Access to HIFU treatment

Thanks go to Prostate Matters for allowing the use of the content in this guide.

Firstly, The answer to the question where to access HIFU treatment is a very short list in the UK. However, it should be noted that Consultant Urological Surgeons who offer HIFU to their patients will also offer Active Surveillance. Further they will be PROMIS compliant, using mpMRI for diagnosis as well as transperineal biopsy to assess the cancer cells.

Offering these services is a prerequisite to being able to offer HIFU as a therapy. Further, NHS  reimbursement rates for HIFU are very low and do not cover the cost of provision of a service.

As of today, there are only a few centres offering HIFU, but as the results of the recent  HIFU research, the CHRONOS study, has had such encouraging results, more centres and Urologists are likely to offer HIFU in the near future and the NHS reimbursement rate is likely to increase.

Further a new charity has been launched Prost8, with the specific purpose of providing focal therapy (HIFU and Crotherapy) centres around the country.

This page will be updated as these centres ‘come on line’.

Currently where to access HIFU treatment is via the following Urologists and their teams who offer a HIFU service. Remember you are perfectly entitled to ask to be referred to these Consultants and their teams, both on the NHS and privately.

London – where to access HIFU

South and South East

The following Consultant Urological Surgeons will refer NHS patients suitable for HIFU to University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street, London.

They perform HIFU procedures privately themselves

Mr Tim Larner uses HIFU as a ‘salvage’ therapy when there is a recurrence of prostate cancer following radiotherapy.

Patients are referred to Mr Larner via their Oncologist

Wales

The list of where to access HIFU treatment is constantly updated.