You can come over here in complete confidence.

Barbara Sturgess, patient

Many spoke highly of their treatment at the hands of the French hospital staff.

Retired accounts clerk Gill Hancock, 67, from East Kent, who had been waiting a year for her cataract operation, said the treatment was first class.

"I couldn't fault it one bit," she said.

"I am seeing better already. I'm very fortunate I was one of the lucky ones to come over."

'No fear'

Mrs Hancock and the other cataract patients are expected to be able to return home within a few days.

But up to 200 more NHS patients from the south-east of England could make the trip to French hospitals by March, which the government says frees up beds in the UK.

Health managers refused to say how much the operations were costing, but it was cheaper than going private in the UK and the bill will be paid by the NHS.

Gill Hancock said her cataract operation was first class

Barbara Sturgess, 63, from Dover, who had a knee replacement operation, said people should have no fear travelling to France for surgery.

"There is really nothing to worry about. You can come over here in complete confidence."

She said staff had been very friendly and language had not been a major problem.

"I feel full of happiness now I can get my life back," she said.

"I was in a lot of pain before the surgery. I am looking forward to going home and leading a normal life.

French care fare

Dinner: Country pate, Provencal chicken brochettes, fruit, yoghurt, cheeses Lunch: Fresh salmon, pear tart, yoghurt

"I don't want to be able to run a marathon. I just want to walk down the road."

Patients enjoyed spacious private rooms which included comforts normally found in hotels, such as colour TV with four English speaking channels and a fridge.

A varied menu including a lunch of fresh salmon with mayonnaise, yoghurt and pear tart also went down well.

Project spokesman John Underwood said all the operations had been successful and there had been no complications.

Learning curve

Peter Huntley, Channel Primary Care Group chief executive and treatment abroad initiative project director, said the first phase of the test bed programme had gone "very well".

"As each group is treated we expect to learn more lessons to help us improve the experience for patients," he said.

The programme is a quick fix, short-term solution to reduce the number of patients waiting more than a year for routine operations as set out in the NHS plan.

The government's aim is to reform the health service to ensure NHS patients wait an average of just seven weeks for an operation in English hospitals by 2005.