Booking Your Surgery

If you require surgery I will discuss this at length during your appointment. I will discuss all aspects of surgery  including the likely benefits of surgery, the alternatives to surgery and any possible complications. It is also important that you read the section on complications on this website. Click on 'Shoulder Problems' above and scroll down to 'Complications of Surgery'. Please discuss this with me if you have any further questions. Please understand that shoulder surgery has a very low rate of complications but, as with any surgery, there are always risks involved.

If you choose to go ahead with surgery, my nurse will then go through the details with you. This includes booking a date, organizing your pre-operative procedures, discussing admission details and going through all likely costs with you.


Gap Payments

As will be discussed with you there is usually a “out of pocket” (Gap) fee to pay for your surgery. This is a charge to you as your health insurance company does not usually cover the full surgeon’s fees.

I realize that this is a significant cost, particularly as you have already paid a large amount of money for your medical insurance. However, this fee does cover a wide range of services.

Before your surgery I will always see you to make sure that you are ready for surgery and we will not proceed until everything is in readiness. I will be there for your operation - supervising the setup, performing the actual operation and ensuring that you recover from your anaesthetic. I specialize exclusively in shoulder surgery and perform over 450 shoulder operations per year. I have a superb team of doctors, nurses and wardsmen in theatre allowing us to provide a service we believe is first class in all respects.

The Gap fee also covers any necessary visits that I make to you in the ward and includes post operative reviews in my rooms – including any dressings that need to be applied and removal of any sutures.
The fee covers the basic operation. If extra surgery needs to be done at the time of your operation (which occurs frequently) then there is no extra fee for this. If any complications develop and you need further surgery (which is extremely unlikely) then generally this can be done without any more “out of pocket” expenses.

Please note that your Anaesthetist will charge a separate fee and obviously my fee does not include this. You should discuss this separately with them.

Please discuss any financial difficulties you may have in meeting payments. Often we can make special arrangements to help you.




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