University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street offers a full range of thoracic surgery procedures, a large proportion of which are done via video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) minimally invasive surgery.

We have a comprehensive robotic programme using the da Vinci Surgical System to treat complex patients with robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. This reduces recovery time and length of hospital stay for patients.

Education and research are fundamental roles in our department. 

Patient contact

Referral

Other referral information

Telephone ext: 66059/66046 

NHS e-Referral Service (formerly Choose and Book referrals) 

UCLH service name Choose and book specialty Clinic name
General Thoracic Surgery Surgery - Cardiothoracic Thoracic Surgery


Rapid access and one-stop clinics
This is a rapid-access service and patients are regularly seen in an outpatient clinic and admitted for surgery, all within one week of being referred.

Access to patient results
Test results are included in letters to GPs and consultants.

Tertiary referrals
Our referrals are predominantly from North London and the South East. We take a large proportion of the thoracic surgery referrals from the following hospitals: 

•    Barnet Hospitals 
•    North Middlesex 
•    The Whittington Hospital 
•    The Royal Free Hospital 
•    University College Hospital 
•    Ashford and St Peters 
•    Princess Alexandra Hospital
•    Watford General
 

Referral address

Thoracic Surgery Referrals 
4th Floor Thoracic Surgery Office
University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street 
16–18 Westmoreland Street 
London W1G 8PH 

We provide a range of services for patients, from diagnostic surgery such as lung biopsies, to more complex procedures including lobectomies and resections. Our waiting times are short and we offer high-quality care in  comfortable surroundings. Sixty per cent of our cases are performed via a minimally invasive approach, either thorasoscopic (VATS) or robotic (RATS), which reduces recovery times and length of hospital stay. In 2019/20 we treated 989 cases.

We offer the following services:

Diagnostic:

  • Bronchoscopy
  • Lung/pleural biopsy
  • Mediastinoscopy
  • Mediastinotomy

Curative:

  • Decortication
  • Lobectomy
  • Metastatectomy
  • Pleurodesis
  • Pneumonectomy
  • Resections
  • Surgical intervention for emphysema

Palliative:

  • Drainage of effusion
  • Metastatectomy with palliative intent
  • Pleurodesis

The thoracic surgery nurse specialists provide dedicated and personal support for the entire patient journey. One of the team will speak to patients by phone prior to their elective admission to assess all aspects of their care needs for their hospital stay, as well as their aftercare following discharge. 

We provide an outpatient service at Westmoreland Street and the Macmillan Cancer Centre, and we also run outreach clinics at Barnet General, North Middlesex Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Ashford & St Peters Hospital, Bedford Hospital, Whittington Hospital and a pleural clinic at Watford General.
 

The thoracic surgery nurse specialists coordinate all aspects of aftercare and continuing support services. 

We have five consultants (one position covered by a locum), supported by four specialist registrars, three clinical nurse specialists and a pre-assessment nurse. The admin team comprises of three pathway co-ordinators and an admin service manager.

Inpatient services are based at our 22-bed ward on the fourth floor at Westmoreland Street, which includes a small patient gym to help facilitate recovery. 
 

Consultants