Christina Ong

Digital Producer

BBC News •

I gave up waiting for my NHS op and went private

Sue Stenton was told by her GP that it would be at least two-and-a-half years to have hip surgery on the NHS so she decided to use her savings to get the operation done privately.

After approaching a private company, Sue was advised to have a hip replacement in two months due to how severe the arthritis was in her right hip, with the procedure costing her £14,600.

"I fully appreciate the effects the pandemic has had on the NHS, but I also feel this is being used as an excuse for the delays in
BBC News •

Children's mental health care referrals up by 22% in Scotland

'It shouldn't be down to grieving families to put services in place'

"It was really frustrating. It made me feel like no one cared and I wasn't important enough to get help and by the time they got round to seeing me I thought it was already too late."

A spokesperson for SCSC said: "This is a crisis we can overcome, but as the country comes to terms with the biggest hit to its mental health in generations, it will require a similar energy and commitment to that demonstrated for Covid-19 if we
BBC News •

Doctors warning about weight loss surgery overseas

Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, is used as a last resort to treat people who are dangerously obese (having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or above or 35 plus other obesity-related health conditions).

Mr de Beaux said that in his own health board, NHS Lothian, last year there were 33 urgent referrals for medical help for people who had received weight loss surgery overseas and something had gone wrong.

"In the last three months we've had two patients that have stepped off a