'In pain every day': Pensioner's nine-month long painful wait for surgery

A pensioner struggling with debilitating pain is still waiting for hip surgery despite undergoing preop tests nine months ago. Photo /123RF

A pensioner struggling with debilitating pain is still waiting for hip surgery despite undergoing preop tests nine months ago.

The 74-year-old from Marlborough has been on the waiting list for a new left hip for 15 months.

He had extensive preop tests in January this year and says he was led to believe his surgery was imminent.

Now the man, who has asked not to be named, is considering paying privately for X-rays to see how badly his hip has deteriorated.

The condition has worsened considerably, causing him a lot of pain and impacting his daily life he says.

"I'm in pain every day. Every step I take I get that jar of pain; it's bone on bone."

His concerns come in the wake of an announcement from Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand earlier this month.

More than 100 patients who waited more than a year for surgery have been given a date for their operations.

Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand issued a directive for hospitals to have all patients who had waited more than a year to be scheduled for their surgeries by August 31 2022.

While 52 patients in Nelson Marlborough don't yet have confirmed surgery dates, Te Whatu Ora district director Lexie O'Shea says they will be booked as soon as possible.

One hundred and two patients on the long-term waiting list are set to have their surgeries done by December 19 2022.

The pensioner says he does not blame hospital staff and is set to see his GP this week to see if they can provide any answers.

"My main concern is that I had all the pre-op work done and that's a lengthy procedure," the man says.

"I had bloods done, an ECG, spoke to an anaesthetist and filled out a lot of paperwork.

"I thought surgery would happen within the month but haven't heard anything since."

The Marlborough man is one of many patients facing delayed surgeries as local health districts struggle to make up time lost through the pandemic, staff illness and shortages.

The latest health figures show that as of the end of May, orthopaedic intervention delivery is 334 joints against a plan of 486, which is 152 under plan.

There are currently 320 joints waitlisted for surgery.

The Health Authority has been approached for comment.

- marlboroughapp.co.nz