Patient Information
Use the menu bars above and on the left to explore information set out on this website.
Apart from the general information in this section, there are several specialist
sections that will give you information on specific topics such as common orthopaedic
conditions, common surgical procedures and other information directly related to
your surgical treatment.
The Patient Experience
Being a patient can be a very stressful time for some. Years of experience as a clinician
and my own experience as a patient and a relative of a patient had given me some
insight into the worries and concerns that patients have.
By far and away the most important aspect I have come across, is uncertainty about
the unknown. In this respect, knowledge is king and the intention of the patient
information sections are to try to answer questions that many people have raised
over the years to better equip you as the patient, to make the best informed decision.
Modern orthopaedic surgery is now safer and more effective than it ever has been,
and continues to improve. Techniques in anaesthesia, pain relief, technical advances
in surgery and better understanding of how to prepare and optimise patients for surgery,
have led to the evolution of the biggest expanding branch of surgery in modern times.
Patient satisfaction rates are continually improving, while the rates of problems
and complications continues to decline.
Many of these improvements are underpinned by helping patients to understand what
is wrong with them, what the alternatives are, why surgery may or may not be the
first choice treatment and what are the upsides and the downsides of surgical treatment.
Knowledge in advance is a great problem solver and helps the patient to make the
correct decision.
Explore these pages to get a snapshot of the information you need if you are thinking
of having surgery
If you think a specific area not included needs to be covered, then please feel free
to contact me with your suggestions.