NHS Surgery Leaves Trainer Unable to Walk

A former personal trainer from Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, claims she can no longer walk unaided or work due to complications from NHS spinal surgeries.

Seven years after initially suffering from a herniated disc, the single mother underwent surgery at Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford. The TLIF procedure, intended to remove the damaged disc and insert a cage and screws, was followed by a second operation six days later due to the suboptimal placement of the initial cage.

McDonald reports that the second surgery also resulted in an open wound and persistent infections. She states that metalwork placed inside her spine was too large for her, exacerbating her condition. Having been discharged by the spinal team, she expressed feeling abandoned by the NHS.