### Cardiff Man Left Bedbound After Years Awaiting Delayed Hip Operation
A Cardiff resident, Tony Dance, has found himself confined to bed after enduring years of severe pain in his left hip while waiting for a long-promised operation that has been repeatedly postponed. The 65-year-old from St Mellons, who suffers from osteoarthritis, had hoped surgical intervention would finally relieve his agonising symptoms, but instead he and his family have faced setback after setback.
Tony’s ordeal began several years ago when he was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in his left hip. As his condition deteriorated, the daily discomfort he experienced grew gradually worse until it reached a point where medical professionals deemed surgery essential over two years ago. After being referred by his GP, Tony spent more than a year on the waiting list before finally securing a tentative operation date in March 2025.
However, despite explicit evidence from doctors indicating that Tony’s condition had taken a serious turn for the worse and that he was living with “severe pain,” his much-needed operation was delayed. First moved from March to July, it was then postponed again with a new target set for August 11. These further delays have left both Tony and his family deeply frustrated and worried about his falling quality of life.
Tony’s wife, Donna, candidly shared the family’s distress, saying, “It’s just heartbreaking to see him in this state. Tony has dealt with several major operations in the past without complaint, but this time the pain is too much. The system has let us down.” She recounted how in recent weeks, Tony’s suffering has worsened to the extent he can no longer leave his bed. “The noises from his hip are dreadful – it doesn’t sound right, and every movement is agony,” Donna added.
Tony himself described how, even while lying still, his pain remains unyielding. “If I move in the slightest, it sounds like fireworks – cracking and crunching. Staying in bed is the only thing that dulls it,” he revealed. With his mobility now limited to just a few paces before the pain becomes unbearable, Tony said, “I’d love to know how people are graded for surgery lists.”
Correspondence between Tony’s medical team and hospital officials depicts a clear picture of an individual in urgent need. A doctor’s letter from August the previous year described his disease as “significantly worsening,” and outlined that, despite a GP referral over twelve months prior, Tony still had not been placed properly on any operation waiting list. Later, an orthopaedic surgeon confirmed Tony had reached “end stage” osteoarthritis – meaning hip replacement surgery should have been carried out as soon as possible.
Yet additional confusion ensued. Originally scheduled to receive treatment under one consultant, Tony was informed in June that he would need to see a different surgeon. During a visit to University Hospital Llandough to sign consent forms, hospital staff informed Tony that his surgery was scheduled for July, only for the consultant to explain his holiday would rule that out, resulting in the current August date.
The situation has placed immense strain on Tony and Donna, who feel the health system has not provided sufficient urgency, especially now that Tony is completely bedbound and losing hope. “When you’re screaming in pain, unable to get out of bed, waiting another month might as well be waiting years,” Donna said. Meanwhile, Tony admitted to contemplating desperate measures to reclassify himself as an emergency, such is the intensity of his suffering.
Officially, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board uses a surgical priority system known as the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) Levels, ranking cases by urgency from RCS 1A (requiring surgery within 24 hours) to RCS 4B (deferrable for over six months). According to the Health Board, individual cases are regularly reviewed so surgical priority can be updated – but many remain frustrated as lengthy wait times persist. Data from NHS 111 Wales reveals that 10% of patients in the area wait 33 weeks or more simply for a first outpatient appointment, with 10% facing waits of 83 weeks or more to even start treatment.
Tony’s case highlights a broader issue affecting thousands across Wales, as orthopaedic services struggle to clear surgical backlogs compounded by the legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Health Board states that in addition to monitoring operating theatre performance, funding has now been allocated to private healthcare providers to help address the crisis, including for hip replacements.
In their search for recourse, Donna reached out to local Senedd Member Vaughan Gething, seeking assistance. However, as Mr Gething clarified, his role does not permit interference in surgery allocation, though he did agree to request an explanation for the delays. As the new August operation date draws near, Tony and Donna can only hope it is finally honoured, fearing any further postponement will push Tony deeper into despair.
Tony’s story stands as a stark reminder of the deep human impact of prolonged waiting lists, and prompts renewed questions about prioritisation and transparency in Wales’ overburdened health system. As the family waits anxiously, the wider community will be watching closely to see how officials address these persistent issues.