His background, and original training, was in plastic surgery, but towards the end of his training he developed a deep interest in hand surgery and was awarded the British Society of Surgery of the Hand's Pulvertaft hand surgery fellowship. He spent 6 months working with Professor John Stanley, one of the UK’s leading expert on arthroscopy and surgery of the wrist. Thereafter he studied under Harold Kleinert at the internationally renowned Louisville Hand surgery service, Kentucky, USA, where many of the UK’s and Australia’s leading hand surgeons have been trained. On return to the UK he helped to develop the hand surgery service at St Andrew’s Billericay, which was to become one of the largest and busiest centres in the UK.