Mr Bailey was amazing I cannot recommend him and his team highly enough. They were all outstanding. Thank you

I was very grateful to receive full knee replacement surgery from Mr Bailey in July this year (2022); he carried out the operation on the NHS at Basingstoke Hospital in spite of the great pressure on hospital beds due to Covid and extreme temperatures at the time. This was nearly a year since I first went to my GP to report real problems with my knee. It then took six months until I had an appointment with Mr Bailey; however, when I did meet him, he was charming, listened carefully to my description of my symptoms and then showed me a copy of my original x-ray. I thought I was going to have to argue my case for surgery but, in fact, he immediately said I had two choices: either live with the problem or have a new knee. I was delighted to opt for the new knee. I saw Mr Bailey briefly in hospital before the operation, which was reassuring, but then everything happened quite swiftly. As it turned out, I needed to have a general anesthetic so I wasn't aware of the procedure taking place at all! I woke up feeling very please that it was all done and was then transferred to the Candover Clinic to recover. I didn't actually meet Mr Bailey again until my three month follow up appointment but now realise that I have been very lucky and have had a very positive experience over all. I went home after two nights in hospital after the operation. I found the first few weeks recovery quite difficult; the new knee itself didn't really seem to hurt but it was very hot and my leg became very swollen - I hardly slept at all because it was impossible to get comfortable. I did try and move about a bit and did the recommended physio exercises as soon as I could, along with using cold compresses several times a day, which seemed to help. I stopped taking opiates as soon as possible as they upset my digestive system but I continued taking paracetamol for some weeks. The two follow-up appointments with the physiotherapist and the nurse at Andover Hospital reassured me that I was making good progress. The bend in my knee was steadily improving and my long wound was healing well - apart from a large protruding knotty area above my knee which had to be kept covered for a bit longer to avoid infection. After seven weeks I was able to walk quite well with a stick - and even managed to go on holiday by train through France, which really boosted my confidence although I still had to rest regularly and elevate my foot. Some days I was walking up to five miles. Back home and after about two months I stopped using the stick and found I could walk better without it. So when I finally saw Mr Bailey for my three-month check up I could tell him that both my mobility and my general posture had improved a lot - and that I was sleeping better at night which had been quite a problem for some years. I still had a few anxieties as my leg is still a bit swollen above the knee and can still feel hot, an standing for long makes it ache. However, he did remind me that three months is a short recovery time and said that things seemed to be going well. He showed me the x-ray from after the operation and I could see that I now had quite a lot of metal in my knee, including a plate behind the patella - so it was bound to take a while to settle down fully. I left his consulting room feeling very pleased that I had been treated by Mr Bailey and lucky that the recovery was going well. I feel as if it has given me a new lease of life!

Mr Bailey is a top specialist who is understanding, professional and a very caring person. I would recommend him to anyone needing his expertise without any hesitation at all. I have been under his care for many years and hopefully will continue up to do so in the future.

Excellent

An excellent experience from the time of arrival to leaving the ward a few days later Chris Bailey welcomed me and explained the procedure, timing etc for that day The procedure went well and I was back in the ward before I knew it . Chris visited me the next day and made sure the wound was infection free before leaving me the hands of the capable nursing staff I have seen Chris 2/3 times since the operation and all seems to be well

Mr Bailey is calm, clear in his explanation and straight to the point. The operation went very well. I did not require painkillers after leaving the hospital. Recovery was very smooth and quicker than anticipated.

Whilst in hospital he visited me every day to check on my wellbeing.

Mr Bailey was very proactive , explained the procedure very well and gave me great confidence on the final outcome.

I have found Mr Bailey extremely helpful who came up with a plan exactly what I needed for my knee pain.

From outpatient appointment through to discharge all my questions answered efficiently and with a smile. Mr Bailey is approachable and explained everything in an efficient manner. His Secretary Denise was extremely helpful in making sure I was happy with the date of surgery. All in all a very good experience.