Leonard Shaw, 73, who lives in Chorley, has been angered by claims from health bosses that patients are getting speedier hospital appointments –as he says for him this is far from true.

By December 2008, strict new targets say patients should not wait longer than 18 weeks from being referred to a hospital by their GP to the start of their treatment.

But bosses at NHS Central Lancashire recently claimed patients were already being seen a lot quicker.

However, Mr Shaw, who is married to Maureen, says he was referred to hospital by his GP in June this year, only to receive an appointment for April 2009.

The retired mine worker claims he has now been forced to fork out for private treatment as he canot wait due to the pain.

Mr Shaw, who has two daughters and four grandchildren, had surgery on his spine at the Royal Preston Hospital 18 months ago.

The operation was a success, but earlier this year, Mr Shaw began experiencing severe back pains again.

Mr Shaw, who used to be a maintenance fitter in a mine, said: "My back is so painful that I cannot sit down for any length of time and even have to eat my meals standing up as it hurts too much when I sit down.

"When I was referred for my operation last time, I waited 18 months, so ended up paying to have it done privately.

Now I feel I have no choice but to go private again.

"It is very annoying, especially when health bosses keep going on about how they are treating patients within 18 weeks.

"I am proof that this is not the case."

A spokesman for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "An NHS referral for Mr Shaw was received at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals on 14 July and he was seen by a consultant in August and had a lumbar spine scan on August 19.

"The scan and his case was discussed by a number of experts who decided that at this time he did not require surgery but should be re-assessed.

"Mr Shaw chose not to wait and was seen privately by Mr Gurusinghe on 29 September and has been referred privately for pain management.

"As a result he has been taken off the NHS waiting list."



>> Vote in our latest web poll

>> Have your say on our special traffic and travel rantline