FAQ

To book an appointment with Mr Syed at the Meriden, fill in our appointment request form: https://www.farhansyedortho.com/contact , book online with Circle Health: https://www.circlehealthgroup.co.uk/consultants/farhan-syed or email admin@farhansyedortho.com .

The reception staff will greet you and give you registration forms to complete. Arrive 10-15 minutes early to finish paperwork. Your consultant might ask for X-rays before seeing you, depending on your referral details.

You might have referred yourself or been referred by your GP/Physiotherapist. The consultant will discuss your problem, medical history, and perform a thorough examination. They may request further tests like X-rays, MRI scans, CT Scans or blood tests. Bring any previous scans, X-rays and letters from your GP or other specialists to all consultations.

If a follow up is needed, your consultant will inform you. They'll write a letter summarising your consultation and planned investigations to you, your GP and other professionals involved in your care. During the follow-up consultation, the consultant will discuss investigation results and recommend appropriate treatment. Use this chance to ask questions about your condition and ongoing care.

If needed, we'll arrange surgery at Meriden Hospital. A pre-admission medical review ensures you're fit for the planned surgery. Once admitted, a nurse will confirm your identity, place a wristband on you, and record baseline observations. Your consultant will visit before the operation and ask you to sign a consent form. The consultant anaesthetist will inform you about your anaesthetic options.

Our consultants can perform minor procedures with local anaesthesia in the outpatient department. Complex procedures or those requiring general or spinal anaesthetic need hospital admission. A pre-admission clinic appointment will assess your fitness for surgery. A consultant anaesthetist will explain the process and discuss the best anaesthetic for you.

It depends on your procedure. Hip or knee replacements usually need 1 to 2 nights in hospital. Before going home, your wound must be dry, and you should understand and manage your physiotherapy exercises.

The hospital's outpatient department has dressing facilities. Skilled nurses and plaster technicians handle plaster changes and wound checks, alongside your consultant.

We suggest talking to your insurance company about covering plaster casts, dressings, splints, slings, boots and braces. This way, you can avoid extra fees.

It depends on the procedure you’ve had. To drive, you should walk "normally" and comfortably. The DVLA, not your consultant, makes the final decision on your fitness to drive.

As a rough guide, it's reasonable to return to driving about six weeks after joint replacement surgery.

You can request an estimate of consultation fees and other costs. These guide prices are based on the information you provide. Most medical insurers need a referral from your GP or specialist before covering costs. We recommend contacting them before your first appointment to check your policy coverage and get their authorisation.

Our consultant is recognised by all major insurance companies. Remember, you’ll be responsible for any costs not covered by your insurance. Check your contract for "excess payments."

You can pay outpatient consultation fees at the time of your appointment or receive an invoice later for online or BACS transfer payments. For surgeries, pay the hospital before admission.

As a private patient, the hospital takes your card details for potential costs but doesn't share them with your consultant or their team. Consultation fees need separate payment.

You can refer yourself, but it's better to have a letter from your GP or healthcare professional describing your problem and medical history. If you're insured and self-referred, contact your insurer as they may not cover costs without a referral from a GP or specialist.

I use a small number of carefully selected hip replacement implants that have an excellent long-term track record in the UK National Joint Registry. These implants are among the most widely used in the UK and have been shown to provide excellent function, reliability and longevity.

I prefer implants with proven long-term results rather than newer designs with limited follow-up data. The hip replacement systems I use have been implanted in hundreds of thousands of patients and have demonstrated excellent outcomes over many years.

For knee replacement surgery, I use two of the most widely used and successful knee replacement systems currently available. Both have excellent long-term results and are supported by strong evidence from national joint replacement registries.

Yes. I routinely resurface the kneecap (patella) during total knee replacement surgery. Current registry data suggest this may help reduce the need for further surgery in the future and can contribute to good long-term outcomes.

Modern hip and knee replacements are designed to last for many years. More than 95% of the implants I use are still functioning well 10 years after surgery, and many patients can expect their replacement joint to last 15 to 20 years or longer.

Yes, but the implant is only one part of a successful joint replacement. Surgical technique, accurate positioning of the implant, rehabilitation and patient-related factors are equally important. I use implants with a proven record of safety, reliability and durability to give my patients the best possible chance of a successful long-term outcome.

For hip replacement surgery, my preferred implants include the Corail-Pinnacle, Exeter-Trident II and Exeter X3 RimFit systems. For knee replacement surgery, I primarily use the Stryker Triathlon and Zimmer Biomet Persona CR knee replacement systems. These implants have excellent long-term results in the UK National Joint Registry and are widely used around the world.