Paying for an operation to avoid waiting list

Just contact your GP.
They will / should go through the options with you and tell you the next steps.
That’s how I progressed with my hip replacement.
Good luck, I hope things go smoothly and that your son gets the best treatment

You need. to contact you local CCG for advice I think.

What is CCG please Polly?

His GP can make the referral very quickly, just needs a letter to the relevant hospital. Took about three days for my referral letter to be ready to collect.

I spoke to my GP on Tuesday about a referral for knee replacement. There is a long wait to see the consultant on the NHS so, as I have private medical insurance, I’m going private for the initial consultation. I just need to contact my insurance company for details of my policy ( I think I pay for the first consultation but it might have changed) to check which hospital and consultant to use. I need one who also works in our NHS hospital as it possible that due to potential complications during the operation I can’t go to a private hospital. The letter has already been typed, I just need to add the name and address to send it to.

You could ask your GP who could refer you to a private consultation or you could see a private GP and ask for a referral or just Google private spinal operation and self refer. My neighbour had a spinal op and went to Germany for it as they had the best facilities.

I do feel his pain. My son was in the same position. He was 18 years old, an excellent sportsman doing well in his sport playing in National Championship finals when he got excruciating pain down his leg. We paid for a private physio because he was in such pain. She said it was muscular. Having suffered from similar at the age of 16, I was disbelieving so I insisted we paid for an MRI. It was literally an act of desperation in order to get the GP to refer.
The MRI showed a prolapsed disc so we were referred by the NHS for a spinal block. This worked for a short time before pain started up again so after about a year, he had another. Once again, he had a short period of relief before the pain came back. The GP wouldn't refer him to an orthopaedic surgeon until he had another MRI so we paid for another. The prolapse was worse so he was referred but had to wait for a long time before he got an appointment to see the consultant. Unfortunately, the waiting list for an op was at least 12 months and Covid put it back further. We researched private ops (about £8000) and, as his NHS consultant worked in the private sector too, we went down to see him on the NHS. We explained that any op on the NHS would take him into his finals at Uni, his congenital condition was getting worse with a lack of mobility and the consultant persuaded us to leave the private option and he would do what he could to move him up the list.
Last week, 6 months after that appointment my son had his discectomy and he is now in a much better position regarding pain. His was a large prolapse which never got any better but we were informed that the reason they don't operate quickly is because for most, the recover time without surgical intervention is 18 months so you may not want to go the surgery route immediately. Perhaps you should research spinal blocks (I seem to remember that it was about £1000-£1500) for the first injection and MRI.

Go to his GP ... say you want to go private ... this should be sorted then ...

Many thanks for your prompt replies!
Next question - hospital is saying GP won’t refer until he is discharged, but the likelihood of that is slim as he’s on so much medication. We seem to be in a catch 22 situation.
So - do we pay for a private GP to do the referral? This situation is so new to us, I’m so grateful to have all of your expertise. Thank you.

FannyCornforth

What is CCG please Polly?

County Commissioning Group

PollyDolly

FannyCornforth

What is CCG please Polly?

County Commissioning Group

Sorry.......Clinical Commissioning Group

Thank you Polly

You must decide in advance which spinal surgeon you want him to see. Choose one who does spines only and preferably a neurosurgeon.

Do not spend money going to a private GP- that could be your own GP with another hat on.

The referral should be able to be done while he is still in the hospital. Who is caring for him- could that surgeon take over? The problem there is finding a slot for surgery without you and your family paying for days of private in-patient care.

It really is a catch-22 if the GP will not refer him while he is still in the hospital.

If you do decide to choose the surgeon who is caring for him now, ring his secretary tomorrow for the private secretary's number and find out private waiting times. It may or may not be the same person. It would at least give you an idea of time.

Please do not splash out money unecessarily.

CCGs have been closed down as of 1st July. We are now the responsibility of Integrated Care Systems, with Integrated Care Boards replacing CCGs you can find which one is yours here www.england.nhs.uk/publication/integrated-care-boards-in-england/ Goodness knows how much money was wasted on this latest reorganisation!

Charleygirl5 - thanks. He needs to go to a specialist spine hospital. The hospital he is in cannot cater for such operations. To quote his consultant - ‘Your back is a mess’.

Speak to the GP now. Who at the hospital has told you the GP won't refer? They could be quite wrong.

When I went private my GP recommended one

Sorry may have been my health insurance , as only dealt with certain private hospitals

Soroptimum, your son needs to have a proper questions and answer session with his consultant. It is is unlikely they won't discharge him if they can control the pain with medication and if they can't or his situation worsens so that he needs an emergency op, they would transfer him by ambulance. Your son is also able to ask the consultant if he could refer him to a private consultant if that is what your son wants.
Usually the person referring needs the information of the condition so that the consultant they are referring to is up to speed. Until your son leaves hospital with a discharge letter with that information in, your GP will be none the wiser so probably wouldn't refer which is why they say no referral without discharge.
If you are really worried, it may be worth discussing the situation with PALs who can explain things in more detail. Even with Private Medicine, things aren't instant.

That is succinctly put.

I can't help you with the ins and outs, soroptimum, just wanted to wish your family, and your son in particular, a speedy resolution

Just an update! DS was discharged on Tuesday. He’s on 4 meds for pain relief, plus laxatives for obvious reasons ?
He’s got a private consultation with a specialist in 3 weeks. So hopefully we’ll know the way forward after then. Many thanks for your advice and best wishes.

Make sure your son has his questions ready for the private consultation so he can get the best value for the money. Good luck to him and I hope you will get some relief as his mother knowing what the options are.

if a person is in hospital their GP cannot refer them anywhere till they are out of hospital care and back with GP.