Popular television doctor and GP Dr Hilary Jones has spoken out in praise of the NHS Patient Choice system after travelling almost 180 miles from his Kent home for a second hip replacement, a decision he says helped him fast-track his care and avoid months of waiting.
The 72-year-old, best known for his frequent health commentary on British television, underwent the procedure at Practice Plus Group’s new hospital in Birmingham, making a 360-mile round trip to benefit from shorter waiting times. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat for faster, quality care,” said Dr Hilary. “Patient Choice gives people real power, they just need to know it’s there.”
His decision to travel so far was made possible by NHS Patient Choice, a system that grants patients a legal right to choose where they receive NHS treatment. Many do not realise that this includes private hospitals which accept NHS patients, provided that the cost to the NHS is the same. For Dr Hilary, the result was a significantly shorter wait, with the added reassurance of high-quality care in a brand-new facility.
“It was over 180 miles from my home to Birmingham, but as it’s a new hospital and it’s a private hospital that treats NHS patients, they could get me in very quickly just with a referral from my GP,” he said. “You can choose to be referred to a private hospital at the outset, or you can switch hospitals like I did if you’re facing delays locally. It’s free for the patient and costs the NHS no more than if that same patient had their op at an NHS hospital.”
His experience is part of a wider discussion about how patients in England can and should be made more aware of their legal right to choose. The Patient Choice scheme has existed for years but is frequently underutilised, often because people do not know it exists or assume it involves additional cost. Yet, as Dr Hilary emphasised, “For people like me, who are lucky enough to be mobile despite needing an operation, it makes complete sense to find a hospital that can do your operation sooner so you can get on the road to recovery sooner.”
“I am delighted with the result so far,” he added. “Every single person that looked after me was amazing and couldn’t have done any more.”
A new survey of 1,000 adults living with chronic aches and pains, including those in need of hip and knee replacements, suggests Dr Hilary’s decision to travel is one many people would be happy to mirror, if they knew they had the option.
The survey, commissioned by Practice Plus Group, revealed that the average patient would be prepared to travel 60 miles for surgery if it meant being treated within three to four weeks. For a six-to-eight-week timeframe, people were willing to go up to 49 miles and one in ten said they would travel over 200 miles if it meant having surgery within a month.
However, more than half of respondents, 55 per cent, were unaware that NHS Patient Choice could allow them to seek treatment at an alternative hospital with a shorter waiting list. In many cases, this could include private hospitals that have been commissioned by the NHS to treat its patients at no extra cost.
For those facing long delays, the motivations for travel were clear. Of those surveyed, 36 per cent were currently on an NHS waiting list, and 17 per cent had been waiting for more than a year. A majority (68 per cent) cited prolonged discomfort and pain as a key reason for wanting faster surgery, while 55 per cent said they simply wanted to return to their normal lives. For 63 per cent, avoiding the emotional stress of continued delays was also a factor.
Yet despite the existence of this system, 88 per cent of those surveyed believed the Patient Choice option needed to be promoted more widely, highlighting a major information gap between what is legally available and what most patients are aware of.
For those considering paying privately, cost remained a significant concern. A third of respondents said they would be willing to travel for more than 90 minutes if it meant saving at least £2,000 on the cost of a hip or knee replacement, suggesting that time and money remain closely linked in how patients make healthcare decisions.
Dr Hilary concluded by pointing to future changes that may make navigating the system easier. “The NHS App is going to be developed further to make this easier, and you can speak to your GP about your choices,” he said. “People don’t want to be on a waiting list. They want to get on with their lives.”
As more hospitals like Practice Plus Group’s Birmingham site come online, and awareness of patient choice continues to grow, the message is becoming clearer: if you’re prepared to travel, the NHS may be able to see you sooner, and the journey could be well worth it.
Originally published by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce at: https://www.greaterbirminghamchambers.com/resource/celebrity-doctor-travels-180-miles-for-fast-access-nhs-surgery-in-birmingham.html?utm_campaign=EMAIL_CLD_290725&utm_medium=email
