Share review of Dr Hywel Jones

Dr Hywel Jones 2015-05-30 Person 4 5 0

Hywel has been my anaesthetist on two occasions - a total thyroidectomy at Springfield Hospital in February 2015 and an adrenalectomy at Broomfield Hospital in May 2015. It is clear from the glowing reports I received from my consultants and the reviews here that he is revered by his colleagues and patients alike, and when you meet him you immediately understand why. He is gentle and reassuring in his manner, but also meticulously clear about the procedure you are to undergo, explaining what will happen before, during and after your operation and the reasons for his particular approach to your anaesthesia. I was extremely relaxed under Hywel's care for my thyroidectomy, my first major operation, which was performed by Simon Smith (other reviews will confirm that this is quite the dream team). Everything went very smoothly, from the "gin and tonic" with which he puts you to sleep to the moment I came round. He intubated me through my nose rather than my throat, so that he could check my vocal cords immediately after the operation. I was talking straightaway and was amazed by how little pain I had post-op. My adrenalectomy was a much more serious operation. I had a growth on my adrenal gland which produces hormones that can cause dangerously high blood pressure during the operation to remove it and potentially very low blood pressure afterwards. It was an incredibly challenging operation for an anaesthetist, requiring intense monitoring and a very delicate balance of drugs to keep me stable while my surgeon, Martin Nuttall, did his work. Hywel went to very great lengths to ensure that I had the perfect combination of drugs to prepare me for my operation and to see me through it, one of which he imported from Japan just for me. This was all done on the NHS. I had absolute confidence in Hywel's expertise and the procedure was so successful that I spent just 2 nights in hospital instead of the anticipated 4. Once again I felt very well post-operatively and although I was uncomfortable I had next to no pain - I had a dose of paracetamol when I came home and that was it. Hywel's immense skill as an anaesthetist is driven by his empathy and compassion for his patients. He knows exactly how big a deal this operation is for you, exactly how unique your situation feels, exactly how worried you and your family might be. He puts you completely at ease and his obvious expertise earns your absolute trust. His will probably be the last voice you hear on going to sleep and the first voice you hear on coming round and you will be incredibly grateful for it. He is a giant in his field.