Isle of Wight resident, and composer of educational music, Pam Wedgwood, was delighted to collect a lifetime achievement award at the Royal Albert Hall recently after recovering from a hip replacement at a Southampton Hospital. Six months prior, Pam, faced a dilemma when her joint pain became too much to bear and was told there was an 18-month waiting list on the Isle of Wight.
“I was so pleased with the outcome of my hip operation and treatment by the whole team at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Southampton. I’m so grateful I can enjoy my lifestyle and music to the full!”
Pam, hip replacement patient at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Southampton
Pam says: “I’d been struggling with joint pain for years, getting lots of aches and pains in my knee and hips. After seeing my doctor, he told me the waiting list for surgery [on the NHS] was over 18 months on the Isle of Wight.”
“The event has really aided my recovery and given me a great goal to work towards. My surgeon Dr Khan, at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Southampton, reassured me that I’d recover in time. I used to run a lot and I guess my body took a lot of wear and tear. In those days, we didn’t have such good running shoes and probably ran on roads more than grass, which maybe took its toll.
“After seeing my doctor, he advised a knee X-ray, but told me that that the waiting list for surgery was over 18 months on the Isle of Wight. I really didn’t want to wait that long. I have my music career where I travel around the UK occasionally, and I also enjoy an annual trip to Queensland to visit my son, and it would mean I’d miss out on seeing everyone if I couldn’t continue to travel.
“My doctor advised a knee X-ray but told me the waiting list for surgery was over 18 months. I really didn’t want to wait that long as I’d miss out on seeing everyone if I couldn’t continue to travel.”
Pam, hip replacement patient at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Southampton
“I spoke to a friend who said she had heard of a self-pay service called Wellsoon from Practice Plus Group and I knew they had a hospital across the water in Southampton. I decided to cash in some savings and pop over on the Red Jet to see the consultant, Mr Khan, to assess if I could have an op sooner than at my local hospital. He was really sympathetic as I explained my aches and pains and decided to send me for an X-ray on my knee and also my hips, just to be really thorough and get to the root of my joint problems. When the X-ray came back, he said that my hip was completely worn out and would need replacing first.
“A couple of weeks later, I came over on the Red Jet again for surgery. Everything went really smoothly and I was pleased with the outcome. I later booked in my knee surgery as I was so pleased with the outcome of my hip operation and treatment by the whole team at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Southampton. I’m just grateful that my joints are now being seen to and I can just enjoy my lifestyle and music to the full!”
