Mate I was going to PM you then thought others may benefit fom my reply.
I'm not sure that private is the answer other than as a queue jump. It will be the same surgeons who plough the NHS field in the main. Most of the hospital medics I know (at a Lodon teaching hospital) moonlight at a private gaff.
On NHS, you can persuade his GP to refer him almost anywhere. For example, I had a meniscus repair done locally (Ashford) 12 years ago and was not happy with it. When it went Fairisle again I got my GP surgery (actually it was the physiotherapist practitioner I pressured and he pressured the GP) to refer me to a London hospital (Guy's) where I happen to know the knee boys are top drawer. As you know I went skiing after the last op. I am now due a replacement and will petition to go back to Guy's when the time is up. On the NHS.
Unfortunately the big teaching hospitals normally trump the provinces in avery department so, unless someone can recommend you someone with good reason, I'd hedge my bets and look to London.
My trump card was my insistence I wanted to be active. I think they like the idea that the patient plans to use the product of their efforts, ideally vigorously*, and not simply use it as a place to rest a mug of cocoa, the TV times, or the sleeping cat.
*as an aside, most of my knee damage was done a while ago, in delecto flagrante
Whilst I appreciate your incredibly detailed and informative response, this is the only part I am remotely interested in.
Would you care to elaborate?
