Isle of Wight resident, and composer of educational music, Pam Wedgwood, was delighted to collect a lifetime achievement award at the Royal Albert Hall in person last week, after recovering from a recent hip replacement at a Southampton Hospital, and due to have her knee replacement surgery days after the event. Six months ago, 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.
Knowing she wanted to be fit and well to collect the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Music Education 2024, Pam opted for private surgery with Wellsoon at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Southampton, to enable her to skip the waiting time. Pam is one of a growing number of Isle of Wight residents, seeking alternative hospitals and treatment centres after being given lengthy waits for joint surgery on the Island.
Though booked in for her knee surgery prior to awards night, Pam did not let her knee pain get the better of her! Pam enjoyed the evening with her music peers celebrating performances from young pianists and was delighted to have been recognised for the lifetime achievement. Pam says, “It was such a shock to be nominated for the award and to win. I thought they had got the wrong person! It was wonderful to be able to collect the award in person with my son there to support me after he
had flown all the way from Queensland, Australia for the event. I had been a bit worried about making the journey from the Isle of Wight to London as I have not long had a hip replacement and was about to have my knee replaced too!
“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.”
Pam Wedgwood, patient at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Southampton
“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’d been struggling with joint pain for several years and was getting lots of aches and pains in both my knee and hips. 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.
“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!”
“We were thrilled to hear Pam had recovered well enough to collect her award in person. Wellsoon self-pay patients can schedule surgery around their commitments and we work with them post-operatively to get them ready for important milestones in their lives.”
John Crisp, Hospital Director at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Southampton
John Crisp, Hospital Director, Practice Plus Group Hospital, Southampton, ““We were thrilled to hear that Pam has won a life time music award and had recovered well enough to collect her award in person. Goal setting throughout the patients’ journey is so important to us so that we can help patients to recover in time for planned events. Wellsoon self-pay patients can schedule surgery around their work or other commitments, plus we work with them post-operatively to get them ready for important milestones in their lives – be it an awards ceremony in this case, or a special holiday, or simply to get back to work sooner.
“Patients facing lengthy waits at their nearest hospital, can also exercise their NHS Patient Choice rights to choose an alternative hospital for their surgery, which may have shorter wait times. We are seeing a significant number of patients from the Isle of Wight for this reason.”
Practice Plus Group is a chain independent hospitals, surgical centres and diagnostics centres treating both NHS and private patients with locations across England. Wellsoon from Practice Plus Group, their private option, offers patients a range of treatments, including total hip and knee replacements, within 4-6 weeks of enquiry at up to 30% less than other private hospitals.
