Beat the NHS queues

With NHS waiting lists for major operations still growing, an increasing number of patients are becoming "health tourists" - using the less crowded hospitals of Europe to get themselves treated faster.

But which operations can be carried out quickly, and where should you go for the best surgeons, English-speaking staff and cheapest deals? Here we present a simple guide to enable you to avoid the NHS queue.

The issue was highlighted in a landmark ruling last week that gave hope to thousands of patients. Yvonne Watts, a 72-year-old grandmother from Bedford, could not bear to wait 12 months for her hip replacement operation, so had it done in France for £3,800, which she then tried to reclaim from the Government.

Although the High Court rejected her claim, it ruled that any patient suffering "undue delay" - which could mean waiting less than official waiting time targets - could go to another EU country for treatment paid for by the Government.

Mrs Watts's case was argued on the rights of patients to be treated in Europe, but its implications could be even greater. The principle of the NHS funding faster treatment in the EU could be extended to funding faster treatment in Britain's private hospitals, which could see thousands of patients go private and potentially cost the NHS millions.

Under current arrangements, NHS patients can apply to be treated abroad if they have waited longer than Government waiting time targets. They have to claim these costs back after they return to the UK. Only patients on low incomes will be reimbursed for travel costs. The Department of Health says the approval of the patient's consultant and local health authority must be given before a hospital elsewhere in Europe can be used.

For more information, see www.doh.gov.uk/traveladvice

Additional reporting: Tariq Tahir and Juliette Garside