FAQs

Booking an Appointment

This can be done via the online portals for some hospitals, via your GP or by directly booking with my Secretary through the Contact Form or using the details at the bottom of this page. At times I can be quite busy but we will do our best to get you seen as soon as possible at a convenient time.

Your Appointment

Please bring any referral letters and previous MRI scans or X-rays with you to your consultation. If you can remember where and when these have been performed then my Secretary can get them transferred to the right place so they are available for your appointment, simply send the information via the Contact Form/email/Telephone.

Virtual/Zoom Consultations

It is my preference to see people face to face especially for the first appointment. This is because I will need to examine you and I also strongly believe that a face to face appointment in the first instance helps build the trust and understanding required for the doctor-patient relationship. Obviously if patients are vulnerable or shielding then we’ll do our best to arrange a convenient alternative.

Further Investigations

It is often necessary for me to arrange further investigations for you to establish what the source of your problem is. These can be conducted at a variety of locations although my preference is for them to be at locations where I consult as I have trusted expert radiologists who analyse and report on these investigations. Your insurance company will usually need to authorise these or they can be self-funded.

Diagnostic / Therapeutic Injections

As part of establishing the cause of your pain, it is sometimes important for me to perform diagnostic injections. These serve two purposes, firstly to establish whether the target is indeed the cause of your symptoms and also hopefully to relieve some of your symptoms. The injections typically contain local anaesthetic and steroid. As part of your injection I usually ask you to keep a Pain Diary. These are extremely useful and will help to establish your ‘pain generator’ and also whether there is a suitable surgical target.

Occasionally these injections are performed by colleagues in the Radiology Department or Pain Physicians (specially trained Anaesthetists) and I will discuss this with you if it is required.

Coronavirus / COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has changed things hopefully for the short term. I am regularly tested for coronavirus and have also been fully vaccinated. The Hospitals in which I work take safety around this extremely seriously as do I. Please be reassured that we do everything we can to minimise any risk to you throughout your journey with us. For more information about the impact of coronavirus on your care and treatment then please see ‘Patient Information‘.

Physiotherapy

As part of my ethos, I believe that your healthcare needs are personal and not everything is suitable for everyone. As such, I have a number of physiotherapists who I have established excellent working relationships with and am more than happy to recommend them to you. However if you have a preferred physiotherapist then I am more than happy to arrange referral to them or to send them relevant information to help you in your recovery.