Mr Andrew MacDowell

Written by a NHS patient at Broomfield Hospital

I'd been in a wheelchair for almost four years after breaking my hip and not receiving the appropriate medical care at the time (I was refused a hip replacement because I was deemed "too young" and I developed avascular necrosis which progressed to the point where it was too far gone to be treated until it finally collapsed). Mr. MacDowell was asked to replace my hip by my consultant, as the consultant wasn't available during the week my hip collapsed. He took one look at me and fat-shamed me for gaining weight while spending life unable to walk, and also used my epilepsy to get out of performing the surgery that he had been asked to do by his actual boss. My furious consultant did the surgery himself three weeks later, and felt the need to apologise for MacDowell's lack of action even though it wasn't his fault. I would recommend seeing anyone but this rude and dismissive man.

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Written by a NHS patient at Broomfield Hospital

I had a complete knee replacement in June 2022 by Mr McDowell. Scared about having this done but the whole team on that day were attentive and very caring. The operation was a wonderful success by the Surgeon, the scar I am left with is absolutely perfect and fading. I am now fully mobile thanks to Mr. McDowell and team, at Braintree Hospital. Thank you. Mrs Eunice Castle

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Written by a patient at Springfield Hospital

Very disappointed with the treatment I received from Mr Macdowell,I found him dismissive and disinterested, I never felt as though he was completely listening to an answer when he asked a question, a point which was proven after reading through several letters he sent to my GP which I eventually saw copies of and contained several things about my hip pain history that he had got completely wrong. I Saw him after suffering several years of progressively bad hip pain and an X Ray confirming shallow hip sockets. I had been born breech with a dislocated hip, he asked how this had been treated at the time ( 55 years ago) and on being told I was placed in double layered towelling nappies, raised his eyebrows and pulled a face suggesting he didn’t believe me. Following an MRI which found cysts he told me there wasn’t that much wrong, no areas of loss of cartilage and absolutely no chance anybody would consider me being in need of a hip replacement, especially at my age. I was given an injection which helped the pain for five weeks but it had then returned by the time I saw him again. He more or less said he couldn’t do anything else to help me so would refer me on to somebody for an arthroscopy but had doubts they would even do this after looking at my MRI. This is the only thing I’m grateful for as the surgeon he referred me to was amazing, he looked at my MRI and straight away saw how bad my hip was, this was confirmed by a series of X-rays, something which Mr Macdowell never even suggested doing, he muttered he would be interested to see my previous X-rays but despite being told where they were taken and writing it down, never bothered to get copies of. My new surgeon told me there was absolutely no point in an arthroscopy as I needed a hip replacement and will very likely also need the other one done. The cysts both he and Mr Macdowell confirmed I had had actually been caused by a lack of cartilage (something Mr Macdowell assured me was a problem I didn’t have) one small cyst needed a bone graft when I had my hip replacement. When I spoke to my surgeon afterwards he told me there were areas that were bone on bone as the cartilage had completely gone. Thanks to this wonderful man I am now pain free for the first time in years, just wish I hadn’t wasted time and money seeing the wrong Dr first

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Written by a patient at Broomfield Hospital

Great doctor. Can't praise him enough. He put me together after a serious RTA. Saved my mobility. Really good to deal with. Really approachable. Explains and listens well

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