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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Find answers to common questions about appointments, fees, knee surgery and recovery at The Mackay Clinic, including treatment with Internal Brace.
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Appointments and consultations
HOW DO I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH PROFESSOR MACKAY
For appointments at Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow or Kings Park Hospital in Stirling, call 0808 101 0337 or book online.
Professor Mackay’s current surgical practice focuses exclusively on the knee.
CAN YOU CONTACT ME IF AN EARLIER APPOINTMENT BECOMES AVAILABLE?
Please call the Circle Health Group appointments team on 0808 101 0337 to check for cancellations or earlier availability.
The Mackay Clinic office does not manage a cancellation list.
WHO ARRANGES MY APPOINTMENTS?
You are responsible for booking your initial consultation and any subsequent follow-up appointments, including appointments to discuss scan results.
Your first postoperative appointment, usually 10–12 days after surgery, will be arranged by the ward before you leave hospital. Please check that you have the details before discharge.
DO I NEED A FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS MY MRI RESULTS?
Yes. Please book a follow-up appointment so Professor Mackay can review the findings with you, explain them and discuss your treatment options.
CAN I RECEIVE MY SCAN RESULTS OVER THE PHONE?
Scan results are discussed at a follow-up appointment, rather than through an informal telephone call. This allows Professor Mackay to review the findings with you and explain what they mean for your care.
CAN PROFESSOR MACKAY GIVE ME A QUICK CALL?
Professor Mackay is unable to offer informal telephone calls. Please email your query to office@mackayclinic.co.uk, and we will forward it to him.
If your question requires a clinical assessment or detailed discussion, you may need to book an appointment.
CAN I HAVE A TELEPHONE CONSULTATION?
Initial consultations are usually held in person so Professor Mackay can examine your knee, although exceptions may be possible in some circumstances.
Telephone consultations are available for follow-up appointments where appropriate. Please call 0808 101 0337 to discuss your circumstances and arrange an appointment.
CAN I REFER MYSELF OR DO I NEED A REFERRAL?
If you are paying for your own care, you can arrange a consultation without a referral, although a letter from your GP or physiotherapist is helpful.
If you are using private medical insurance, please obtain the required referral and authorisation from your insurer before your appointment.
DOES PROFESSOR MACKAY TREAT CHILDREN?
Professor Mackay sees patients aged 14 and over. Please mention the patient’s age when booking.
Fees, medical insurance and payment
HOW MUCH DOES A CONSULTATION COST?
An initial consultation costs £225.
Follow-up consultations cost £145.
Scans, injections and other investigations or treatments may involve additional charges.
DO I STILL PAY FOR THE CONSULTATION IF SURGERY IS NOT RECOMMENDED?
Yes. The consultation fee covers Professor Mackay’s assessment, clinical advice and discussion of treatment options, whether or not surgery is recommended or you choose to proceed.
WHICH HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES DOES PROFESSOR MACKAY WORK WITH?
Professor Mackay works with most private medical insurers. Please confirm that your policy covers a consultation with him and obtain authorisation before booking.
He does not currently accept AXA PPP, Health-on-Line, SAGA OR Simplyhealth cover.
WHAT SHOULD I CHECK WITH MY INSURER BEFORE ATTENDING?
Please confirm that your consultation is authorised and check whether your policy has an excess, a limit on consultant fees or any other costs you must pay yourself.
Further investigations and treatment may require separate authorisation.
HOW DO I PAY FOR MY TREATMENT IF I AM A SELF FUNDED PATIENT?
Consultation fees will be invoiced to you from The Mackay Clinic.
Circle Health Group offer a fixed priced funding package for self funding patients. (Click here to see). This must be settled prior to surgery.
ARE FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS INCLUDED IN THE COST OF SURGERY?
Your first follow-up appointment, post surgery, is included. Any further review appointments, if required, will be charged at the follow-up price of £145.
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY SURGERY INVOICES?
Payment has to be made before surgery.
Surgery with the Mackay Clinic
Please note Professor Mackay's office in Stirling cannot book patients for Theatre. Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow make all theatre bookings.
Preparing for surgery
WHERE WILL MY SURGERY TAKE PLACE?
Surgery takes place at Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow.
WHO ARRANGES MY SURGERY, AND HOW WILL MY OPERATION DATE BE CONFIRMED?
Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow handles all theatre bookings and will send you a letter by post confirming your operation date and admission details.
If you need to check your booking date, please contact Ross Hall Hospital directly. The Mackay Clinic office in Stirling cannot arrange or confirm theatre bookings.
CAN I CHANGE THE DATE OF MY OPERATION?
Please call the Ross Hall Hospital direct theatre line on 0141 303 1419 to discuss changing your operation date. The team handles all theatre bookings.
I WILL BE TRAVELLING A LONG DISTANCE OR FROM OVERSEAS TO CONSULT WITH PROFESSOR MACKAY - CAN I HAVE MY CONSULTATION AND SURGERY WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF EACH OTHER?
This is considered on an individual basis and cannot be guaranteed. Professor Mackay will need to assess your knee and decide whether surgery is appropriate before arrangements can be confirmed.
Please contact office@mackayclinic.co.uk to discuss your circumstances before booking travel or accommodation. If surgery is recommended, ask Professor Mackay when it would be appropriate to travel home, particularly if you plan to fly.
WILL I NEED TO STAY IN HOSPITAL OVERNIGHT?
This depends on the procedure you are having. Theatre bookings at Ross Hall Hospital will be able to advise.
SHOULD I HAVE PHYSIO BEFORE MY OPERATION?
Physiotherapy before surgery, sometimes called “prehabilitation”, may help settle swelling, improve movement and maintain muscle strength. This can help prepare your knee for surgery and recovery.
Whether it is appropriate depends on your injury and planned procedure. Ask Professor Mackay or your own physiotherapist for advice on suitable exercises and any restrictions to follow.
IS IT OKAY TO HAVE A TATTOO BEFORE SURGERY ?
No, please wait until your post-op appointment and discuss this then.
After surgery and recovery
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I CANNOT ATTEND MY POSTOPERATIVE APPOINTMENT?
It is important to attend your postoperative appointment so your wound can be checked and any stitches or staples removed when appropriate.
If you cannot attend, please contact the hospital to discuss alternative arrangements. If you need the wound check closer to home, contact your GP practice to ask whether their practice nurse can carry it out. Please let the hospital know if this has been arranged.
I HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NURSE LED CLINIC, WILL I STILL SEE PROFESSOR MACKAY OR ONLY THE NURSE ?
The nurse led clinic is for post-op patients (first appointment after surgery).
Yes, you will see Professor Mackay and the nurse.
WHEN WILL MY STITCHES BE REMOVED?
Internal stitches are dissolvable. Any outer stitches or staples will be removed at your postoperative appointment, no later than 12 days after your procedure, unless your surgical team advises otherwise.
WHEN CAN I DRIVE AFTER KNEE SURGERY, INCLUDING IF I DRIVE AN AUTOMATIC CAR?
The timing depends on your operation, which knee was treated and your recovery. Driving an automatic after left-knee surgery may allow an earlier return, but it does not mean you can drive immediately after your procedure.
Professor Mackay will advise when you can consider driving. For some procedures this may be 7–28 days, while others require longer.
Before driving, you must be able to control the vehicle and perform an emergency stop safely, without pain, hesitation or restricted movement. You must also follow the hospital’s restrictions after anaesthesia and must not drive while medication affects your alertness or reactions.
Please check any requirements with your motor insurer before returning to driving.
Internal Brace knee surgery
Professor Mackay gives the answers to your questions about the InternalBrace
WHAT IS INTERNALBRACE SURGERY - IS IT A REPAIR OR A RECONSTRUCTION?
Invented and developed by Professor Gordon Mackay, the InternalBrace acts as an internal “seatbelt” to protect either a direct ligament repair or a reconstruction.
A repair preserves and reattaches suitable injured ligament tissue. A reconstruction uses a tendon graft to replace a ligament that cannot be repaired. InternalBracing provides additional support while the repaired tissue or graft heals.
Professor Mackay now focuses exclusively on knee surgery, although the technique has applications across several joints.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN ADVANTAGES OF INTERNALBRACE SURGERY?
Internal Bracing acts as an internal “seatbelt”, reinforcing the repair or reconstruction while the tissue heals. This additional protection allows early, controlled movement and supports a generally faster recovery, helping patients return to work, sport and everyday activities sooner.
Patients can also experience less pain during recovery. The extent of these benefits depends on the injury, the procedure and the individual patient.
Where direct repair is possible, the technique preserves the patient’s own ligament and avoids harvesting a replacement tendon graft. When reconstruction is needed, the Internal Brace provides additional support to the graft.
IS THERE AN IDEAL TIME FRAME FOR ACL REPAIR?
IS THERE AN IDEAL TIME FRAME FOR ACL REPAIR?
An early assessment is helpful if ACL repair is being considered. Ideally, Professor Mackay would like to assess you within five to six weeks of injury.
This is not a fixed deadline: selected injuries may still be suitable for repair later. The decision depends on the tear pattern and tissue quality, and will be discussed following assessment.
WHAT IS THE INTERNALBRACE MADE OF, AND DOES IT CONTAIN METAL?
The Internal Brace uses strong surgical suture tape positioned to reinforce the repaired ligament or reconstructed graft.
The tape is secured using fixation devices, such as anchors or buttons. Their materials vary according to the procedure, and some components may contain metal. Professor Mackay can explain the fixation used in your operation.
DOES THE INTERNAL BRACE DISSOLVE OR REMAIN IN PLACE?
The Internal Brace suture tape does not dissolve and is generally left in place. It is not routinely removed once the ligament has healed.
If removal is needed for a particular reason, Professor Mackay will discuss this with you. For younger patients who are still growing, the surgical approach and any implications for growth require individual assessment.
DOES THE INTERNAL BRACE REPLACE THE JOB OF MY LIGAMENT?
No. The Internal Brace reinforces the repair or reconstruction; it is not intended to replace a functioning ligament. It is not a synthetic ligament.
In a direct repair, the patient’s own ligament tissue can heal around and through the Internal Brace’s structure.
The patient’s own repaired tissue or tendon graft must heal and remodel. The Internal Brace provides additional support during this process, particularly as movement and rehabilitation begin.
CAN THE INTERNAL BRACE OR THE LIGAMENT REPAIR FAIL?
The Internal Brace is not indestructible, and re-injury or failure can still occur. It provides additional protection while the ligament heals, but rehabilitation remains essential.
If an ACL repair does not heal successfully or is re-injured, ACL reconstruction can still be carried out if required. Having an Internal Brace repair does not rule out reconstruction in the future.
HOW DO FAILURE RATES COMPARE WITH SURGERY WITHOUT INTERNAL BRACE?
Results vary between ligament repairs and reconstructions, surgical techniques and patient groups.
One comparative ACL reconstruction study reported repeat reconstruction in 1% of patients with Internal Brace augmentation, compared with 8% without it - an approximately 88% relative reduction. Patients had at least two years of follow-up, although average follow-up was longer in the group without Internal Brace.
These figures describe repeat ACL reconstruction in that study. They are not a failure rate for every Internal Brace procedure or a guarantee of an individual outcome.
CAN I HAVE AN MRI SCAN AFTER INTERNAL BRACE SURGERY?
An MRI scan is generally possible yes, but the scanning team must check the specific implants used and any conditions that apply.
Always tell the radiology team about your surgery and any implants before your scan. The hospital can provide your implant details if required.
DOES INTERNAL BRACE SURGERY COST MORE?
No, Professor Mackay does not charge an additional surgical fee specifically for using Internal Brace. Your total treatment cost depends on the operation and the hospital package.
Please confirm what your quotation or insurance authorisation covers before surgery.
CAN INTERNALBRACE SURGERY HELP ME RETURN TO WORK SOONER?
It can. The additional support allows for earlier movement and helps patients regain function more quickly, potentially reducing time away from work.
The timing depends on your operation, recovery and the demands of your job. Desk-based work and physically demanding work may require different recovery periods.
IS THERE PUBLISHED CLINICAL RESEARCH ON INTERNAL BRACE SURGERY?
Yes. There is now more than a decade of published research into Internal Bracing and suture tape augmentation, including laboratory studies, clinical studies and longer-term follow-up.
Professor Mackay has contributed to this research alongside surgeons and researchers internationally. The evidence covers ligament repair and reconstruction across several joints, although findings from one procedure should not automatically be applied to another.
The independent Internal Brace International Study Group (IBISG) maintains a searchable research library with summaries, key findings and links to original publications.
Steroid injections
HOW MUCH DOES A CORTISONE INJECTION COST?
The injection fee is £50 in addition to the consultation fee. The hospital may also charge a separate fee. Please confirm the total charges before treatment.
WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE CODE FOR A STEROID INJECTION?
The procedure code used is W9040. If you are using medical insurance, confirm cover and any authorisation requirements with your insurer before treatment.
CAN I DRIVE AFTER A CORTISONE INJECTION?
Please ask the clinical team before your appointment whether you should arrange someone to take you home. Driving advice depends on the injection, whether local anaesthetic is used and how your knee feels afterwards.
Follow the instructions given by your treating clinician. Do not drive if pain, numbness or weakness affects your ability to control the car or perform an emergency stop safely.
Clinic locations
WHERE CAN I SEE PROFESSOR MACKAY?
Professor Mackay holds consultations at:
The Mackay Clinic’s administrative office is based in Stirling. Please attend the hospital specified in your appointment confirmation.
If you still have questions?
If you have had a look and can't find the answer to your question here then please feel free to send get in touch and we will do our best to help