Endocrine surgery patient information

Find out what to expect when you come to hospital for your appointment at the endocrine surgery service.

Before your appointment

If you’ve been referred via the two week wait pathway, you can expect to receive an outpatient appointment within one to two days and your appointment will be within two weeks of referral.

Patients referred urgently should receive appointments within two to six weeks of referral. For non-urgent patients, there is a maximum wait of 12 weeks from the referral date for an appointment. If you require inpatient surgery, the date will be based on clinical need. We aim to give all patients a date for admission within 18 weeks of the referral date.

You are welcome to bring a relative, close friend or carer with you to your appointment. You are also welcome to ask for a chaperone and we will endeavour to provide one for you. Details of what you should bring to your appointment will be advised in the appointment letter. Generally, please prepare a list of all your medications, their doses, and any supplements you take. Bring detailed notes of your symptoms and try to recall when your symptoms began.

During your appointment

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so medical students may be present for some appointments. If you do not wish to have them in the room please let the nurse or doctor know and the students will be asked to step outside.

During your appointment, we will discuss your symptoms and different treatment options. You will likely have some tests and investigations on the day of your appointment. The appointment length is specific to each patient and the condition being discussed. We aim to carry out any required diagnostic tests on the day, so you may be asked to spend up to four hours in the outpatients department for these tests. You will be advised about the outcome of your appointment before you leave hospital.

After your appointment

If a follow up appointment is required, this will be given to you by the reception desk before you leave hospital.

Having surgery with us

Our surgeons have access to all modern technology of benefit to the management of thyroid disease including intra-operative neural monitoring and intra-operative rapid parathyroid hormone assay.

Information on what to expect can be found here in our patient information leaflet – please request one of these when you come to clinic.