A YORK man has been forced to wait at least an extra month for a much-needed hip operation - because doctors in the city do not have the right drill bit to operate.

David Edge, 56, of Elm Park View, off Malton Road, York, had prepared for his planned hip replacement revision at York Hospital on April 1 by stopping his pain relief and organising time off work, only to be told that the operation had been put back by at least a month.

No reason was given on his letter from the hospital, but when Mr Edge's furious wife, Susan, called the hospital, she was told that the specialist drill bit was on order from Florida and the operation could not take place without it.

A spokesman for York Health Service NHS Trust confirmed that the drill bit order was holding up the operation.

He said the delay was due to new legislation which means a new drill bit must be used for each patient.

Because of the nature of his operation, Mr Edge is the only patient affected by the delay. Regular hip replacements are taking place as normal. Mr Edge, who works for Jarvis, said he had undergone several operations, including a hip replacement, since he fell two years ago. He said he was told at the end of last year that his latest operation was urgent.

He said: "I just don't know what to think. I am fed up because the pain I have is night and day. Sometimes I can't even walk.

"The furthest I can ever walk is a quarter-of-a-mile. For a 56-year-old that is awful. I used to go training and running. Hopefully, this operation and the hip replacement that follows it will bring me back to normal."

A spokesman for York Health Services NHS Trust said the change in practice aimed to cut out the risk of cross-contamination.

"The new shipment will not arrive until mid-April, when Mr Edge will be given a new date for his operation."

Updated: 10:41 Thursday, April 03, 2003