(This article was last updated on 1 July 2020)
Life under lockdown has been challenging for everybody. Three months ago, we paused all our regular operations to focus on frontline work for the NHS (you catch up on that in this post from May). But for patients who have been struggling with knee problems in the meantime, the wait has been extremely tough.
That’s why we’re really pleased to announce that we are now restarting knee operations for both NHS and private patients. Our first elective surgery cases took place at the end of June and we’ll be carrying out many more from July onwards.
What we’re doing right now
Our operations are now resuming at BMI’s Sarum Road Hospital in Winchester and the Hampshire Clinic in Basingstoke, the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and the Nuffield Wessex hospital in Chandler’s Ford. We’re starting with surgery that can be done as a day case or a single overnight stay, such as arthroscopy and ACL reconstruction. We’re also working through the most pressing cases as our first priority. (While “elective” surgery strictly refers to “non-emergency” surgery, some elective cases can, nonetheless, be urgent; and of course many other elective cases can be quite painful and debilitating, so we want to treat all of them as quickly as we’re able to.)
What’s happening next
We’re now starting to book dates for knee joint replacements from August onwards. Right now we have a lot of patients waiting for arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery, ACL reconstruction and partial and total knee replacements, and we’re actively working to book these in as soon as we can. We’re also now booking for total knee replacements with the Stryker Mako robotic surgery from 1 September at Nuffield Health’s Wessex Hospital.
How you should prepare for surgery
Naturally, safety is everyone’s top priority as operations resume. Hospitals are asking all patients to self-isolate for two weeks before they come in for surgery. They’ll also be carrying out COVID-19 swab tests on patients 48 to 72 hours before operations. Meanwhile, in theatre, we’re allowing extra time for anaesthesia and surgery so we can fulfil the COVID-related protocols for health and safety. BMI have produced a helpful pre-visit guide for patients who are coming to their hospitals, which you can download as a PDF document here.
Questions? Drop us a line
If you’re already on one of our waiting lists for knee surgery, we’ll be making contact with you in due course with a date for your operation. But of course you can call the team direct if you need to. If you’re not currently on a list but need to speak to us about treatment for a knee issue – surgical or otherwise – do please get in touch. While life isn’t quite back to normal yet, the situation is changing quickly, week by week, so this is a good time to sit down with us to explore the options.
To book an appointment with Chris Bailey Orthopaedics, please visit our contact page and fill out your details. Or drop the team a line direct on 01962 826107.
