A pensioner from Wooburn has been left in “absolute agony” after she was denied funding for a life changing hip operation.

Doctors told 70-year-old Barbara Hall that a double hip replacement would be the only treatment option for her after she was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis at the beginning of this year.

However Mrs Hall was left devastated after she was told funding for the operation on the NHS had been declined due to an overspend on hip replacements in the area.

Despite doctors saying physiotherapy would not help the mother, she has since been told that it is now the only available treatment, leaving her in complete despair.

She said: “I was so upset, I really worried my daughter. When you have been in pain for this long you think how long can you cope for.

“I am lucky because I have people around that can fight for me but what about people on their own? There are definitely people worse off than me which is even more worrying.

“It is just no life. I was so active before, I did line dancing but now I can’t take part in that. I drive my friend and sit at the back and try to memorise the moves.”

Mrs Hall has reapplied for funding in the hope that the NHS will rethink its decision, but staff at the Mid and South Buckinghamshire Diagnostic Centre said it may be declined again.

Her daughter, Caroline Arnett-Wilsher said: “X-Rays showed that it is as bad as it can get. It can’t get any worse – it is basically bone grinding on bone at the moment, but there is no funding for a replacement in Bucks.”

Despite her struggles, Mrs Hall hailed the “excellent” care she received from her GP.

The Chiltern Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said that hip replacements are decided on a case by case basis, and although a patient may not meet the criteria now they may do later on down the line.

Neil Phillips, speaking for the CCG, said: "We are unable to comment specifically on individual cases as this would breach patient confidentiality.

“However NHS Chiltern Clinical Commissioning Group understands it can be distressing for any patient if they have been unable to receive a treatment they feel they need.

“There is no policy in place to reduce the number of hip replacement procedures undertaken as a result of financial considerations or ‘overspending’.

“The criteria that determine whether a procedure is approved are matters of clinical judgement. These aim to ensure the patient experiences the appropriate treatment at the appropriate time and, ultimately, receives the best clinical outcome possible for their situation.

“It is entirely possible that a patient who does not initially meet this criteria may do so at a later date, if their situation changes.”

  • This article was amended on September 16, 2023.