By Isle of Wight Observer
Island resident Lyndsey Pickering, 70, is back enjoying an active lifestyle just months after a hip replacement thanks to a mainland NHS referral that cut her waiting time from two years to just three months.
Lyndsey, who runs a holiday cottage business, was struggling with severe hip pain and relying on a walking stick, a far cry from her usual active lifestyle. Her GP advised that although the Islands’ NHS waiting list was long, she could opt for surgery on the mainland for a much quicker route. Within two weeks, she had an NHS consultation at a mainland hospital in Southampton.
“I had no idea I could be referred to the mainland as an NHS patient,” said Lyndsey. “From my first appointment to surgery, the process was smooth and quick. Everyone was professional and friendly it felt like a private hospital experience.
“The experience was life changing,” she said. “I’m pain free, active again, and so grateful for the care I received.”