself, it's as painless as it could be and you won't regret the loss of your current pain. Secondly, do understand that the NHS/RBCH brochure that you are given, or have read on-line, is written to defend against unscrupulous lawyers who might be seeking to sue for post-operative damages, so it paints the blackest picture imaginable about the risks of the operation. It certainly worried me, but having gone through the operation, my advice would be to take it with a pinch of salt! You are given the highest standards of extremely caring treatment at the RBCH, which is one of the largest centres for this operation in Europe and has an extremely good track record.

Finally, I would once again like to thank all the teams for doing their jobs in a totally professional manner.