Many symptoms may be embarrassing or personal, leaving patients suffering in silence or anxious about seeking help. Patient awareness is important in aiding prompt diagnosis, effective treatment and early reassurance. The British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) has produced specific advice across a broad spectrum of symptoms. Please note, this is no substitute for an in-depth consultation with a medical professional and comprehensive investigation at one of our specialist clinics.
The British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) has produced a broad range of downloadable information for individual urological procedures, to enable patients to choose their treatments with full knowledge.
Browse and download information sheets on a variety of surgical procedures.
Doctors and surgeons offer care and treatments based on published evidence-based data about the effectiveness or risks of these treatments. Professional bodies regularly produce guidelines which summarise the available literature to help professionals in advising patients on the most up to date and effective treatment choices. The following are examples of bodies producing guidance to urological surgeons: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), European Association of Urology (EAU). The EAU provides extensive guidance across the whole spectrum of urological practice, which is updated each year.
Click here for direct access to the NICE guidelines.
Click here for direct access to the EAU guidelines.
Midlands Urology is a private medical practice, available to insured and fee-paying patients only, as a result, NHS patients wishing to see Mr Peter Cooke would need to be referred by their GP or an NHS urologist.
If you are an NHS patient, your care would normally be arranged through the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, where Mr Cooke also provides specialist services.
Your GP is the first point of contact and can make a urology referral if you have ongoing urinary, bladder, kidney, or prostate concerns.
The specialist services and surgery described are available to patients eligible for NHS treatment at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust.
If your GP refers you for a urology consultation through the NHS, you will usually be seen at your local hospital trust. At your first appointment, the urologist will:
Your urologist will explain the purpose of each test and what the results might mean. After reviewing your results, they will discuss the most suitable treatment plan with you. This may involve lifestyle advice, medication, monitoring, or, if required, surgery.
If you’ve been given a urology referral from the NHS, you may have questions about the process. Below are some common queries we hear from patients:
Common reasons for referral include urinary tract problems, kidney stones, blood in the urine, prostate symptoms, and concerns about bladder or kidney function.
Waiting times can vary depending on your local NHS Trust and the urgency of your urology referral from the NHS. In urgent cases, you may be seen within a few weeks. For routine referrals, waiting times may be longer.
NHS patients can access a wide range of diagnostic tests, medical treatments, and surgical procedures for urological conditions. More complex or specialist procedures may be offered at larger hospital trusts.
Yes, many patients prefer to be seen privately for faster access or more flexible appointment times. Midlands Urology provides private consultations and treatments for insured and self-funding patients.
Midlands Urology regularly receives enquiries from outside the Midlands region, and often from overseas. Patients have travelled for consultations and surgery from Africa, the Middle East, India, Thailand, China, Canada and Australia, often having relatives in the UK.
We are happy to arrange appointments and investigations in advance of travel, and can also help with appropriate travel or accommodation. We are positioned very conveniently, with easy access to the UK motorway and rail network, and Birmingham International airport.
Patients will need to bring any relevant medical documents, test, pathology or imaging results with them. It may sometimes be necessary to review histopathology slides.
Patients will be required to pay for services in advance, and would not have access to the UK National Health Service.
We cannot give medical advice without a formal consultation at one of our clinics.
Many surgical procedures are available to view over the internet, particularly endoscopic, laparoscopic or robotic surgery (all of which are widely used in Urology), where a camera is routinely used to see deep inside the body. Youtube has numerous videos to view, posted by individual surgeons. Many patients find viewing a video very helpful in understanding their condition or proposed operation. Not all find this is the case, and many prefer not to see in full colour and detail the anatomical steps of live surgery. Please note that videos posted may not exactly represent the treatment offered or the technique used by another individual surgeon, nor may the views or opinions expressed be relevant to a specific patient’s condition.
Information from The British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) about pelvic floor exercises
CancerHelp UK is the patient information website of Cancer Research UK. CancerHelp UK provide a free information service about cancer and cancer care for people with cancer and their families.
This website provides over 6,000 pages of up-to-date cancer information, practical advice and support for cancer patients, their families and carers.
The Bladder and Bowel Foundation, (formerly Incontact and the Continence Foundation) is the UK’s leading charity providing information and support for people with bladder and bowel disorders, their carers, families and healthcare professionals.
The aim of The Urology Foundation is to improve the diagnosis, treatment and management of urological disease through the development and support of medical education and sponsorship of research.
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is committed to delivering top quality care and an excellent patient experience.
This website aims to give patients and their loved ones more information and insight into this innovative form of surgery.
Action on Bladder Cancer (ABC) is the only UK charity purely focused on improving the lives of people with bladder cancer. It is dedicated to helping people to understand more about bladder cancer.