Sheila NHS and private care can work well together, I think the time of year helped as the hospitals don't get a lot of people wanting ops around Christmas and New Year, a few years back I was due to go in for a procedure in late January I got a phone call on the 27th December offering me the op on New Year's eve due to cancellations, We had made arrangements for that day so I declined. I am pleased that your friend's surgery went so well a tremendous Christmas present for the whole family.