I don’t exactly know what the problem is (variously had initial diagnosis of ligament and then meniscus tears) but my knee is very painful and has stopped functioning and I can only get about with crutches. I’m seeing an NHS specialist (who lists knees as being way down his list of expertise) next week but a friend whose had similar is saying that if I can afford it I’d be way better off going private with a fella he recommends from several past knee probs he’s had.

I’ve costed it out and know what sort of timelines we are talking about going private but I cannot get anybody from the NHS to advise on timelines there.

Can anyone help with a comparison of private to NHS treatment times?

They could give you a date. But it would be subject to moving due to “life and death” ops i think. My Dad has had surgery on one of his knees but had to wait months.

Unfortunately its a vicious circle. If you have a knee injury and thus don’t exercise it, the muscles will start to waste and the knee goes into lock down to protect itself and so movement just gets worse.

Its 7 years since my last knee op and back then it was a 6 month wait, and i think that was just for a consultation. Went private and I had a consultation within a day and the op within 2 weeks as I could not make the following week.

If the NHS consultant is not a specialist, i’d stump up the £x and go private consultation and see a knee specialist and take it from there, although until there is an MRI Scan or Op it may be difficult to know exactly what the issue is, although expertise and rehab has certainly moved on since my first op 21 years ago!

Private = potentially lots of pennies but hardly any waiting times

NHS = take dice, throw and number = months to wait, adjust number by throwing another dice and add this number to your original.

But on more serious note, waiting times depend a lot on where you live as it various region to region. Most trust operates under the 18 week protocol. This means from start of treatment to completion of treatment should be within the 18 week period or the trust gets fined.

I have known plenty of people to get a very fast service from NHS but of course there are others who don’t

If you have the money and want supper quick treatment then private is the best course of action. Since you’re seeing a specialist next week you might as well wait to see what the say.

You could also pay to see a decent physio in the mean time to see if they can help to improve your function and help maintain muscle mass, plus does not cost to much.

Cheers Folks

Somebody else was telling me to get physio straight away so I phoned the NHS and the private hosp and they both said to wait until I know what my exact problem is. That was backed up by another knee suffering friend who reckoned it’d be best to wait two weeks anyway for that, because my knee is in crisis and presenting loads of different symptoms at once.

thanks guys

I have an on-going miniscus tear problem – luckily have private health-care through work. Been in for op once and the consultant sent me home again cos it was ok and I was snowboarding about a month after.
Got back from snowboarding and a couple of weeks later he phoned me to see how it was!
Don’t get that with the NHS…

Dezb,you do get that on the NHS.I went into A+E on the Sunday morning with a really swollen knee which I thought was just fluid,they had a look at it and Xrayd it.Was asked to come back on the Monday to get it drained but there was no fluid in it so was told needed an MRI scan which I got on the Wednesday.Found torn miniscus and general wear and tear and was operated on the Thursday morning and out the same day.Maybe I was lucky but I wouldnt go slating the NHS,it is free after all

I went to NHS Outpatients today and I’m now on the trauma list for an op which they say is likely to be within the next two weeks. I made enquiries about going private but I couldn’t get my first consultation until two weeks time. So the NHS has come up trumps for me.
That’s possibly because my leg is locked and I’m significantly incapacitated, but nevertheless I’m pleased ‘cos I’m not enjoying this experience. There’s plenty of time to be helpless when I get older.

Its your health at stake here, its worth every penny to get it fixed asap. I have had knee troubles in the past, albeit relatively simple problems, but I have found osteopaths very helpful and they can usually see you asap. Mine costs me £40/half hour.

A week later and the NHS have served me VERY WELL. I had the op on the NHS 6 days after the consultation….and it was done by the same guy I was going to try and see privately.
Apparently I’ve now got about six weeks until I am back to normal, but I wasn’t going to be making any progress before the op was out of the way SO I’M WELL PLEASED

billyboy sorry for the hijack, I read your topic: http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/sanderson-blitz-brief-review

I’m interested in this frame. I had a Life briefly- top tube too long but stunning ride for what it is. I run 160 forks though so I can’t go back there and… I recently went back to a 456 frame and hated it. The reason being the rear felt heavy and dead’ (if thats right). Prehistoric.