At Urology and Healthcare, our motto is a totally patient-focused, individualized care. Every aspect of your care is dealt with sensitively and courteously. The process of experiencing urological problems and seeking help for them can be quite unnerving. Therefore, our aim is to make the process as straightforward as possible, freeing you up to make informed decisions about your care. We hope the sections below answer any practical questions you may have about what to expect as one of our patients, but if you have further queries, please also call or email us at office@urologyandhealthcare.com.
Please always ask Mr Munir Ahmed at the consultation if you have any questions. If you have any further questions following the consultation, Mr Ahmed’s Specialist Nurse Mrs Bing Zee-Khakwani can be contacted in the office by the phone or email.
- Do I need a referral?
- What is the procedure to be followed if the patient is covered under Private Medical Insurance?
- How can I make an appointment?
- What is the procedure for emergency admissions?
- Where do consultations take place?
- Where do Outpatient procedures take place?
- What happens during and after the consultation?
- When will I be advised about the treatment needed?
- What hospital will I be treated in?
- What happens if I am advised that I need surgery?
- What is the follow-up after surgery?
- Who is responsible for payment of the fees?
- How much do consultations cost?
- How much does surgery cost?
- Are there any ‘package deals’?
- What is your Confidentiality policy?
- Do I need a referral?
UK Private Patients:
Whilst a referral letter is not necessary to be seen by Mr Munir Ahmed, it is preferable to have one. The letter of referral is usually from your GP, another consultant, your company doctor or representative, the doctor or the nurse who may have done your company medical or a record of your Accident and Emergency attendance.Some insurance policies require a referral letter. Please check the terms and conditions of your insurance policy.
Overseas Private Patients:
Overseas patients do not need a letter of referral, but should bring their medical records, scans and other test results.NHS Patients:
NHS patients need a referral via their GP and may be able to choose to be referred to Mr Ahmed via the NHS Choose and Book system. - What is the procedure to be followed if the patient is covered under Private Medical Insurance?
If you have private medical insurance, it is a good idea to contact your insurer prior to your first appointment. It is well worth ascertaining the full scope of your policy at an early stage so you are clear about the procedures it covers, making sure you enquire about claims for investigatory measures including imaging, surgery and hospital fees.
Mr Munir Ahmed is registered with the major private medical insurance companies in UK (BUPA No. 02880507 & PPP No. MA01562). However, a number of companies will insist on you first having had a referral from your GP or another specialist, so it is particularly important to contact your insurer if you are self-referring. Mr Ahmed’s secretary and the hospital staff are on hand to help answer queries or respond to any objections your insurer may raise – please do not hesitate to contact our office.
Your insurer should then issue a pre-authorisation letter or a number which you should bring to your first consultation. If you require surgery, you will also need to present your insurance details at the hospital on the day you are admitted.
We also accept letters of guarantee from embassies or other companies, as long as you tell us in advance and then bring the relevant information along to your appointment. However, patients who are insured by companies outside the UK are required to pay for any treatment themselves and then make a separate claim. All patients hold the final responsibility for settling their own account and will be called upon to make up any shortfalls if an insurer withholds or limits payment.
- How can I make an appointment?
Private Patients:
You may have been referred to us by your GP, or you may be considering self-referral. Either way, making an appointment is a quick and easy.You can ring our office directly to make an appointment or preferably, simply ring the hospital where you wish to see Mr Munir Ahmed and book the appointment for the time of your choice. Contact details of the hospitals where Mr Ahmed sees his patients can be found here.
If you have a GP or seen another Consultant, they can write a referral letter, and send it directly to the office by mail or fax.
In summary,
You can phone the hospital of your choice and ask for the out patient appointments for Mr Munir Ahmed
OR
Your doctor can mail or fax the letter to the hospital of your choice for the attention of Mr Munir Ahmed
OR
You can call or email our office at office@urologyandhealthcare.comNHS Patients:
NHS patients need a referral via their GP and may be able to make an appointment for Mr Ahmed via the NHS Choose and Book system. - What is the procedure for emergency admissions?
Many patients after being seen in the Accident & Emergency (A & E) or by their GP for urgent urology problems, wish to be admitted or treated privately for various reasons. Mr Munir Ahmed can admit you as an emergency patient after you have been seen at A & E for emergency urology problems like urine retention, pain from kidney stones etc.
For Emergency and Urgent admissions, phone BMI The Sloane Hospital or BMI Chelsfield Park Hospital and speak to the Sister-in-charge.
Your doctor or the A & E doctor can also contact Mr Munir Ahmed through the Sister-in-charge at BMI The Sloane Hospital or BMI Chelsfield Park Hospital.
- Where do consultations take place?
Private Patients:
Consultations take place either at the BMI The Sloane Hospital, BMI Chelsfield Park Hospital, or BMI Shirley Oaks Hospital. Their addresses and telephone numbers can be found here.In some circumstances, Mr. M Ahmed or his Nurse Practioner (Mrs Bing Zee-Khakwani) may visit a patient in a Care Home/Nursing Home. This requires discussion with the office first. Some investigation may take place at other hospitals (e.g. nuclear scans) or the Office (e.g. Flow Tests). Consultations may be arranged at other hospitals by special arrangement.
NHS Patients:
NHS patients using the “Choose and Book” system are seen and treated at BMI The Sloane hospital, BMI Chelsfield Park Hospital or BMI Shirley Oaks Hospital. Mr. Ahmed has a limited number of “Choose and Book” slots per week at BMI Chelsfield Park Hospital.Other NHS patients are seen and treated at the Princess Royal University Hospital in Farnborough, Kent (a NHS facility).
- Where do Outpatient procedures take place?
Outpatient procedures generally take place at the same hospital where the consultation takes place, as described above.
- What happens during and after the Consultation?
f you have a letter of referral from your GP, please bring this with you on the day of your appointment, along with any previous scans or test results you may have been given in relation to your current problem.
When you arrive at our consulting rooms, you will be greeted by the receptionist staff and given a few registration forms to fill in – if possible, please arrive a few minutes early to allow time for this. During the consultation itself, Mr. Ahmed will listen carefully as you describe the problem and your medical history before conducting a careful physical examination. Some ultrasound scans, urine tests and flow tests may be performed by Mr. Ahmed in the clinic immediately. Further investigations may be required, such as blood tests, scan, biopsy etc, to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. You will be given forms to arrange these investigations at the hospital.
If further tests are necessary, we will need to arrange a follow up appointment in order to assess the results. In the meantime, Mr. Ahmed will write to your GP to summarise the outcome of the first appointment, as he will continue to do after all subsequent consultations; please ask if you would like to see copies of these letters. Mr. Ahmed may start you on treatment at your first or subsequent consultation.
- When will I be advised about the treatment needed?
Once a diagnosis is reached, either at your first appointment or after further investigation, Mr Ahmed will advise on the best course of action as regards the treatment. At this point you will be given the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your condition or the recommended measures. The average time taken to treat most common urological conditions will depend on the specific conditions and symptoms.
- What hospital will I be treated in or admitted to?
Private Patients:
Most private patients are admitted for surgery and treatment to BMI The Sloane Hospital, BMI Chelsfield Park Hospital, BMI Shirley Oaks Hospital or BMI The Blackheath Hospital.Some patients, by special arrangements, are admitted as private patients to the Princess Royal University Hospital in Farnborough, Kent (a NHS facility).
If you have any requirements for admission to any other specific hospital, please contact the office by the email or phone.
NHS Patients:
NHS patients using the “Choose and Book” system are seen and treated at BMI The Sloane hospital, BMI Chelsfield Park Hospital or BMI Shirley Oaks Hospital. Mr. Ahmed has a limited number of “Choose and Book” slots per week at BMI Chelsfield Park Hospital.Other NHS patients are seen and treated at the Princess Royal University Hospital in Farnborough, Kent (a NHS facility).
- What happens if I am advised that I need surgery?
If an operation or another major procedure is required, we will first carry out a pre-operative assessment which is designed to minimise the risk involved. It will assess your general fitness for surgery, establish whether there are any medications you are allergic to and if you need to take blood-thinning medication. You will then be given a date for your operation as well as some additional instructions about eating and drinking leading up to the procedure.
On the day of your operation, you will be booked in to your chosen hospital which will involve completing several admission forms. The nursing team will help you get settled into your own room and begin preparing you for surgery, carrying out any further tests that may be required. Your consultant will come and see you before you go into surgery to talk through the procedure once more to ensure you are fully informed; you will also be asked to sign a document of consent. If you are having a general anaesthetic, a consultant anaesthetist will be along to discuss the steps involved in putting you to sleep, ensuring you are entirely comfortable throughout.
After the operation, you will be carefully observed as you wake up, so that any nausea (occasionally caused by the anaesthetic) or discomfort can be immediately counteracted. When we are completely happy with your condition, you will be taken back to your room where you will be offered something to eat and drink and, later on, visited by your consultant. Discharge from the hospital will depend on the scale of the operation – day cases should be able to go home after a few hours, but if you have had major surgery, you will need to remain for several days.
Mr. Ahmed will give you an indication at the consultation and after the surgery about your expected discharge. Upon discharge, you will probably be given some painkillers to take home, as well as emergency contact details and additional information regarding follow up appointments.
- What is the follow-up after surgery?
If you have had an operation, you will have a post-operative review approximately 2-4 weeks after surgery which will allow to discuss analysis of any further tests on removed tissues. Subsequent appointments will then be made as appropriate. We are committed to caring for their patients to the best of their ability for as long as is necessary.
- Who is responsible for payment of the fees?
Patients are personally responsible for fees incurred through consultation or treatment. If you are insured, your fees will be settled with your insurance company directly. This is subject to your policy terms and any excess for which you will be liable.
- How much do consultations cost?
Fees for consultations are based on a standardised scale. An estimate can be provided upon request, though this will be subject to the nature of the consultation.
We can provide, upon request estimates of costs for procedures planned to be carried out. These figures are always a guide and may vary slightly according to each individual case. We can provide a more accurate price of your treatment after your consultation.
Mr Ahmed always tries to give you as much of a certain answer as possible and start your treatment at the first consultation. As a part of this he may have to perform an ultrasound scan, a flow test, some urine tests etc. himself at the time of your consultation. These are charged separately. For the insured patients, these are normally covered by the insurance companies, subject to the policy terms.
- How much does surgery cost?
Mr Ahmed’s surgery fees are generally in line with BUPA schedules. Please discuss with the office for any specific questions, either by the email or telephone.
Although estimate can be provided upon request, this is subject to the duration of hospital stay, and any additional treatment that may be required. Hospital fees are payable separately. Professional fees for anaesthesia and surgery are payable separately and based on insurance scales. Anaesthetist and in some cases pathology fees are also payable separately.
- Are there any ‘package deals’?
BMI Healthcare offer ‘BMI Option packages’ and also a credit facility. If you require any of these services, please contact our office and we will arrange for you to be send the details. Alternatively, you can ring BMI Healthcare on +44 (0)20 8466 6911, and ask for the Help line.
- What is your Confidentiality policy?
Medical record are carefully maintained and confidentiality of personal medical information is assured in accordance with the legal requirements.
Following your consultation, you will receive a copy of the letter sent to your GP or referring doctor (unless you request otherwise).
All investigation results can be provided upon request. Requests for the release of any information to a third party could only be done with your written consent. Electronic information transfer to a non-secure site is not made.
Family members and friends are not allowed access to any information without your explicit consent and normally only in your presence.