Varicose vein treatment is now an option at Clacton Hospital for patients, meaning they won’t have to travel to Colchester Hospital for treatment.
The additional clinics have been set up at the seaside hospital to help offer treatment nearer patients’ homes. It also means the main theatres at Colchester Hospital can be prioritised for more complex operations.
Margaret Collinson with Mr Sohail Choksy
Margaret Collinson is 81 and lives in Clacton. She needed treatment for varicose veins in her left leg at the end of last year.
She said: “The operation went fine – I didn’t feel a thing. It took about an hour and was much easier being in Clacton than travelling to Colchester.
“I had a cup of tea afterwards and went home.”
Varicose vein treatment no longer involves stripping them out, but is done by ‘closing off the veins’ using a minimally-invasive method called endovenous ablation and so most patients can be treated in a clinic room environment rather than in the operating theatre.
Mr Sohail Choksy (left) with members of the team at Clacton Hospital (Donna Garland front right, Hannah Sines back right and Marissa Triantafyllou back left.
Mr Sohail Choksy is one of the vascular surgeon consultants performing the operations alongside the outpatient team at the new clinic.
He said: “A lot of our patients live in Clacton or the surrounding area, so this is providing care where they need it. It also means it’s cost effective and efficient.
“Varicose veins can work against ‘good’ veins and cause aching or throbbing for patients, so being able to offer the care they need quickly is beneficial in a nice environment. It also means theatre space isn’t being taken up for bigger operations needed by other patients.”
Mr Sohail Choksy with Jon Tokley (right)
Patient Jon Tokley said he’d lived with “unbearable pain” for most of last year following an ankle injury resulting in a leg ulcer. Scans then revealed he had a defective vein that needed treatment.
The 54-year-old said: “This operation has completely changed my life. The pain was beyond bearable in my left leg.
“With the clinic opening I was able to get the operation done quickly and I’m so relieved. I work as a manager for a sports club so I’m on my feet a lot.
“It was so much easier having it done in the clinic and the team looked after me. They were all amazing – unbelievable. I’m so grateful.”
More information about varicose veins is available on the NHS website.
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