A full examination with a consultant, imaging reviewed on the day, and a written plan.
What is involved
Any joint, bone or soft-tissue problem
The appointment that decides everything else. We take a history, examine the joint and the ones above and below it, review any imaging you already have, and arrange more only where it will change what we do. You leave with a diagnosis, the non-surgical options and the surgical ones, and an honest view of which we would choose.
What the appointment includes
Fees
Most insurers require a GP referral and a pre-authorisation number. Get both before you attend and bring the reference.
Self-funded surgery is quoted as a package covering the consultant, the anaesthetist, the hospital and the scheduled follow-up.
Some policies cover the operation and not the physiotherapy afterwards, which is the half that determines the result.
Where an insurer pays less than the quoted fee, you will be told the difference in writing before anything is booked.
Most people who come to us do not, and that is the honest answer for the majority of the conditions on this site. The consultation exists to work out which group you are in, and it always covers the non-surgical options first.
Appointments
Consultations are with a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. Bring any imaging you have already had — it often saves repeating it.