Fundraiser for private surgery amid year wait for NHS

A teenager who has not been able to play rugby since he suffered a knee injury hopes to raise enough money to pay for private surgery.

Harvey from Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, has been unable to play sport since he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in March.

The effects of the injury has "taken a toll" on his mental health, and without paying for a private treatment, he could have to wait until February for surgery.

An NHS Gloucestershire spokesperson said teams "continue to assess and treat patients in clinical priority".

The Hartpury College student, who has been playing rugby since he was six, said his leg went "straight on the floor" and he "twisted it" during a tackle seven months ago.

"At first, they thought I just dislocated it, and then I had trouble straightening it and putting tension in my thigh," he said.

An MRI scan revealed Harvey had ruptured his ACL, his medial collateral ligament (MCL), and injured his meniscus cartilage in his knee.

To be able to play rugby again, Harvey requires a surgery to reconstruct his ACL.

"Some days it's like a dull ache within my knee, and on another day, it feels completely fine and normal.

"The NHS do an amazing job around the UK, but it's a year wait. They've even said it might be longer now," he said.

Harvey said he was informed he would receive the surgery at Cheltenham General Hospital between December and March, but recently received a letter informing him non-emergency surgeries would be pushed back due to the winter months coming.

Despite the pain and frustration, one thing has helped Harvey feel at least a little bit better.

So far, he has raised more than £1,500 of his £5,000 target to pay for private surgery.

Harvey said: "It's been amazing, people are helping out a lot.

"It's definitely raised my self-esteem, I almost felt helpless."

A spokesperson for the NHS in Gloucestershire said: "We understand that waiting for surgery can be a stressful experience for many people and we empathise with Harvey.

"Whilst any wait can be frustrating, our surgical teams continue to assess and treat patients in clinical priority our waiting times are in line with national averages”.

According to NHS England, 57% of knee trauma and orthopaedic patients nationally are still awaiting treatment after less than 18 weeks.

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