Knee replacement at The Lancaster Hospital: Dave’s story

Meet David Hemmings

In May 2023, Dave Hemmings aged 68, underwent knee replacement surgery at The Lancaster Hospital in Lancashire. Dave made the decision to go private as he wanted to get back to playing sport and living his life pain-free without having to wait. "Using a private hospital gave me the assurance that I wouldn't have to wait. I could plan my holidays without fear of the surgery being postponed," Dave said.

An active sportsman, Dave enjoyed playing golf, badminton and running. His active lifestyle and the friendships he built up as a result meant a lot to him. "I have always enjoyed sport. Badminton is my favourite to play, but I also regularly attend Manchester United's home games whenever I can. Keeping active, especially in later life, is so important for your wellbeing. Physically and mentally," added Dave.

However, such an active lifestyle increased the wear and tear on Dave's knee joints, which greatly impacted his lifestyle.

"As the pain got worse, I had to stop doing the things I loved. It was very restricting. I had lived with the pain for years and spent considerable time and money visiting physiotherapists. Eventually it became too much, and I needed to get it sorted through surgery." - Dave

Getting help with Mr Matthew Dawson

Dave had had his left knee replaced previously at The Lancaster Hospital, and trusted the surgeon who had carried out the operation.

"I had my left knee done by Mr Matthew Dawson. He sent me for scans and tests and said that I would need the other knee done. When I had the surgery for my left knee, he said that it wouldn't need to be a full replacement but just a partial procedure. I appreciated the transparency and honesty. He was a man of his word, and I trusted him." - Dave

He added that, "When it came to having the second knee done it was a no-brainer to see if Mr Dawson could do it. I made inquiries with him to see if this was possible and it was."

Dave had initially planned to have the second knee replacement through the NHS, but was told he would have to travel to Carlise.

"The surgery would have taken place in the autumn or in January the following year. I wanted to plan things like holidays and not having a fixed date for the surgery was a real challenge," Dave said.

Dave spoke to his consultant and discovered that he could have the surgery at The Lancaster Hospital.

"I spoke to Mr Dawson and his secretary who was extremely helpful. He explained that he could operate in May at The Lancaster Hospital. I was worried at first, as I had all my tests and scans done by the NHS, he assured me that they would be transferred over to the team at the hospital. That was April 25th and less than month later I had a date for the surgery." - Dave

Dave was able to pay for the surgery in instalments

Dave was able to use Chrysalis Finance to help spread the cost of his surgery over 10 months and pay in regular instalments. "I got my first knee replacement surgery with Chrysalis and used their offer of 0% finance over a 12-month period. This was coming to end which worked superbly. When it came to the second knee replacement, I decided to do the same again. This time I did 0% over 10 months." said Dave.

He explained further that, "I discovered Chrysalis by accident the first time. The process was very simple, and they checked in regularly. The hospital did a lot of it for me and took all the stress out of the process. When I rang up Chrysalis to change the date of my direct debit to align with my pension, they were also very good."

Dave describes his experience as excellent

In the lead up to his surgery, Dave was in regular contact with the hospital and on the day of his surgery he was met by a member of the hospital team who helped him get ready.

"I worked in the NHS for the majority of my life and my experience at The Lancaster Hospital was excellent. Each department was well coordinated, and nothing was ever too much trouble. I really appreciated the attentiveness of the staff as it makes a big difference," Dave said.

The surgery lasted just over an hour. Following his surgery, Dave stayed overnight at the hospital and was discharged later the following day.

"The staff who looked after me were excellent. I was home in less than 24 hours which was excellent. After the surgery I had crio-cuff on my leg, this was brilliant and something that you don't often have. It brought the swelling and inflammation down quickly," Dave said.

During his stay at The Lancaster Hospital, one nurse particularly stood out to Dave.

"One nurse stood out to me. She was excellent. Caring and supportive in and old-fashioned way that you don't often see in hospitals anymore. It was so refreshing to have a proper nurse. I had fallen asleep with my glasses on, she gently removed them for me and put them on the table next to the bed. It's little extras like that which stick in your mind." - Dave

Recovering at home

After 12 days he was off crutches and following several follow-up appointments with his consultant and the physiotherapy team, Dave was given the clear to begin recovering on his own at home.

Commenting on this stage of his recovery, Dave said: "I did a lot of preparation to build up the muscle strength in my legs before the surgery, it takes a lot of determination but as a former nurse, I know how important it is to prepare yourself mentally and physically for an operation.

"I followed the guidance I was given to the letter. I took the painkillers they recommended. So many people don't take the pain relief or follow the guidance given to them following surgery. If you stick to what you've been told you'll be on right track from the start."

Dave is now fully recovered and is back to enjoying his hobbies and retirement pain free. Since his surgery, he is now averaging 10,000 steps a day and playing golf twice a week.

"I have two holidays planned with my partner. I spent thousands on physios but after my surgery the difference is noticeable. I am active and not in pain. I will be delighted to get back to playing badminton in September." Dave

Reflecting on his experience at The Lancaster Hospital, Dave said:

"I am always carefully about recommending things to people. It's just my nature. But for me it worked, and I was absolutely supported throughout. Mr Dawson, the nursing staff and the hospital team were great throughout.

"It wasn't a money matter, I never felt like I was trying to be sold something. My consultant was honest, and I trusted him. Even when I had to convince my GP that I wanted to have the surgery at The Lancaster Hospital which was closer to home, every part of the process was tailored to me and what I needed. I had confidence in the consultant and the process throughout."

Get help for knee pain at The Lancaster Hospital

Dave, who grew up in the Yorkshire Dales and has been based in Cumbria since 1988 is now looking forward to enjoying his life, pain free and is happy with the outcome from his experience being cared for at The Lancaster Hospital in Lancaster.

To find out more about the treatments available for knee at The Lancaster Hospital, please get in touch.