Initial consultation
A 30 minute meeting with a Santis consultant to discuss your symptoms, any test results you already have and your treatment options. There is time for questions, and nothing is decided until you are ready.
Urology services
Urology care, step by step and in plain English
Whether you have a worrying symptom, a test result you want to understand or a decision to make about treatment, a Santis consultant will talk it through with you. Here is everything we offer, from a first conversation to robotic prostate surgery and the follow-up afterwards.
Consultations
Most people start with a conversation. You sit down with a consultant urological surgeon, explain what has been happening and leave with a clear idea of what comes next.
Initial consultation with SelectMDX
The same first appointment, with a SelectMDX urine test taken at the visit. It can help your consultant judge whether further investigation, such as a biopsy, is likely to be useful. What SelectMDX is.
Follow-up consultation
Once your tests are back, or after treatment, you meet your consultant again in clinic to go through what the results mean and agree the next step together.
Follow-up by telephone
When you don't need to be examined, a telephone follow-up saves you a journey. Your consultant calls at the agreed time to talk through results or check on your progress.
Tests that help us understand what's going on
A test result on its own can be confusing. That's why every test we arrange comes with a consultant who explains, in everyday language, what it shows and what it doesn't.
How you hear your results
Your consultant goes through your results at a follow-up, in clinic or by telephone, and explains whether anything else is needed before you decide on next steps.
Blood tests
A quick blood sample can tell us a lot about how your kidneys and prostate are doing. In urology this often includes a PSA test, which measures a protein made by the prostate. A raised level doesn't automatically mean something serious, and your consultant will explain what your number means for you.
SelectMDX urine test
SelectMDX looks for genetic markers in a urine sample that are linked to prostate cancer. Alongside your PSA and examination, it helps your consultant estimate how likely a biopsy is to be worthwhile, so you can make that decision with more information.
Robotic prostate surgery
If you and your consultant decide that removing the prostate is the right treatment, we offer robotic assisted radical prostatectomy (often shortened to RARP). The surgeon controls precise robotic instruments through small keyhole incisions rather than one large cut.
What the operation includes
- Removing the prostate using robotic assisted keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery
- Reconstructing the neck of the bladder, where it joins the urethra
- Removing lymph nodes from both sides of the pelvis (bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy)
- A cystoscopy, a look inside the bladder with a thin camera
Our consultant urological surgeons include specialists in robotic prostate surgery.
Meet the Santis consultantsYour follow-up with histology
After surgery, the tissue removed is examined in a laboratory. This is called histology. At your follow-up, your consultant explains the findings and what they mean for your recovery and any further care.
- Paying for yourself
- The histology follow-up is included in your RARP price, so there is nothing extra to book or pay for.
- Using private insurance
- The histology follow-up is booked as a separate consultation. It's worth checking with your insurer that it is covered.
Your care, step by step
Everyone's path is a little different, but this is how care at Santis usually unfolds. You'll always know what the next step is and why.
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First consultation
You talk through your symptoms and history with a consultant, in clinic or remotely.
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Tests
If tests would help, such as blood tests or SelectMDX, we arrange them and explain why.
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Results and options
Your consultant goes through the results and the options, so you can decide together.
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Treatment
If treatment is needed, such as robotic prostate surgery, we plan it with you.
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Follow-up
We check on your progress in clinic or by telephone, for as long as you need.
Appointments take place at hospitals and clinics across London and the South East.
Find a clinic near youQuestions people often ask
Can't see your question here? Get in touch with our team and we'll help.
Can I pay for myself, or do I need insurance?
Either is fine. You can pay for your own care, or use private medical insurance. If you're insured, it's a good idea to speak to your insurer before your first appointment, as many ask for a GP referral and an authorisation code first.
Is the follow-up after prostate surgery included?
If you're paying for yourself, the follow-up consultation to discuss your histology results is included in the robotic prostatectomy price. If you're insured, it is booked as a separate consultation and normally claimed through your policy.
Can my follow-up be over the phone?
Often, yes. When you don't need an examination, for example to go through blood test results, a telephone follow-up works well. Your consultant will tell you when a face-to-face appointment is better.
My GP wants to refer me. How does that work?
GPs and other clinicians can refer you directly to Santis. Our referral information for clinicians explains what they need to send and what happens next for you.
I'm not sure which appointment I need
That's completely normal. If you're new to Santis, an initial consultation is the usual starting point. If you'd like help choosing, contact our team and we'll point you the right way.
Ready to talk to a consultant?
Book online in a few minutes. Not sure which appointment you need? Get in touch and we'll point you the right way.