Table 1.

 Questionnaire items

In your view, what should be the maximum acceptable waiting time for you or a person like yourself to wait for hip or knee replacement surgery? Describe your reasons for choosing this length of time.

In the best of all possible worlds, what would be the ideal length of time that you would choose to wait for surgery once you and your surgeon decided to go ahead with your surgery?

How acceptable is the length of time that you actually waited for your most recent surgery? Explain the reasons for your answer.

How fairly did you feel you were treated in regard to the length of time that you waited for your most recent joint replacement surgery? (very fairly to very unfairly)

If another person had more severe pain than you and more difficulty in carrying out their usual activities, should they go before you on the waiting list?

If you had a choice of going to another orthopaedic surgeon with a shorter waiting time, would you consider changing your surgeon? Explain the reason for your answer.

How was your life affected as a result of waiting for surgery? (a checklist of responses with yes or no options)

Note: waiting time was defined on the survey as ‘the length of time from when you and your surgeon decided to go ahead with the surgery until the day that you had your surgery’.