Lincs military veteran gets retirement back after NHS list switch ‘hack’

A retired military theatre nurse from Lincoln who feared a painful knee would put her retirement plans on hold is travelling the world again after switching NHS waiting lists to access surgery sooner.

With Remembrance Day this week, Veteran Aware accredited Practice Plus Group Hospital Birmingham, located in Edgbaston, is highlighting the treatment options available to veterans who may be living in pain or facing long waits for planned surgery. The hospital is encouraging veterans to explore whether they could access treatment sooner through NHS Patient Choice. Patient Choice is not exclusive to veterans, however, and eligible NHS patients in England can also benefit by asking their GP about the choices available to them.

Jackie Jones, 63, spent her career working in healthcare, including as a military theatre nurse, but despite her clinical background she says she had little idea that NHS Patient Choice could allow her to choose another hospital for treatment.

After being told she could face a wait of up to two years locally for knee surgery, Jackie asked her GP to refer her to Practice Plus Group Hospital Birmingham, an independent hospital which treats both NHS and private patients.

She went on to have a total knee replacement and, one year later, is back doing yoga and Pilates and restarting the active retirement she had planned.

Earlier this year, Jackie and her husband visited Paris, where she managed around 17,000 steps a day. More recently, they enjoyed the holiday of a lifetime travelling and sightseeing across Canada to celebrate her husband's retirement from the Royal Navy.

Jackie says: "I'd struggled with my knee for three or four years and it just gradually deteriorated. I walked constantly with a limp.

"Before my knee became really painful, I used to walk five or six miles a day. Eventually I'd only manage about half a mile and I'd be limping.

"I'd just retired and I was used to being active. I love yoga and Pilates, but I couldn't hold the poses or balance properly anymore. I felt like this wasn't how retirement was supposed to be."

Jackie was eventually told she would need knee replacement surgery but faced a potential wait of up to two years locally.

It was only after a conversation with a former colleague that she discovered NHS Patient Choice and learned she could ask to be treated at another provider, including an independent hospital carrying out NHS-funded surgery.

"I didn't realise you could use NHS Patient Choice anywhere. I thought it only applied within your own area. I had no idea you could go out of area at all.

"Despite working in healthcare all my life, I didn't really know how it worked."

After contacting the hospital in Birmingham, Jackie went back to her GP and requested a referral.

"My GP said, 'I'm absolutely happy to refer out of area as long as you're happy to travel. She also told me that referring me elsewhere helped to reduce waiting times locally, so it was a win-win. She said she wished Patient Choice was better publicised and I completely agree."

Within a week of her referral, Jackie attended an appointment with a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon.

After initially trying a steroid injection which failed to significantly improve her symptoms, Jackie returned and was recommended a total knee replacement as the best long-term option and her surgery followed around a month later.

Jackie continues: "I was amazed at how quickly everything happened. The treatment from the hospital was amazing. Having spent my working life in operating theatres, I know what good care looks like.

"The whole hospital felt like one big team. It was a very calm environment and the standard of care was amazing."

What surprised Jackie most was that she had still heard nothing from the original waiting list by the time her operation took place. She said:

"It wasn't until after I'd already had my surgery that they phoned and asked if I could come in the next day for a consultation. I had to say, 'No, I've had it done elsewhere.

"Without Patient Choice, I'd probably still be waiting. Instead, I'm enjoying my retirement, travelling with my husband and doing the things I love again."

For Jackie, the difference to her life is night and day:

"In Paris we were doing around 17,000 steps a day and it wasn't a problem. Before surgery I'd have really struggled with that. Then we had the holiday of a lifetime travelling across Canada. There was lots of walking, sightseeing and exploring and I was confident getting around without the constant pain I'd had before.

"Retirement for us is about travelling, keeping active and making the most of our time together. I've got that back."

Practice Plus Group Hospital Birmingham's focus on veterans is led by Hospital Director Samantha Doubleday, who served for 16 years as a Royal Air Force Nursing Officer and now leads Practice Plus Group's national Veteran Aware Programme.

The hospital has Service Champions who help identify and support veterans and serving personnel, alongside wider measures designed to ensure members of the Armed Forces community feel understood and supported throughout their care.

Samantha said: "Jackie's story is a reminder that supporting our Armed Forces community is not only about remembering service, but making sure veterans feel recognised, understood and supported when they need healthcare.

"As a veteran myself, I'm incredibly proud of the work we're doing. We also want more people to understand that NHS Patient Choice is available much more widely. Independent hospitals can provide additional capacity for the NHS, helping people access planned treatment sooner while supporting efforts to reduce waiting lists."

For Jackie, the advice to others is simple: "I'd say to anyone waiting in pain for surgery to explore your options. It's only about 90 minutes in the car from Lincoln to Birmingham, and travelling a little further was worth it to get my life back much sooner.

"I'm back doing yoga and Pilates, I'm travelling with my husband and I'm enjoying the retirement I'd looked forward to. I would absolutely recommend it."