Woman shares NHS waiting list advice that could help bring forward your surgery

If you're on the NHS waiting list for an operation or treatment and are feeling disheartened by the lengthy wait, a woman has shared some advice that could speed up the process. Shannon Barnes, a former nurse, took to TikTok to share her advice in a video.

"I'm so shocked about how many people don't know about this," she began. "If you've been on a waiting list for months, this is really going to help you." So what can be done? Shannon revealed there's an NHS scheme called Patient Choice which allows patients willing to travel anywhere in England to get the care they need.

"You go on My Planned Care [NHS website]," she continued. "Then you can select your hospital [from a list of regions] and click what surgery you are after."

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To illustrate her point, Shannon showcased that children's cardiac surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London currently has an average wait time for first outpatient appointments of around 10 weeks, while the average waiting time for an operation is 19 weeks.

By repeating this process with different hospitals, you can then compare waiting times. "So if you are prepared to travel, this is going to be incredible," Shannon exclaimed.

She concluded: "I know how expensive private healthcare is and I really wish that I had known about this sooner."

One TikTok user praised in response: "I only knew this from a wonderful doctor who changed my life. I was on a waiting list for an op, changed hospital in and out within five months, what an amazing doctor I had."

Healthwatch, the independent champion for people who use health and social care services in England, states online: "If you use the NHS, in most cases, you have the right to choose the hospital where you get the care you need.

"Few people exercise this right – but if you do, you could cut down on how long you wait for care."

And supporting Shannon's tip, it continues: "When a healthcare professional – like your GP – refers you for a routine health condition, in most cases, you have the right to choose which hospital or service they refer you to.

"You may also be able to choose a clinical team led by a specific consultant or healthcare professional as long as the team offers the treatment you need. Your healthcare professional will share at least five suitable options with you, where possible. You can decide which to choose based on factors like:".

"You can choose during your appointment if you want. But if you'd rather take more time to think about your options, you can do that too."

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