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Mr Christopher Bailey 2018-01-05 Person 5 5 0

After months of fairly hit and miss navigation through NHS treatment pathways I finally got as far as an x-ray which showed me I needed to talk to an orthopaedic surgeon to explore my options. I found Mr Bailey through the Nuffield Wessex website and chose him simply because I recognised and respected a hospital where he had trained. Perhaps it was a slightly random reason for making the selection but it turned out to be a very good decision. Mr Bailey was able to see me quickly and confirmed what I rather expected - that a total knee replacement was the best option for a long term solution to the pain and increasing restriction that arthritis was causing. He explained what the operation would involve and which parts would be replaced, also explaining potential risks and answering all my questions. He didn't at any time push me towards one option or another. It was a big decision but made easier by being able to time it to have the least impact on my family and travel plans etc. I found Mr Bailey to be very approachable - professional but kind. Despite the fact that he must have done hundreds of knee replacements I didn't feel that I was 'yet another case'. He wanted to know what I hoped the surgery would do for me and I what I wanted to be able to do but couldn't because of my knee problem. He didn't promise me the world but was able to give a pretty good idea of the likely outcome. Of course that partly depends on how much work the patient is prepared to put in. Once at hospital Mr Bailey's anaesthetist took time to explain the anaesthetic options so that I was able to choose the best option for me. Mr Bailey checked on me twice a day each day I was in hospital, responded very quickly to a query from nursing staff at an outpatients nursing appointment and saw me twice after the operation at his clinic - at 2 weeks and 6 weeks post op, each time sending very prompt updates to my GP surgery. He explained what had been done, readily showed me before and after x-rays and answered my questions with as much medical detail as I wanted to know. At 9 weeks post op I am already able to do things I couldn't do before the surgery - simple things like going for a walk without a stick and without being desperate to get back home or to the car. I am thrilled to bits to be able to kneel (tried under supervision at a physio session this week) - I haven't been able to do that for the better part of 2 years. From my first thought at any suggested outing being 'I don't think I'll be able to do that' it's already changing to 'Yes, please, when can I do that?'. I still have a lot of work to do on my rehabilitation but it'll be worth the effort. I'm so pleased I made that big decision and so pleased I chose Mr Bailey.