A new one-stop prostate service at Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot will allow patients to be seen and diagnosed within days of a GP referral.

The Frimley Health service launched in late 2023 and the first patient was scanned, examined, seen by a consultant and given a biopsy in one appointment – just six days after being referred by his GP.

Tanya Gill, Urology Matron, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust explains: “The service we offer in one single appointment would normally take around four weeks.

"When a GP refers a patient they would have several separate appointments to be triaged, have an MRI scan, see a consultant and then, if necessary, be booked in for a biopsy.

“In the one-stop service, the first patient had all investigations completed within three hours and will know the full biopsy and histology results within two weeks of referral. It’s a seamless service and will ultimately help to reduce waiting times for patients.”

The prostate one-stop clinic has been partially funded by the Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance (SSCA) to improve the prostate pathway by speeding up diagnosis and treatment for patients.

A new specialist FDS (Faster Diagnosis Nurse) has been appointed to the Frimley Health team to triage and counsel patients following their GP referral and, if they are in general good health, they would be booked into the one-stop service.

The service, which has received high praise from the first patients, is run by Frimley Health’s Urology team, working in collaboration with radiology and the bookings team in Heatherwood and the histology team in Wexham Park. It’s a nurse-led service, with Tanya Gill working alongside urology consultant Mr Marc Laniado.

According to Cancer Research UK, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with one in eight diagnosed in their lifetime. It mainly affects men over 50, and risks increase with age. The risk is even higher for black men (1 in 4 diagnosed in their lifetime) and men with a family history.