Patients described the service to us as, 'Very good,' 'Absolutely brilliant!' and 'Excellent, and local too.' A separate room was used for outpatient consultations so that patient's privacy and dignity was upheld. Patients were usually given two weeks to decide their choice of treatment before being asked for their consent. The patient signed their consent before the date of their operation.
Patients' comments about the service included, 'The staff could not have been more caring,' and 'I couldn't fault the care and attention; it really was extremely good.' Responses to patient questionnaires included: 'Treatment and aftercare were fantastic,' 'During my three foot operations and for after care I was treated very well,' and 'I was extremely grateful to the surgeon and his staff for the quality of their care and nothing appears to be too much trouble.'
Patients we spoke with said they felt very safe using the service. Patients' comments about staff included: 'Staff were absolute stars. There manner was always very professional. It was a pleasure to see them and be seen by them,' and a response in a questionnaire stated: 'Very friendly yet professionally treated at all times.'
Patients completed a questionnaire before their operation and were subsequently asked to complete a questionnaire after it to provide a comparison of before and after surgery for each patient. Improved outcomes for patients were apparent for questionnaires we reviewed.