A LORRY driver who suffered more than two years of pain waiting for an NHS operation for an injured shoulder was the first patient at Banbury's new privately-run orthopaedic treatment centre.

Stephen Ash, of Hanwell Fields, Banbury, said he could have waited for many more months if the centre, on the Horton Hospital site, had not opened for business.

Mr Ash, 44, was off work for nearly a year after being hit by the broken tailgate of his delivery lorry. He received head, neck, and serious shoulder injuries.

He returned to work at his employers, 3663, in an office job - 11 months after the accident.

He said: "My shoulder was useless and I was in pain. I couldn't pick up my baby daughter, Eleanor, and I certainly couldn't drive a lorry.

"I don't know how long I would have waited for the operation if this place hadn't been here. I couldn't get a date. All the examinations and tests had been done and all the paperwork was complete, but I couldn't get an operation under the NHS.

"My accident was in May 2004, and in August 2006 I was still waiting.

"Then this new treatment centre opened and they rang me on August 14 and said: 'Can you come in tomorrow.' I was their first patient and the treatment was fantastic.

"I arrived at 8.30am, my operation started just before 9am, and I was discharged at 2.30pm.

"I keep coming back for physiotherapy treatment and cannot praise everyone here too highly."

Surgeons at the £18m centre reconstructed Mr Ash's shoulder and replaced damaged ligaments.

The new centre was paid for and is run by private medical company Capio Healthcare UK. It will treat mainly NHS patients with the Oxfordshire NHS Trust and the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust paying Capio for its services.

The centre opened on August 14, and for the first month treated only outpatients and day patients.

It opened fully on Monday and its 40 beds will treat local patients and people from the Milton Keynes area, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire.

Penny Pontit, the centre's matron, said: "Everything patients need is here. They can't ask for more. It is a hospital environment but individual too."

Around half the 40 beds are in en-suite single rooms, the others in mini-wards containing two beds.

Douglas Watson, Capio's regional manager, said: "Everything here is brand new and patients will benefit from all the recent advances in healthcare treatment."

Capio has signed an initial five-year contract to run the centre.

Mr Watson said: "After that time we will have the option of renewing the contract or walking away from from it."

Most of the 80 to 90 staff needed to run the unit have been seconded from the Horton Hospital, but two additional surgeons are being employed.

The total number of surgeons working from the centre will be seven.

Five will be from the Horton, and will split their time 50/50 with the existing hospital.

Mrs Pontit said the new unit had three operating theatres, and their capacity would free-up operating space at the Horton.

At present, patients are referred to the unit by Computer Sciences Corporation, the patients referral bureau, but from December, GPs will be able to refer patients direct.

Centre manager Alison Wheatley said: "It promises to be an exciting future with quality services for Banbury and the surrounding area. We want to integrate with the local health economy and support it where we can."