FAQ's
Who is Mike Hayton?
Mike is an experienced Orthopaedic Hand and Wrist surgeon, appointed as a Consultant at Wrightington NHS Hospital in 2003 until the present day. Mike covers all aspects of hand and wrist surgery (excluding microsurgery) and has a particular interest in elite sports injuries and looks after many professional athletes.
He has a busy NHS and private practice.
Where does Mike Hayton Consult ?
Mike consults and operates privately at two hospitals.
Fiona his secretary will be able to help you find a suitable location, please call 0845 838 7766 or email fiona@mikehayton.com.
- The OrthTeam Centre (M20 2ZA)
- Wrightington Hospital (WN6 9EP)
Appointments can be made directly with the OrthTeam Centre on 0161 447 6888
How do I get referred?
Mr Mike Hayton is happy to receive private referrals from a variety of sources. However you should check with your insurance company whether you require a referral letter from your family doctor. If you wish to make an appointment, call Fiona on 0845 838 7766 or send her an email Fiona@mikehayton.com
NHS referrals should be via your GP to him at Wrightington Hospital. He runs a Consultant led practice and while he is very hands, he cannot guarantee he would see you at the NHS consultation nor operate on you in the NHS.
How long do I have to wait?
Waiting times for a routine non emergency private referral is usually less than 2 weeks. Emergency injuries and elite sports persons are offered a same day service but this usually incurs additional costs.
What do I need for my first appointment?
A referral letter from either you family doctor or physiotherapist is required. This may have already been sent direct to the hospital. You should also bring your insurance number and authorisation code for the consultation.
How long will the appointment last?
The standard new patient consultation lasts up to 20 minutes. Some conditions are very simple and a through explanation including demonstrations with anatomical models can take only 10 minutes. Some complex conditions can take much longer and Mike has usually identified these patients and made allowances for extra time. Follow up appointments last up to 10 minutes but again can vary from a few minutes to 20 - 30 minutes. Either way Mike hopes that at the end of the consultation enough time has been given to fully explain the issues involved.
How much does a consultation cost?
A new patient consultation costs between £220 and £350 and a follow up usually £175-£250. These are usually covered by your insurance company but please note some insurance companies have significantly reduced the fees payable to Consultants and there may be a shortfall in either consultation or surgery fees for which you will be responsible.
Please discuss matters further with Fiona or Mike if you have any queries regarding this.
Will all my doctors fees be covered by my medical insurance?
Insurance companies have not increased the fees paid to Doctors for over 25 years and there maybe a shortfall in consulation, surgeical and anaesthetic fees that reflect Mike and his anaesthetists' experience and reputation.
Will I need an X-ray?
Conditions that affect bone such as fractures, ligament injuries and arthritis often need x-rays. An x-ray will be done on the same day and the results discussed with you by Mike. Most insurance companies cover x-rays as part of the initial authorisation, but please check first.
What if I need a Scan?
Scans (MRI, CT, and ultrasound) are expensive and authorisation is almost always required by the insurance companies. Scans are usually performed on a separate day and a follow up appointment required discussing the results. On the day that you have the scan we recommend you make a follow up appointment a week later by which time the Radiology Consultant will have had time to review the images and written a report.
What if I need Surgery?
Most hand and wrist problems do not need an operation and can be managed with simple analgesia, splinting, injections or hand therapy. The decision for surgery is not always easy and adequate time will be offered to ensure you understand what is involved. Occasionally Mike asks patients to see a Hand therapist before surgery to discuss the rehabilitation post operatively if particularly involved. Once you have decided on surgery you will be consented for the operation and an OPCS code given. A suitable date will be decided in clinic or arranged with his secretary. If you are self pay for your surgery the breakdown of fees will be available and are fully transparent.
What is Consent?
Consent is a very important part of the surgical process. It is the process in which the patient and surgeon have the opportunity to discuss the options and plan treatment or surgery in detail and be fully aware of the risks and benefits. It is usually performed in the outpatient department at the time of initial consultation. A signed document outlining the procedure, risks and benefits is filed in the notes and a copy is retained for the patient. The common complications of hand surgery are also on this website.
What is the OPCS code that my insurer asked me to obtain?
The OPCS code will represent a particular operation to be used by your insurance company to identify the procedure being proposed. It will consist of a capital letter followed by four numbers. For example a carpal tunnel decompression operation will have the OPCS code A6510. Mike should be able to give you the code once a decision has been made to perform surgery. Occasionally multiple OPCS codes are required for one operation and this would represent two or more different procedures being performed in the one operation. Once you have been given the OPCS code you should inform your insurance company to obtain authorisation.
Insurance companies have not increased the fees for over 25 years and there maybe a shortfall in the surgeon and anaesthetic fees that reflect Mike and his anaesthetists' experience and reputation.
What are Ambulatory, Day Case or In-Patient procedures?
These terms describe the amount of time spent in the hospital.
An ambulatory procedure is performed local anaesthetic as a walk-in procedure In a small operating room often in or near an outpatient department. Admission is usually 30 minutes before the procedure discharge a similar time after the bandage has been applied.
A day case operation is performed when the patient is allowed home on the same day and this may be performed under either local, regional or general anaesthetic. The patient is usually given a private room or day case cubicle.
An In-patient procedure requires an overnight stay following surgery. This may be for a variety of reasons such as co-existing medical conditions, social circumstances, more careful observation required etc.
What should I bring with me on the day of the operation?
The level of surgery and length of stay may dictate what you should bring. All patients may require to wait a few hours before the operation apart from those in the ambulatory procedure room which is a relatively quick turnaround time. It is advisable to bring a book or lap top to help pass this time. Newspapers may be provided. We would recommend a pair of slippers and bathrobe. Patients staying overnight may wish to bring wash bags and toiletries.
Local, General or Regional anaesthetic?
Local anaesthetic involves injecting a solution around where the operation is to be performed, whilst you are entirely awake. It is usually injected in the operating room. The area takes 5-10 minutes to become numb. The surgeon will not start the operation until satisfied the anaesthetic has worked.
Regional anaesthetic (Blocks) involves injecting the same solution in the neck or arm pit to anaesthetise the whole arm whilst the patient is still awake. This usually takes 30 - 40 minutes.
General anaesthetic involves putting the patient to sleep for the duration of the operation. At the end of the operation either local anaesthetic is injected into the wound to provide post operative pain relief or the anaesthetist has performed a block.
Who will do my operation?
Mike would perform all private operations. Occasionally for complex cases he is assisted by another experienced surgeon. There may be extra costs incurred if an additional surgical assistant is required but this will be identified before the operation.
Who will I see after my operation?
Mike will check that you are comfortable and in a satisfactory condition to leave the hospital. You will be followed up in the outpatients department either by a nurse, a hand therapist or by Mike. If there is a simple bandage this is reduced after 2 days by the nurse clinic. Patients may be seen for mobilisation or splinting by the hand therapist in the first week. Mike usually uses absorbable sutures and these do not need removing. The first appointment after surgery varies depending upon the type of surgery, but is usually at 6-8 weeks post operatively.
What if things go wrong?
Complications are fortunately quite rare in hand and wrist surgery. However they still can occur. The post operative attention that you will receive from the nurses, hand therapist and Mike would hopefully identify any problems early so that they can be rectified. You are free to call Mike at any time through the main hospital telephone for genuine emergency problems. Calls of a non urgent nature should be made during office hours with my secretary.