Mr Richard Freeman
MBBS, BSc (Hons), MSc, FRCS (Tr. & Orth.)
Mr Freeman is a dual fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in disorders of the foot and ankle. He trained under Professor James Calder at the prestigious Fortius Clinic gaining experience in treating professional and olympic athletes. The fellowship also included training by Mr Lloyd Williams, one of the first true foot and ankle surgeons in the UK whose practice includes being the principle surgeon to the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and the Central School of Ballet.
Mr Freeman was appointed as a Consultant at the Major Trauma Centre in Brighton where he was the lead for foot and ankle services. He he worked with Dr Joel Vernois, one of the leading minimally invasive (keyhole) foot surgeons. Mr Freeman has further developed keyhole foot surgery and is one of the only UK surgeons to offer keyhole surgery for the full range of foot and ankle conditions. In June of 2019 he moved to the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells Hospitals to be nearer to home but maintains strong links across the region.
Too many people are needlessly suffering with foot and ankle conditions, often having been told nothing can be done or that they need a long recovery after surgery. I understand how painful or misshapen feet can have a detrimental affect on peoples happiness and wellbeing and am determined to use the latest advances in the understanding of foot an ankle conditions to improve peoples lives. Keyhole surgery has revolutionised the way we treat foot and ankle conditions, reducing scaring and allowing early weight bearing without the need for plaster casts. I am proud to be spearheading the development of these techniques and helping to get people back on their feet sooner.
Unlike the majority of UK surgeons, who use plasters and keep people non-weight bearing for weeks or even months after surgery, Mr Freeman uses the latest keyhole techniques to allow almost all patients to fully weight bear immediately after surgery.
When not treating people with foot and ankle problems Mr Freeman has a busy program of teaching, through his role as a Senior Clinical Fellow at the University of Sussex and also sharing has experience of keyhole foot surgery with teaching courses in Europe and South Africa. He also enjoys sailing, snowboarding and fine dining with his wife and young son
Qualifications
MB BS – Guy’s, King’s & St. Thomas’s Medical School London
BSc (Hons.) – Kings College London
MSc – Brighton & Sussex Medical School
FRCS (Tr. & Orth.) – Royal College of Surgeons of England
Recent & Current Appointments
Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells Hospitals (NHS)
Spire Tunbridge Wells Hospital
Spire Gatwick Park Hospital
Nuffield Tunbridge Wells Hospital
Nuffield Haywards Heath Hospital
Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals Brighton – honorary Consultant
Senior Clinical Lecturer – University of Sussex
Teaching, Lectures and Publications
International Course on Minimally Invasive Surgery – Course Director
Cape Town, South Africa April 2020
Advanced Trauma Life Support – Faculty
Tunbridge Wells, January 2019, January 2018, June 2017, January 2017,
International Course on Minimally Invasive Surgery – Faculty
Munich, Germany April 2019, August 2019
Lecturing Brighton & Sussex Medical School 2016 to 2019
Conditions Treated
Bunions – keyhole surgery
Big toe arthritis – keyhole surgery joint replacement
Morton’s neuroma – full weight bearing
Metatarsalgia – full weight bearing
Sesamoiditis – full weight bearing
Hammer toe – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Mallet toe – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Tailor’s bunion – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Midfoot arthritis – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Tibialis Posterior tendon (flatfoot) – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Cavus foot deformity (high arched feet) – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Talo-navicualr joint arthritis – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Sub-talar joint arthritis – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Triple fusion – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Plantar fasciitis – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Achilles tendinopathy – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Achilles tendon rupture – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Ankle arthritis – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing, joint replacement
Foot fractures – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Calcaneal (heel bone) fracture – keyhole surgery
Talus fracture – keyhole surgery
Ankle sprain – full weight bearing
Ankle ligament injury – full weight bearing
Ankle cartilage injury – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing
Ankle fracture – full weight bearing
Tibial fractures – keyhole surgery, full weight bearing