Double joint replacement patients home in a day

Ms Denney said she had been outside playing with her grandchildren within six weeks of her procedure

A woman who underwent surgery on both hips in the morning was able to be back in her home enjoying takeaway curry by teatime - all thanks to a new recovery programme, according to the hospital treating her.

Ruth Denney, 71, said it was "really special" to be able to play hide and seek with her grandchildren again after having the operation at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital (RJAH) in Shropshire.

The specialist orthopaedic hospital has also celebrated getting 66-year-old Paul Garstone from Shrewsbury back home on the same day as having replacements to both knees.

RJAH said by seeking to reduce recovery time in hospital it hoped to improve outcomes for patients and give them a better overall experience.

Less invasive procedures are being used in some instances at the site. Mr Garstone's surgery, for example, addressed only the damaged compartments of his knees, which was a less involved alternative to total replacement, resulting in earlier discharge, the hospital said.

It said the new recovery programme worked by ensuring patient health was optimised prior to operations, and by improving pain management during their hospital stay.

The hospital added it continued to support patients in their homes after one-day procedures.

Mr Garstone (centre) said he was home before 22:00 after his operation at the hospital

Ms Denney, from Onnerley, near Market Drayton, said she had not been able to walk properly for about two years, prior to her operation.

But within six weeks of the procedure, she said, she was playing outside with her young grandchildren again.

"I hadn't done that for at least 12 months, if not longer, so it was special for me," she said.

Looking back on the day of the operation, she remembered being in the operating theatre at 09:10 and out by 11:30.

She was home by 17:00 for her takeaway.

The hospital said one of Mr Garstone's knees had given way while he was on a work trip to Slovakia.

His other one gave way after he returned home and he opted for the bilateral knee replacement, which meant both were dealt with in the same operation.

Mr Garstone said his recovery had gone "really well" and added: "At first I walked using crutches, even just to go to the kitchen, but after about 10 days I got up and realised I'd forgotten to take them with me, so from then on I mostly walked around the house without them."