BHR resurfacing on the NHS

[Granton]

Hi RobMSport

Only just started looking into this part of the site. Our paths are rather similar.

Mr McMInn did my right side in Nov 1999. It's been great.

Other side started to go. Long story short, I got an appointment under NHS Choose and Book, surgery nearly six weeks ago at BMI Edgbaston (all on NHS). Going well.

I suppose your local CCG (clinical commissioning group) may take a different view from mine - kent south east coast - but I don't see why they should. Once I had had my consultation with Mr McMinn, I only had to wait about two months.

All the best,
David

[RobMsport]

Hi RobMSport

Only just started looking into this part of the site. Our paths are rather similar.

Mr McMInn did my right side in Nov 1999. It's been great.

Other side started to go. Long story short, I got an appointment under NHS Choose and Book, surgery nearly six weeks ago at BMI Edgbaston (all on NHS). Going well.

I suppose your local CCG (clinical commissioning group) may take a different view from mine - kent south east coast - but I don't see why they should. Once I had had my consultation with Mr McMinn, I only had to wait about two months.

All the best,
David

Many thanks for the encouragement David , it's about 3 or so weeks now since my GP referred me but hopefully at some point I'll hear from MR MCMINN's secretary.

[Granton]

My GP wrote to him at Birmingham Royal Orthopaedic, where he used to work, but doesn't any more.

I contacted his private practice staff and they told me to get a Choose and Book reference from my GP and how to get an appointment with him at Edgbaston.

Eventually I got an appointment at the Orthopaedic, which I did not want because it was not Mr McMinn or MR Treacy, so cancelled that.

I believe I was the first of Mr McMinns patients to go through this route.

Depending on who your GP has written to, it may be worth you speaking to Mr McMinns admin staff at The McMinn Centre. They are very helpful.

David

[RobMsport]

Since (apparently) being referred by my GP , I have contacted her via her secretary and she phoned me to say that she'll chase them up . That was many weeks after the appointment to arrange a choose/book with Mr Mcminn and it's now around four weeks or more since that phone call. I'm not at all sure what the proceedure is from my GP's point of view ie. whether she asks her area authority OR direct to Mcminn's secretary.
My GP says the he(Mr Mcminn)has to apply for funding but that's NOT what I've been told at his end . I don't have confidence in my GP/Surgery telling me what is actually happening , especially after being told '' don't hold out too much hope on this '' .  I'll phone my GP again after the Xmas period .

[Granton]

This is how it worked for me.

My GP originally wrote to an NHS hospital where Mr McMinn once worked, but that was a dead end. Mr McM's people told me about the Choose and Book option - where and when I had to make an appointment. I then went back to my GPs practice and they issued me with a password for the choose and book system. This is just the equivalent of being referred for a consultation. That allowed me to make an appointment by phone or online. I did it online.

I had the appointment - no authorisation from your CCG needed for that. At the appointment I was given a surgery date and the hospital applied to my CCG for authorisation. That was a slightly nervous wait and I did chase it up with them. Not sure whether that helped or not. I found a policy statement from my CCG that suggested it would be OK.

I eventually got the go ahead. I know that each CCG can make its own rules and I was worried that at 65 they would insist on a THR, but all was well.

Hope this helps. I would normally suggest phoning me if you need more detail, but am in Australia now. Do PM me if I can help more.

David

[RobMsport]

This is how it worked for me.

My GP originally wrote to an NHS hospital where Mr McMinn once worked, but that was a dead end. Mr McM's people told me about the Choose and Book option - where and when I had to make an appointment. I then went back to my GPs practice and they issued me with a password for the choose and book system. This is just the equivalent of being referred for a consultation. That allowed me to make an appointment by phone or online. I did it online.

I had the appointment - no authorisation from your CCG needed for that. At the appointment I was given a surgery date and the hospital applied to my CCG for authorisation. That was a slightly nervous wait and I did chase it up with them. Not sure whether that helped or not. I found a policy statement from my CCG that suggested it would be OK.

I eventually got the go ahead. I know that each CCG can make its own rules and I was worried that at 65 they would insist on a THR, but all was well.

Hope this helps. I would normally suggest phoning me if you need more detail, but am in Australia now. Do PM me if I can help more.

David

Many thanks David , I am still waiting for that choose/book password . I've recently been refered to an eye specialist via the optition sending a letter to my GP . Without any face to face contact with my GP I received the choose/book plus password letter in 2 weeks ---- hence why I assume it's budgetry or just not been sent for choose/book at all . We'll see .
                                                        Rob

[RobMsport]

I phoned my GP's secretary this morning to find out whether the funding re-- choose & book system for this type of op' had been agreed or not (obviously getting frustrated after first appointment to discuss it was September 2013) --- to my great surprise it's going ahead and apparently I'll here from Mr McMinn directly at some point  ;D
A 6 mths struggle in keep pestering my GP but very well worth it , although at the time she did say that I shouldn't hold out much hope .

[Granton]

Excellent! Very good news indeed. I was beginning to think that this was a "postcode lottery" situation.

As you know, you will be in very good hands. I think I had to wait about six weeks from first consultation to surgery, though I am sure this fluctuates.

David

[hernanu]

That's great news Rob, persistence pays off!

[RobMsport]

Well absolutely now't happened after my GP told me it was going through now and that I'd hear directly from MR McMinn next . However , in July she phoned me asking ''what's going on with your hip Mr Farley'' to which I said I'd heard nothing but that my wife's major shoulder op ' mean't I was looking after her / chief cook/bottle washer etc . Also I am racing my car now it's summer --------- meaning that Winter was my plan for BHR hip jobby so had booked and paid for various events. So couldn't have had it done and leave my wife unable to cook/eat/dress etc.
My plan next , as my wife has improved so can dress and do a few tasks , will be to contact my GP in late September and ask her to chase this up again. I'm not really sure who needs chasing to be honest --- our area funding , Mr McMinn or what ??? Hopefully it can get done this Autumn or Winter ideally.

[RobMsport]

I feel elated , as after contacting my GP only a little over a week ago , I had a choose and book appointment in the post yesterday for the 29th Oct at BMI Edgebaston  :) Hopefully not too long after that my hip op' may be carried out. Phew , it's been a long wait since August 2013 but very pleased now .

[Dannywayoflife]

Thats great news mate!  :)

[RobMsport]

Thats great news mate!  :)

Thankyou Danny , can't wait for the 3 mths after result then I can get back in the race car next season . Just had my last competition event of 2014 -- won my class and was 3rd overall from 80 entries , only beat into 3rd  overall by 0.07 sec -- very happy especially now I know the hip will be sorted.

[Granton]

Good news!

I think my wait between first consultation and surgery was about seven weeks. May have changed of course.

It will be great to get it done.

[RobMsport]

Good news!
Yes great news . What age were you on your last one David ? Last time I was just 56 yrs so hoping my years(70yrs)now doesn't give issues. Shoulders are giving problems now so using sticks for the walking I'll need to do will be harder than before and I'm monitored for CLL since noted that my white cells are high a few years ago. I walked three times a day 500 yds from day one once home then built up to 3 miles a day by 8 weeks , working hard again by 3 mths.

I think my wait between first consultation and surgery was about seven weeks. May have changed of course.

It will be great to get it done.

[Granton]

I was 51 for my first, 66 for my second. The recovery from my second was even easier than for the first. I had remarkably little discomfort, could easily lift the operated leg off the bed the day after surgery.

I asked Mr McMinn whether they had changed the procedures in the intervening years, but he just put it down to luck. It's a question of how much bruising happens.

One change is that, whereas I had a conventional full anaesthetic first time, for the second I had an epidural preceded by a much lighter full anaesthetic. Much better!

[RobMsport]

Thats great news mate!  :)

Thankyou Danny , can't wait for the 3 mths after result then I can get back in the race car next season . Just had my last competition event of 2014 -- won my class and was 3rd overall from 80 entries , only beat into 3rd  overall by 0.07 sec -- very happy especially now I know the hip will be sorted.

Although it's not relevant as regards my need for a BHR , I forgot to mention that I have won the Sports Libre 2014 ACSMC Sprint championship again / the 5th time in 14 yrs  ;D Obviously the last event (above post) helped seal it for me.
Getting into the car was ok but damn difficult getting out  , as I'm sitting just 3 inches off the ground.

[RobMsport]

I had my appointment on the 29th Oct with Mr McMinn and there are now issues regarding a BHR going ahead quickly. There's either a cyst or a tumor within the femeral head which if a cyst isn't a problem . However , as I have had CLL checks due to a high white blood cell count a few years ago , a tumor is a possibility. With this in mind I've been referred back to my GP to confirm one way or the other.
She is convinced it's a cyst but I've had further blood tests this week then have a full examination on Monday(tomorrow!)  Hopefully she's right and my BHR can go ahead.

[Dannywayoflife]

Fingers crossed for you mate!!

[RobMsport]

Well , it's been a long inefficient process . Seeing my GP was fine , she jumped onto it straight away . Having then asked for the hospital's confirmation of her diagnosis / no tumor (the hospital did the blood's anyway) , the hospital did nothing regarding contact for many weeks . Then they finally sent me an appointment to see their consultant for tests. No acknowledgement of my GP's letter asking them to confirm to Mr McMinn the findings. Further more the appointment was for another 5 week wait , the 22nd December , two months since my appointment with Mr McMinn on the 29th Oct.
This appointment confirmed the oppinion that a tumor was highly unlikely , as my GP had said from bloods the hospital had already done 2 mths ago.  This experience made me ask the consultant whether he would inform Mr McMinn/my GP of this today , he answered yes , in fact it will be sent today.
Well 2 weeks after Xmas ----- bleep bleep etc ,  my GP phoned to ask me what had happened at my hospital appointment !!!! (22nd Dec)  No contact to her .  Yesterday , I received a copy of a letter to Mr McMinn and a GP , not mine !!! that the hip resurfacing should go ahead ------ letter dated 7th January ??
So now I'm just waiting for a slot to be offered via Edgebaston/MrMcMinn -- hopefully  :)