Graham Cotton, 68, from Oakengates, has been on the waiting list at Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford for more than two years.

In February, while on vacation in Wales, he actually collapsed in pain, but although he thinks it might get him on the surgery list, he is still waiting for a date for an operation.

His case has now been taken up by Telford MP Lucy Allan, who has spoken in Parliament to call for hospital trusts to be held accountable for decisions that delay the completion of operations.

She criticized the National Health Service for its “lack of accountability” to patients who are in pain and waiting for surgery.

Ms Allan, speaking in the House of Commons, said: “It is not acceptable that patients continue to live in pain while hospitals do not resume routine surgeries which would massively improve their quality of life. “

Graham, a father-of-three, who ran Gourmet Pantry Limited, which he closed due to the pandemic and unable to drive due to his need for a left hip replacement, said: ‘We went on holiday in February in Wales and spent a day in Conwy and collapsed on the pavement in pain.

“My family was with me and an ambulance was called and they took me to a local hospital where I spent the night.

“I thought it would mean I would be given an early date for surgery, but so far I haven’t been given a date and I can’t even find out where I am on the list for surgery.

“I’m in a lot of pain and I take painkillers and sometimes when I’ve tried to get a glass of water I couldn’t drink it because of the pain and at evening meal times I don’t couldn’t eat.

“On a scale of ten my pain is sometimes a 12, and I’ve been told the hospital doesn’t do elective surgery and although they buy theater time in Oswestry, they can’t tell when I will be operated.

“My youngest son, Paul, a 38-year-old salesman, contacted our local MP.”

Ms Allen said the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford had still not resumed orthopedic surgery and that meant ‘leaving many residents in severe pain after years of delays in routine operations such as joint replacements. hip”.

She said: “The NHS has no responsibility to find an alternate provider and no one is responsible or liable to the patient.

“While it is welcome that the government is investing £8billion to tackle the NHS backlog caused by the pandemic, it is crucial that hospital trusts can be held accountable for decisions taken not to resume immediately. surgery.”

Sara Biffen, acting chief operating officer of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which manages PRH, said: “Our hospitals remain under pressure from the unprecedented demand for urgent care and the continuing effects of Covid- 19 and we apologize to any patient affected by delays in scheduled care.

“We are working alongside partners to ensure that as many elective surgeries as possible take place and we would like to assure patients that elective orthopedic surgery at Princess Royal Hospital will restart as soon as possible.”