ANGRY patients have blasted claims that no one in Gwent is waiting more than 18 months for orthopaedic treatment.

Last week health chiefs announced they had met Assembly targets of no-one waiting more than 18 months for orthopaedic procedures.

And Assembly Health Minister Jane Hutt said Wales was making good progress on orthopaedic waiting-lists.

But two Gwent women waiting more than three years have slammed the claims. They say they were moved on to other waiting-lists in Wales and England, so those targets could be achieved.

Susan Jones, of Cwmbran, says she has waited three and a half years for a knee operation, and now uses a wheelchair.

In June Ms Jones, 51, of Greenmeadow, was removed from the Royal Gwent list and put on that of a private Birmingham clinic. Ms Jones was not consulted or told she had the option to remain on the Gwent list, merely informed of the decision to move her. She still has not been treated.

Gwent Health Authority was yesterday unable to say how many people are moved on to other regions' orthopaedic waiting-lists. The National Assembly allows it - but says patients must be allowed to stay on the existing list if they wish.

Ms Jones said: "I have waited and waited. Now they have put me with this private firm and I think it was just to get me off their list so they could say, 'we have achieved our target'. I have no idea when I'll be seen - I'm still waiting and I have been for more than three years. If Jane Hutt is so proud of the waiting-lists in Gwent I want to invite her to spend a day with me."

Ann Cork, 71, of Sebastopol, Pontypool, saw a consultant in 1999 and has waited ever since for a knee operation.

On April 9 Mrs Cork, (pictured with her husband, Allan) awaiting the operation at the Royal Gwent, was told she would now be placed on the waiting list for Bridgend.

She is incensed that Jane Hutt is celebrating reducing the number of people waiting for operations in Gwent.

She said: "To say I'm annoyed is putting it mildly. I've been in pain for three years, waiting for an operation they promised would happen early in 2000."

Husband Allan added: "We've hardly had a proper night's sleep for years because she is in pain so much. Then they have the cheek to say that no-one is waiting more than 18 months for operations. We don't deserve to be treated like this. We've paid our taxes and rates to the NHS for 40 years and we get nothing back. You wouldn't expect to pay for a loaf of bread and get nothing, why should we pay for the NHS and get such a terrible service?"

A spokesman for Gwent Health Authority said: "It is standard practice to use the capacity of hospitals and service providers in the private sector.

"Patients in Gwent who are offered the opportunity of having their operations done more quickly through such waiting-list initiatives can choose to accept or to wait for treatment at an NHS hospital. If they opt for treatment at a private facility, they are removed from the NHS list to ensure accuracy."

A spokeswoman for the National Assembly said: "Health authorities can transfer patients waiting for treatment to other authorities if they believe that they will receive treatment more quickly. However, patients have the right to refuse a transfer and should be given the option to remain with the original authority."

A spokesman for Gwent Community Health Council, the health authority's watchdog, said: "It is because of the litigation culture that GPs are afraid to make diagnoses without a consultant. We have to ask ourselves, are we actually overloading the NHS?"