"Treated with professionalism and courtesy throughout"

Starting in the summer 0f 2018 , I started to experience pain in my left foot.  It was worse when I got up after sitting in a chair for any length of time , after I had driven a car for an hour or so and when I got out of bed .  Putting my foot down caused a sharp pain but after a few faltering steps it went off . It was surprisingly hard to live with .

 Luckily I am a patient at  an outstanding medical centre (Binscome)  , and the GP I saw  (Dr Sim)   first sent me for an X-ray to eliminate a fracture . That having been ruled out , I was then referred by her to the Muscular Skeletal Clinic at the Royal Surrey. At the outset , I was a touch sceptical .

I was seen by Iwona who had a title on the lines of Senior Practitioner and she turned out to be the absolute master of her subject . Highly trained , very polite and  an expert diagnostician . She thought it was a text book presentation of Plantar Fasciitis Fibromatosis but referred me for Ultrasound scan of the foot to confirm that diagnosis. That happened and her diagnosis  proved to be correct.  I have nodules on the ligaments in my hands for some time and the same condition is manifesting itself in my left foot.

Next step was a referral to Physiotherapy at the Royal Surrey where I have now had two sessions which set me regular exercises which will obviate the need for further , more radical treatment.  The pain has already eased substantially and I can now get up and walk without wincing.

All of the above has taken time , from September though to the present but that is my only (and very mild) criticism  . I have been treated with professionalism and courtesy throughout .  None of this has cost me a penny .

This is my second encounter with the NHS in 2018 with a combination of GP (Binscombe) and Hospital (Royal Surrey ). I do not have the words to convey the gratitude  I have for the services I have received and the respect I have for the professional involved..