Before taking a chance on a new Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) service, Mr Napier (72) had only two options after discovering he needed knee surgery.
Either wait two years for public surgery, or pay about $40,000 for private healthcare.
Most of his career had been physically demanding, and by October 2022, his condition was "debilitating".
"By then I would have to sit down after two blocks. It was just too painful.
"It was also affecting my sleep ... I would constantly wake up in pain," he said.
Then his GP recommended a third option, the southern community orthopaedic triage service (Scots).
Scots is a Health New Zealand-funded programme that provides free physiotherapy to patients who are not covered by ACC.
"I was in a situation where I was willing to try anything, so I went for it," he said.
From November 2022 to January 2023, he attended about 10 physiotherapy and life-coaching sessions.
"It’s not just a physio course.
"You get to think about your future goals and pain management.
"The most amazing thing about it was how quickly I noticed the changes," he said.
He described the programme as a success, just months after he had completed it.
"I’ve gone from not being able to walk two blocks to walking 3km to 4km every day now."
Clinical lead Martin Kidd said the purpose of the service was to free up hospital space and allow for easier access to healthcare in the community.
Mr Kidd said the programme could be accessed through GPs.
