Karen gets new hip in Lithuania after 20-month NHS wait and £20k private quote
A woman travelled to Lithuania for a hip replacement after waiting 20 months on the NHS - and being quoted £20,000 to go private. Karen Rogers, 65, has degenerative arthritis and was suffering with severe hip pain.
In July 2022, Karen was told she would need a replacement on her right hip as that was causing more pain - and she'd need a new left one in the future. A year later, Karen's hip deteriorated so badly she stopped working and moved in with her partner Ian Weston, 62, for 24-hour care.
Eventually, at the start of 2024, Karen got a letter from the hospital confirming her hip replacement for February but after going in for pre-surgery tests she was told it had been cancelled but given no reason why, she claims. Karen then started looking into going private but was quoted £20,000 for an operation with no follow-up treatments.
She then came across Nordorthopaedics Clinic, in Lithuania, which quoted her £8,500 for the operation as well as flights, surgery and nine days in rehabilitation. Karen then flew out to Lithuania in February 2024 to have her right hip replaced and said she will do it again for her left hip.
The wedding celebrant said: "Don't get me wrong the NHS is a wonderful organisation. It is not the fault of the NHS that it is in the situation that it is now. In comparison, when you look at the way the clinic in Lithuania is run they wait no more than six to 12 weeks for surgery. As it stands I know I will need my left hip replaced and I can't even get an appointment with a consultant. When you're in chronic pain, I won't hesitate to go back onto the plane and get my treatment abroad."
In July 2022, Karen was told she would need her hips replacing after going to her GP when the pain became unbearable. After a year waiting for the operation, Karen went back to her GP who agreed that she can't keep living in constant pain and phoned the consultant at the hospital to make her case urgent.
Karen said: "Eventually in 2024, I got a letter from the hospital to say my surgery had been brought forward to February. I was called into hospital for a pre-operation assessment where they did blood tests and ECGs."
While she was at the hospital, Karen said that there had been no date booked for her surgery. She thought this was a mistake as he had a letter from the hospital to confirm. The nurse called through to the consultant who said Karen's surgery had been cancelled.
Karen said: "I had no information before that, the nurse was so sorry and didn't know what to say. I called back when I got home and asked for a reason they said there were no beds. I started thinking about having to pay to go private here in the UK, I started looking into it but knew it wouldn't be cheap."
Karen's condition deteriorated further and she had to stop working and move in with her partner Ian so he could look after her.
She said: "Ian was helping with my day-to-day living and he said I should try to get into a private hospital. The cheapest I was offered was £20,000 for a one-night stay. I would go in, have my operation and be discharged the next day."
Karen said she wasn't looking to travel abroad for her surgery but came across the Nordorthopaedics Clinic, Lithuania, on Facebook.
She said: "I clicked the link and enquired, I then got a phone call back speaking me through all the options. They explained how they would pick me up from the airport to a hotel of my choice and then pick me up again to take me to the clinic. I would have my surgery and then I had the choice, I could move into one of their apartments or go into a spa for rehabilitation. The whole thing, including flights, surgery, and nine days in rehab cost me £8,500."
Karen was still undecided but found a clinic support group on Facebook, she joined it and chatted to other people who had been to the clinic. She then decided it was the right decision for her and booked her surgery for February 2024.
She said: "Ian came over with me and we stayed in a hotel the night we arrived, the next day a driver picked me up and took me to the clinic. Within 30 minutes I was having my blood, ECG and X-ray and then I got my results soon after that. My surgery was scheduled for 12:30 but the surgeon arrived and took me down at 10:30 instead. I was back in my room by 1pm and on my feet by 4pm."
After two more nights in the clinic, Karen was transferred to the clinic spa for nine days of rehabilitation.
She said: "I had four treatments a day including physiotherapy cryotherapy and a massage every day. There were a lot of British people there, we have all become friends and stayed in touch."
Karen got back to the UK in March 2024 and in the future will need to get her left hip replaced.
She said: "The left hip has now deteriorated and I will have to have that replaced. I will definitely go back to Lithuania without a shadow of a doubt. I cannot fault the clinic, the staff made me feel so safe."
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