Sarah Thyer, a patient in Wales, had to fork out £8,000 for hip surgery in Lithuania after being told she’d face a two-year wait on the NHS. This comes as the first minister’s pledge to cut waiting times falls short, leaving many frustrated with the state of healthcare.

Editor’s Note: When people are forced to pay for treatment abroad because of long NHS waits, it’s a clear sign the system is struggling. This isn’t just about one patient—it’s a symptom of a bigger problem with underfunding and delays that affects thousands. If promises on healthcare aren’t kept, public trust takes a hit, and ordinary people pay the price—literally.