This week, Practice Plus Group Hospital, Birmingham, welcomed its first patients through the doors after an extensive renovation project.
The team have been waiting 11 weeks for this moment and were primed and ready to roll out the red carpet.
First to arrive was Alan Voyce, 75, a retired tool setter who has been on an NHS waiting list for knee surgery for almost FOUR years.
After a consultation, X-ray, and being told we would book him in for a total knee replacement, an emotional Alan told Hospital Director Samantha Doubleday: “This has been wonderful. You’ve done more for me this morning in just three hours than the NHS has done for me in four years. Thank you.”
Alan had been in pain for a long time before he saw his GP in November 2020. He was given some gel which didn’t help, and resorted to going to A&E in order to get an X-ray. The X-ray showed his joint had worn down to ‘bone on bone’ and he would need surgery. At one point he had a cortisone injection but it didn’t help. Eventually in May this year he was offered a date for surgery, but was in hospital at the time and not fit enough to go ahead.
He heard nothing in the interim- and then saw our Wellsoon TV advert.
“This has been wonderful. You’ve done more for me this morning in just three hours than the NHS has done for me in four years. Thank you.”
Alan, knee replacement patient at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Birmingham
“I called the number and they said they were opening a new hospital in my area in September, so I jumped at the chance and put my name down straight away.
“I like to go away a lot around the UK with friends- but I’ve been having to rely on a mobility scooter to get around. If I walk any distance my leg just swells up. I want to be able to walk along the sea front. I’ve got a trip planned now so I’m hoping to have the operation when I’m back.”
We gave Alan the VIP treatment with our private healthcare team on hand to answer his questions and walk him through the process, and consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mr Oliver Blocker talking Alan through his X-ray and the operation he’ll need.
Mr Blocker said: “It was an absolute privilege to see our first patients. It’s so good to have a brand new, fully kitted hospital and to have people coming through the doors who want to choose us, given there’s so much competition in this area, for the service that we offer which is really great value joint replacements in Birmingham.”
“It was an absolute privilege to see our first patients. It’s so good to have a brand new, fully kitted hospital and to have people coming through the doors who want to choose us, given there’s so much competition in this area, for the service that we offer which is really great value joint replacements in Birmingham.”
Mr Blocker, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Birmingham
“Unfortunately Alan’s story is not uncommon. People’s quality of life and experience after three months is terrible, so three to four years on a waiting list is not acceptable and that’s one of the reasons I am here- to treat as many people as possible and give people the opportunity to have life-changing hip and knee replacements to improve people’s quality of life.
“There are so many problems prioritising patients in the NHS using the resources that are available. I’m really pleased that we’re able to give him the joint replacement that is the right choice for him. Getting him off a mobility scooter on holiday is a great idea, to get him fitter, healthier and happier.”
The second patient to walk through the doors was Arthur Latham and his wife Barbara, who also heard about us from the Wellsoon TV advert. Barbara said: “We came today for a consultation and an X-ray to find out what our next steps should be. Arthur has been in a lot of pain and we’re going down the private route because we’ve not been able to get the answers we need. Our GP advised us to go to A&E in order to get an X-ray. It’s been lovely- it’s a lovely hospital, all very new, and we got the advice we needed.”
We expect to be opening up to NHS patients in October and will have no waiting list.
In the meantime, to book a private consultation call 0330 165 9982.
