"He gave me hope and optimism"

I am 63 & for many years I have suffered with painful knee joints. My GPs did not seem to be concerened and just kept giving me pain relieving drugs. I constantly requested a referral but was told it would be managed by them.

Eventually, I managed to talk them into cortisone injections, which helped. I even paid privately to see a consultant who said I would not meet the criteria on the NHS for a new knee.

After two years of deterioration, and almost house bound, I went to the surgery to almost beg for a referral, fortunately it was a locum who got me an appointment with an Extended Scope Practitioner called Michael McGibben.

He was so wonderful, he has given me hope and optimism that something can be done and will get me referred to a knee surgeon. He did more for me in that half hour appointment than all the others did in the last 6 years - he gave me a future without disability and depression.

Let's hope the surgeon is as inspiring - watch this space...