Specialist Cystectomy Centres

You can look up hospital reviews here https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/ although that does not necessarily tell you about cystectomy particularly. You can google the surgeons at your hosp to see what their experience & expertise is in this field. There are many excellent surgeons and hospitals but you need to weigh up the benefits against the issues with travelling to a centre of excellence that is far from home, that may necessitate several visits, apart from anyone coming to visit while you are in hosp. 

Bear in mind that data has to be considered in context. Centres of excellence may well take on the riskier cases which may skew their statistics towards more complications & longer stay in hosp.  You may also wish to consider if the surgeon is well versed in robotic surgery if this is suggested, or an expert who has more experience in open surgery. 

Let us know what part of the country you are in, there may well be someone here who can recommend a nearby hosp. 

Apart from the stats, I am also interested in current waiting times for RC. Would prefer robotic rather than open surgery.

Any feedback on these two would be appreciated. 

UCLH is certainly highly regarded, but bear in mind you're unlikely to be able to travel home by tube after surgery. Lister overall has mixed reviews - don't know how it is for urology, but I would have thought has specialists for robotic surgery. I am under Addenbrookes (Cambridge) with is also a centre for excellence.

Is there a list of the centres of excellence?

Understand your point of traveling home post op by tube, but can arrange car transport if necessary 

I think you would have to arrange to be picked up as you do feel weak and extremely tired after cystectomy.Most people require someone to help them out for the first few days post op.I can’t seem to find a list of centres of excellence but I’m sure I’ve seen one.Typing in top urology hospitals does give a list with ratings.I had my cystectomy in Bristol and they have some highly rated surgeons there.My surgeon was the first to perform a neo bladder robotically.

Thanks for the guidance.

Seems the hospitals closest to me are good with robotic assisted cystectomy, so likely to go with one of them.

That’s sounding positive.Good if you have transport home.My sister looked after me for the first few days after discharge from hospital.

My lovely wife will collect and take care of me at home, previously having worked as physio technical instructor in the ICU, she will get me moving from day 1.

I’m glad you will have your wife there.It is important to get moving even if you are only shuffling to start with.