Mr Michael Mokawem

Written by a patient at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

This is a review for Orthapedic Consultant Surgeon Mr Mokawem under Private Care at RNOH Stanmore. I had been suffering for many years with pain in my back, legs and feet caused by a worn lower disc leading to bone on bone and a trapped nerve. There was a very good chance that an operation would greatly help, and I had previously tried for a long time to get one done via the NHS, but there were some complications which acted as a barrier to this happening. Despite not being well off, I decided I wanted to consider self funding because I believe that health is more important than money. After doing some research and reading reviews for Mr Mokawem and his long list of specialist qualifications, I decided to contact Mr Mokawem and I am very glad that I did. His wife Jeanette is the Private Care Practice Manager, and therfore the first point of contact for Mr Mokawem in the Private Care area. I would just like to say that she was amazing, not only putting up with my countless email questions but answering all of them very efficiently, sometimes out of hours and even at weekends. I did of course get direct responses from Mr Mokawem when needed, and he gave very detailed honest and precise information which I greatly appreciated. They both did everything possible to help, and Mr & Mrs Mokawem make a great team! When I met Mr Mokawem in person for my initial consultation, he was increadibly approachable, professional and made some very detailed notes. He explained everything in great detail and gave me plenty of opportunity to ask questions. He was very patient. My gut feeling was that I should trust him. Following this, over a period of time we discussed many options before it could be decided if an operation was the best course of action. Once it was established that an operation could have a good outcome and that he was willing to offer it , I had no hesitation. I met with him again later so that he could plan the operation with me, and he was very honest about all of the possible risks, and allowed me plenty of thinking time, making it clear that I could change my mind at any time. After a health assessment at the hospital, two weeks of isolation (due to COVID-19) a COVID-19 test, and an MRSA swab test, the operation was carried out at RNOH Stanmore on 1st August 2020. COVID-19 procedures were followed throughout my stay at the hospital. Mr Mokawem came to see me several times before the operation and also after the operation to make sure everything was OK. I felt like I was being looked after very well. The operation itself went very smoothly and there were no problems despite it being a very long and complicated surgery requiring a second surgeon, two entry points and a titanium cage. For those of you that understand the lingo: (V3340) Primary anterior discectomy, decompression and anterior fusion + instrumentation - lumbar region (1 level) (V3362) Primary posterior fusion with instrumentation +/- decompression +/- discectomy (lumbar region). I woke up in the recovery room feeling pretty great, and I even ate the sausage and bacon breakfast that the staff brought me, not realising that I only felt great because of the drugs LOL. Once they wore off I felt sore for a couple of days, but it was actually still not that bad. I had micro doses of Morphine on a push button which definately helped. After two days I was able to walk a bit, by the third day I was able to walk well and climb stairs. By the fourth day I was able to go home to recover! Mr Mokawem kept in touch while I was at home and made it clear that I could contact him at any time. I remain under his care and follow up appointments with scans will later track my progress. I am glad that my back is fixed, as it may have become worse with time, requiring an operation later on in life. While I was in hospital, it was pretty clear talking to all the staff there that Mr Mokawem was very well liked by all. They said that he always had time for them and treated everybody well which I am not at all surprised to hear. If you are considering a private care procedure, I can't reccomend Mr Mokawem enough. I don't think you'll find a better surgeon or a more caring person Also, if you make enquiries you'll get fast responses. Thanks for reading, and whatever your problem I wish you a speedy solution.

Recommend

Trust

Listening

Written by a carer at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

Mr Mokawem has always been willing to answer any questions we have. He recently performed a corrective spinal fusion on my daughter. He did not rush her into the decision of the procedure. In fact he encouraged her to go away and think about all the benefits and risks to her life and future, before making any decisions. During our 12 day stay in hospital, Mr Mokawem visited my daughter daily. He again answered all questions we had, and willingly helped me sort out a couple of queries. Mr Mokawem always complied with COVID19 PPE. Mr Mokawem is a very caring, calm and patient surgical consultant.

Recommend

Trust

Listening

Written by a carer at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

We highly recommend Mr Mokawem after the treatment and care he has given our daughter for her scoliosis. We sought treatment privately and had an initial Skype consultation with Mr Mokawem, one of the two consultant surgeons who would be operating on our daughter. His manner then and in all subsequent interactions was very reassuring and he has always made us feel able to approach him over any concerns, as well as making us feel confident in his skills and knowledge. Jeanette, his wife and Practice Manager, has also always been on hand and quick to respond to any queries we have had, both before and after the surgery. From initial consultation to surgery was less than 2 months and we were extremely grateful to be scheduled in so rapidly during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. After a successful operation at RNOH Stanmore Mr Mokawem visited the ward nearly every day, always with a calm and reassuring manner, and has responded helpfully and promptly to any queries we have had once home again, giving us a personal phone call when needed to discuss our daughter's recovery and always speaking to her directly too. He is an excellent surgeon with an approach that is personal and caring as well as professional.

Recommend

Trust

Listening

Written by a carer at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

As two hospital consultants, we are in a good position to appraise the quality of medical care. Our daughter developed adolescent idiopathic scoliosis which required surgical correction. We saw a consultant in the West Midlands (Mr Newton-Ede, also exceptional) who discussed a treatment plan and that due to the nature of the surgery, two consultants would be required for the operation. At times of the pandemic, we had a video consultation with Mr Mokawem. We immediately felt very comfortable with his reassuring and calm manner. The surgery was undertaken at Stanmore in June 2020 and our daughter is recovering well. In addition to Mr Mokawem’s undoubted surgical skills, he has an exceptional bedside manner. Both these attributes were confirmed by the staff at the hospital, who work with him at Stanmore. We noticed that one of the reviews for Mr Mokawem was a patient from Australia. We had to travel 100 miles to receive his care, we would quite happily have travelled a lot further.

Recommend

Trust

Listening

Written by a patient at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

Mr Mokawem made me feel incredibly reassured and at ease, I completely trusted him straight away. Given that I first spoke to him over the phone whilst in Australia, him having seen my MRI scan and read through my notes, he gave me an hour of his time at 8pm in the evening and did not rush at all, I think this shows how thorough, caring and generous he is. I was amazed at the notes he produced after this initial telephone consultation (in comparison to my doctor in Australia with whom I had very brief face to face consultations with and much less detailed notes). He had listened to every word and didn’t miss a thing! Coming in for surgery I felt at ease and completely trusted him. His advice really helped me decide to quickly fly home to have the surgery. I was particularly grateful that he brought my case to meetings and managed to fast track my procedure during unprecedented circumstances. His letter following my procedure and discharge from hospital were just as detailed and there was nothing I felt unsure about. Practice manager Jeanette was also a wonderful support during my time as Mr Mokawem’s patient, always a friendly and supportive voice at the end of the phone. I am really so grateful to them both and couldn't recommend Mr Mokawem more highly!

Recommend

Trust

Listening