Carer Says ‘Life Is Back’ Following 11-Month Hip Replacement Delay

Following an 11-month wait for a vital hip replacement, a woman has stated that her “life is back again” subsequent to the successful operation. Jenefer Sully, a resident of Portsmouth, reported that the delay in her operation compelled her to leave her employment and rely on benefits. Speaking to the BBC, Ms Sully described being “sat on my sofa or lying in bed because I can’t move” and expressed her concern regarding the extended waiting period. After undergoing the procedure in August, she has since resumed her role as a support worker within the care industry. Across England, the current NHS backlog encompasses 7.6 million cases, with over 40% of these patients having waited more than 18 weeks. The established target aims for 92% of patients to be seen within 18 weeks. In conjunction with today’s Budget, the government has declared an additional £22.6 billion investment for the NHS’s daily operations in England, alongside £3.1 billion allocated for capital investment. This financial commitment follows a previous promise to boost NHS hospital appointments and procedures in England by 40,000 per week. In July, before her operation, Ms Sully commented: “Every week, every month it’s just getting worse.” She added: “I’m normally like a happy-go-lucky, really positive, person, but it’s really affecting me.” Ms Sully calculated that the combined cost of benefits and medication she received while off work, including statutory sick pay and universal credit, exceeded the £12,000 expense of the operation itself. She further stated: “There must be something we can do to reduce [NHS waiting times] down.” She continued: “I physically could not move – if I’d have had it done when my doctors said I needed it urgently done, I would’ve been back at work a long time ago.” The BBC reconnected with Ms Sully following her left hip replacement in August, at which point the 51-year-old declared that her “life is back again”. She has since returned to her employment and has also completed a sponsored walk to support local care charities. “I’ve got a smile on my face and I’m not scrunched in pain,” she commented. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, speaking prior to the Budget announcement, indicated that the measures would assist in “start fixing the foundation” of the NHS, though he cautioned that it “will take time to turn the situation around”. For updates, BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not take responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.