Patient experiences of waiting for orthopaedic care and priorities for ‘waiting well’: a qualitative study in a London NHS trust

This study highlights the negative impacts that prolonged waits for orthopaedic treatment can have on patients' physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and notes that patients with caring or financial responsibilities may be disproportionately affected. The support needs expressed by patients focused more on acknowledgement of their concerns and management of their expectations by health professionals, rather than on advice around lifestyle changes and coping mechanisms. Our study offers a number of support ideas proposed by patients which can be further developed and implemented by health services to better support patients to live well while waiting for orthopaedic treatment.