A GROUP of patients waiting for hip and knee replacement operations at Basingstoke hospital are to have their operations in the private sector, at the Hampshire Clinic.

The 27 patients have been informed by letter, after discussions with doctors, and their operations will be paid for using money which has come from the Department of Health.

The patients are some of the 1,400 who will have private hip and knee treatment on the NHS in the South East by the end of the year. The department has reached agreements with two of the major private healthcare companies - one of which is BMI, which runs the Hampshire Clinic.

North Hampshire Hospital NHS Trust chief executive Mark Davies said: "While this may be seen as a useful supplement to relieve local pressure, the Trust will wish to continue to build capacity within the NHS in order to achieve the evermore demanding access targets."

After their operations, the patients will receive any further rehabilitation or treatment from the NHS. They will also be sent a postal questionnaire to judge the success or otherwise of the scheme in meeting expectations.

In his report, Mr Davies said he expects the initiative to be repeated. Hospital figures show the number of patients sent to the hospital for orthopaedic operations - which include hips and knees - has shot up by 17 per cent on last year. The latest figure quoted is that 2,917 patients have been referred for orthopaedic operations this year.