A Canterbury retiree suffering from ‘‘excruciating hip pain’’ has had to wait more than a year for a medical appointment to assess the problem.
John Crichton, 71, who ran a successful engineering business in Mason's Flat near Hawarden for 30 years, initially approached his Amberley doctor in January last year to see what could be done to relieve the pain and restore his mobility.
The doctor told John he would refer him to Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand for an assessment under the public health system.
On March 14 John received a letter from Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand telling him that he would receive an appointment by May 3, 2025, for an assessment.
When that never happened, John waited three or four months before returning to his GP, offering to go private to speed things up.
John’s wife, Lynda, had had successful private hipreplacement surgery about seven years ago, and he asked his GP if it would be possible to have that same surgeon do his surgery.
A referral was sent to the surgeon, but on July 1 last year the Amberley Medical Centre received his reply declining to do the work because he said John was a ‘‘complex patient with a number of comorbidities’’ (two or more medical conditions).
The surgeon also said because of this he would be ‘‘uncomfortable managing John at Southern Cross Hospital’’, and that John had been referred to the (Burwood) orthopaedic department which is ‘‘appropriate as he will require a multi-disciplinary approach’’.
The letter was disappointing for John and made him think of all the years he had paid for medical insurance, only to be told that private surgery, in this case, is not available to him.
It also made him feel for other patients who do have health insurance, but may also find themselves in a similar situation.
Once it became clear to John private surgery was not an option, he resigned himself to the reality of an extended wait.
Late last year, as his pain levels intensified and his mobility decreased, he decided to take the ‘‘squeaky wheel’’ approach. He contacted the North Canterbury News to see if making his story public would take him closer to the surgery he needed.
Two days after contacting the North Canterbury News in December, he received notification from Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand, offering him a clinical assessment appointment on February 2 ‘‘after a cancellation’’.
The appointment seemed a long way off to John but he willingly accepted it only to be told earlier this month his appointment had now been pushed further away and it has now been rescheduled for February 16.
John said he realises the public health system is ‘‘stressed to the max’’ and many people are facing long waits for surgery. But he would like to see the wait times significantly reduced because living a life in daily pain is not something he would wish on anyone.
