Before your appointment
Preparing for your appointment
A little preparation makes your second opinion far more useful. Here is what to gather and how.
Checklist: what to bring
- Any imaging, X-ray, MRI, CT or ultrasound, ideally on disc or via a secure link
- The written report that came with each scan
- Operation notes, if you have had surgery
- Clinic letters from any consultant you have seen about this problem
- Discharge summaries, if you have been an inpatient
- A note of medication tried, including injections, and how well it helped
- Physiotherapy notes or a summary of what has been tried
- A rough timeline: when symptoms started, and what has changed since
You do not need everything on this list to come. Bring what you have; Professor Lee will tell you if anything else would be useful.
Share your reports before your visit
Contact the team using your booking confirmation before your appointment for instructions on sharing your reports and existing imaging securely. Include clinic letters, operation notes and scan reports where available, and let the team know if anything is still being requested.
If you need updated imaging
Tell the team if you think more recent imaging may be needed. They can help arrange this separately, with the cost discussed before booking. A new MRI is separate from the MAI Motion scan included in your £400 consultation.
01 / Getting ready
Requesting your records
If you do not already have your scans or letters, you can ask the hospital or trust that holds them for copies. This is called a subject access request. The Information Commissioner’s Office explains the basics: “Anyone can make a SAR,” you can do it yourself without professional help, and organisations usually have one month to respond. You do not need to give a reason.
Include your full name, date of birth, current address, and be as specific as you can about what you want, for example “my knee MRI from [hospital], [approximate date]”. Ask for imaging to be provided on disc, or via a secure download link if the department offers one, along with the written radiology report, since the report alone is not enough for a proper review.
Each hospital trust has its own health records or subject access request team. Locally:
- United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: see the Trust’s access to health records page for the request form and current contact details. Most requests need two forms of ID: one photo ID and one proof of address.
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust: see the Trust’s subject access request information page for how to apply and what identification is needed.
- For any other hospital or trust, search “[trust name] subject access request” or “[trust name] health records”, or ask the department that treated you directly.
Full guidance on your rights, what a request should include and what a trust can and cannot charge is on the Information Commissioner’s Office website.
02 / Getting ready
If you are missing something
Requests can take time, particularly if a trust is busy, and some trusts report requests taking longer than the standard month at present. If your appointment is coming up before your records arrive, come anyway with whatever you have; a useful opinion is still possible from your history, any imaging you do have, and a clinical examination.
03 / Getting ready
Write a short account of your symptoms
A one-page note can help you remember the details you want to discuss. Include when the problem began, what has changed and which activities are difficult. List treatments you have already tried and how you felt afterwards. Bring an up-to-date list of medicines, including non-prescription products and supplements.
04 / Getting ready
Choose the questions that matter most
Write down your two or three main questions before you come. You might want to understand why surgery was recommended, what other approaches are relevant, or what to expect if you continue with the current plan. Leave space to note the answers, and ask for anything unfamiliar to be explained.
05 / Getting ready
Let us know about practical needs
If you need support with communication, mobility or access, contact the team before booking so you can discuss the arrangements. If you would like someone to attend with you, check with the team when arranging your visit. Use your appointment confirmation to check the venue and allow time to find the clinic.
Considering an operation? Use our questions before surgery guide to organise what you want to discuss.
Second Opinion Clinic
Talk through your next step.
£400 · 45 minutes · Monthly clinic sessions
Confirm the next clinic date, location and available slot when booking.