An NHS trust in Birmingham has pledged to reduce waiting times after an amputee claimed patients have been waiting months for replacement sockets for prosthetic limbs. David Sellers, 63, who has attended the West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre in Selly Oak for 40 years, said delays had caused him a "great deal of suffering" and that hundreds of patients with severe physical disabilities may have been affected since the centre switched to an in-house NHS model in January.
Patient's experience
Mr Sellers, whose right leg was amputated below the knee following a motorcycle crash in 1981, told BirminghamLive: "In all that time I have never seen such a service failure. In my estimate, several hundred patients who have severe physical disabilities have been unable to receive replacement sockets for their prosthetic limbs resulting in a great deal of suffering." He said he had repeatedly tried to secure new appointments but was ultimately "refused a new socket". He contacted his MP and lodged a complaint with Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Trust response
The trust apologised for delays and said it was "taking action" to improve waiting times following "significant operational pressures". A spokesperson said prosthetic activity had been clinically prioritised to focus on patients with the highest clinical need. The trust is recruiting additional staff and working with commissioners on the future delivery model.
