John Richardson, from Cornwall, was sent 130 miles by taxi by Plymouth's Derriford Hospital from Cornwall to Dorset for treatment.

When Mr Richardson, who has rheumatoid arthritis, arrived at the private hospital in Poole, he was told there the operation suggested was irrelevant.

Derriford Hospital said it endeavours to share medical notes of patients to medical teams at other hospitals before patients go for treatment to ensure that surgeons agree with proposed surgery.

The operation suggested was irrelevant John Richardson

Mr Richardson said he was disappointed when he spoke to doctors at the private hospital where he was referred.

He said: "I was seen, diagnosed and they said because it had been so long since the operation was recommended, they couldn't do anything about it.

"The operation suggested was irrelevant now. They wanted to do a different one.

"Next day they sent me home. I then went to see my consultant and he didn't even know I had been."

Concerns about referring patients to other hospitals out of the the area was one of the reasons why Geoff Anderson, a consultant at Derriford, last week very publicly announced he was resigning and leaving to work in New Zealand.

The Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust said: "The Trust works closely with the surgeons at external facilities to ensure that patients are suitable for their surgery outside of the Trust."