A widower who lost patience with the NHS after waiting 14 months for a hip operation has paid nearly �7,500 for surgery in Egypt.

John Guy, 69, is recovering at a Cairo hospital after the procedure was carried out at a private hospital.

The retired gas worker said the pain of waiting for the operation at his home in Newton Heath, Manchester, had been making his life unbearable.

Mr Guy, a father-of-two, said he had felt "nervous" waiting for the treatment, but doctors in Egypt "made me very welcome".

I have lost faith in the NHS. You work all your life and pay tax and insurance, and where does it go to?

John Guy

He had been referred to North Manchester General Hospital 14 months ago by his doctor and was placed on a waiting list in December 2001.

But he was subsequently told it could take up to 18 months to get an operation on the NHS.

Mr Guy then contacted Operations Abroad and they found him a private hospital in Cairo.

"It's cost me a few bob, but it's worth it. I have been waiting 14 months at home and I just couldn't wait any longer, so I came here.

'Lost faith'

"It's about time the NHS shook itself up, I think. It's terrible in England. I feel sorry for all those patients waiting."

He added: "I have lost faith in the NHS. You work all your life and pay tax and insurance, and where does it go to?"

An NHS Executive North West spokesman admitted 14 months was too long to wait for an operation.

But he said the NHS planned on slashing waiting times by more than half by 2008.

He added: "No-one is waiting for more than 15 months for any speciality (operation) anywhere in the North West and waiting times for treatment are coming down all the time."