A Christchurch surgeon is regularly having his surgical lists cut due to the strain on the health system.
John McKie usually does about 15 joint replacements through the public system each month.
But last month he did three, 20 percent of the normal numbers.
He knows of someone considering taking out a reverse mortgage to get surgery done privately, because of the struggles they're having in normal life.
Dr McKie spoke to Gyles Beckford.
