FORMER England hockey player and gold medal-winning Great Britain coach John Grice has started treating patients at BMI The Ridgeway Hospital.

John, a foot and ankle surgeon from South Yorkshire, played hockey for England and Great Britain while also training to become an orthopaedic surgeon.

He reached the semi-final of U21 European Cup in Madrid and the World Cup in Australia with England. He also toured South Africa, Pakistan and Malaysia. He is now the pitchside doctor for the Great Britain Women and Men’s senior Hockey team and helped the women’s team win gold medal at the Rio Olympics last year.

He said: "It is fantastic being able to support elite sportsmen and women compete to their maximum achievements. It is also very satisfying being able to return to sporting events as part of the support staff rather than a player."

John also regularly provides ringside trauma cover as a medical officer for the English Amateur Boxing Association.

The surgeon has worked at hospitals across the South West, including large teaching hospitals such as University College London Hospital, Brighton and Southampton Foundation Trusts. He now has outpatient clinics and operates at the Great Western Hospital and The Ridgeway Hospital.

He treats a range of foot and ankle problems, including sports injuries, managing routine and complex foot and ankle trauma, foot and ankle fractures, Lisfranc injuries and distal tibial fractures.

He said: "I love being able work out what is causing someone pain and treat it whether that be from arthritis or a niggling sports injury that is holding someone back from their sporting pursuits."