"Unhappy with my knee care at Tameside"

Since being 15 years old I have suffered from a knee problem.

I dislocated it at 15 and it was put in plaster cast and it has never been right since. I suffered with dislocations alot and was referred to Tameside hospital numerous times from the age of 15 to 20, between going to physiotherapists which I found completely pointless as all they gave me was a sheet of paper. I ended up having an operation.

I had the operation last year due to a dislocation and fracture I was told that a small bone was broken off causing my knee to lock and grind. I was later informed that they would remove the bone and look at the knee to assess what sort of treatment I would need. I woke from the operation to be told they had found the small bone but later dropped it and then could not find it again.

As you can imagine I was not happy. Not only was this a recovery of around 8 weeks (which I had to take off work) but was completely unsuccessful as well. I was then told in my post-op a couple of days later, that I shouldn't suffer from knee problems again?

Around 8 months after my knee problems came back, I found myself yet again having to take time of work as I was unable to put any weight on my left knee. I went back to my GP who referred me back to a consultant one week later. I saw the consultant and he told me I had been referred to the wrong person and he couldn't help me (after waiting 4 hours to see him at Tameside hospital).

I then was re-referred about 6 weeks after to another consultant. Previous to this I had seen 2 consultants who promised me a ligament reconstruction operation that would solve my problems allowing me at 21 to get on with my life. I went to see the consultant (to what I was told was a post-op) and he told me that there will be no operation as it wouldn't be successful and its 'just one of lifes things' and referred me back to a physiotherapist.

Obviously I was not only extremely upset and emotional, I was also fuming about the way in general, I as a patient at Tameside hospital have been treated I think the whole thing has done nothing but mess me around.

I was promised an operation that would solve my problems before I get married next year which just seems completely untrue.

Over all I feel like nobody has really cared about my situation (which I now have to just deal with) and I think the patient care is non-existent.

I am now looking further for a second opinion.