Surgery & specialist care
General surgery, urology, digestive care, bariatric surgery, transplantation and robotic approaches.
10 specialty guides · 10 procedure guides
Procedure planning guides
Laparoscopic gallbladder removal
- Time
- About 1 hour of surgery
- Appointments
- Assessment + 1 admission + follow-up
HoLEP for an enlarged prostate
- Time
- Provider example: 60–100 minutes
- Appointments
- Assessment + surgery + catheter & urine checks
Inguinal hernia repair
- Time
- NHS example: 30–90 minutes for surgery.
- Appointments
- Assessment + operation + follow-up
Thyroidectomy
- Time
- The extent of thyroid removal and operative complexity determine the duration.
- Appointments
- Assessment + operation + follow-up
Gastroscopy
- Time
- NHS example: 15–45 minutes; the total hospital visit may be around 4 hours.
- Appointments
- 1 endoscopy + results or biopsy review
Colonoscopy
- Time
- NHS example: 30–45 minutes; allow around 2 hours at the hospital.
- Appointments
- 1 endoscopy + results or biopsy review
Ureteroscopy with lithotripsy
- Time
- Duration depends on stone size, location and whether treatment is staged.
- Appointments
- Assessment + operation + follow-up
Sleeve gastrectomy
- Time
- The surgical and admission plan is set after multidisciplinary assessment.
- Appointments
- Assessment + operation + follow-up
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- Time
- Operation and admission lengths depend on the technique and individual risk.
- Appointments
- Assessment + operation + follow-up
Kidney transplant assessment
- Time
- Assessment may involve multiple appointments over an individually determined period.
- Appointments
- Initial review + tests or follow-up as needed
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Specialty guides
Medical specialties and focused care areas. Choose a guide for clinical terms, treatment options and preparation.
General & robotic surgery
General surgery includes open and minimally invasive operations. Robot assistance is one possible surgical approach, including in other surgical specialties; the surgeon determines whether it suits the operation and the patient.
Read the guide: General & robotic surgeryUrology
Urinary stones, bladder and prostate conditions and male reproductive health, with endoscopic or surgical care where indicated.
Read the guide: UrologyGastroenterology
Digestive diseases, gastroscopy, colonoscopy and inflammatory bowel disease care; biopsy and treatment may accompany endoscopy.
Read the guide: GastroenterologyBariatric surgery
Sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass for selected patients, with nutritional preparation and long-term postoperative monitoring.
Read the guide: Bariatric surgeryTransplant medicine
Kidney and liver transplantation and, in haematology, stem-cell transplantation. Assessment, donor compatibility and allocation rules govern access.
Read the guide: Transplant medicineHernia & abdominal wall surgery
Hernia assessment considers symptoms, defect size, previous repairs and operative risk. Open and minimally invasive approaches have different preparation and recovery requirements.
Read the guide: Hernia & abdominal wall surgeryColorectal & proctological surgery
Colorectal surgery treats selected bowel and anal conditions. Planning may involve endoscopy, imaging, bowel preparation and discussion of whether a temporary or permanent stoma is needed.
Read the guide: Colorectal & proctological surgeryUpper gastrointestinal surgery
This field includes selected operations on the stomach region, oesophageal hiatus, gallbladder, liver and pancreas. Investigations and the extent of surgery determine admission and follow-up.
Read the guide: Upper gastrointestinal surgeryLaparoscopic & robot-assisted surgery
Laparoscopy and robot assistance are ways of performing an operation. Suitability depends on the diagnosis and surgeon’s assessment; robot assistance alone does not guarantee a better outcome.
Read the guide: Laparoscopic & robot-assisted surgeryKidney & ureteric stone care
Stone treatment depends on size, position, obstruction and infection. Options include observation and selected procedures; stents can require a separate removal appointment.
Read the guide: Kidney & ureteric stone careCan’t find your treatment?
Tell us the specialty or service you need. We can clarify the next coordination step.
Before you choose
- What is the proposed operation, what are the alternatives and which surgical approach is appropriate?
- How many appointments are needed for surgical assessment, anaesthetic assessment and follow-up, separately from hospital nights?
- Who will review wounds, drains or stents, and what must happen before travel home?