Urology Surgery

Urology is the management of patients presenting with conditions affecting the urinary tract, and of the male reproductive organs. Typically, there are more male urology patients than female patients, and the service has a high proportion of older patients.

Procedures range from simple procedures such as ureteric stenting to complex surgical procedures such as nephrectomy (removal of all or part of a diseased kidney); cystectomy (removal of the bladder); open urinary tract reconstructive surgery; prostatectomy; and transurethral resection of bladder tumours (TURBT).

The GIRFT national report for urology promotes the roll-out of dedicated urological investigation units (UIUs); a greater emphasis on outpatient services and day surgery procedures; and extending the role of specialist nurses – a move which would, in turn, free up consultants to provide consultant-led emergency urology care.

It also showed how additional changes in the organisation of care delivery could also be accelerated by establishing urology area networks (UANs), comprising several urology departments, to provide comprehensive coverage of urological services, in order to optimise quality and efficiency.

Kieran O’Flynn

Joint Clinical Lead for Urology Surgery

Consultant Urologist at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust

Kieran O’Flynn has been a consultant urologist at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust since 1994, with an interest in functional, neuro-urology and reconstruction. He has served as the trust’s clinical director for surgery from 2002 to 2006, and as chairman of the Specialist Advisory Committee in Urology from 2010-2012, overseeing training in the UK and Ireland.

After serving as treasurer of BAUS, he was elected president from 2016-2018. His awards include an ad eundem fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons, UK Urology Trainer of the Year in 2013 and the BAUS Gold Medal in 2019.

John McGrath

Joint Clinical Lead for Urology Surgery

Consultant Urologist at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

John McGrath is a consultant urologist at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. Having pursued a specialist interest in major pelvic surgery for the past 15 years, John now combines a focus on core urology with the role of clinical director for the Genomic Medicine Centre in the south-west. John has served on the Council of the British Association of Urological Surgeons, is past-chairman of the BAUS Section of Academic Urology and currently an executive committee member of the BAUS Section of Oncology.

More recently, he has joined the BAUS Audit and Steering Group. He has prior experience as a National Clinical Advisor to NHS England for the Enhanced Recovery Partnership Programme and has served on the NHS England Clinical Reference Group for specialised surgery. He has now taken up a new role on the NHS England Clinical Reference group for genomic medicine.

Simon Harrison

Former Clinical Lead for Urology Surgery and national report author

Former consultant urologist at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield

Simon Harrison was a consultant urologist at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield from 1992 to December 2016. Pursuing a special interest in neurological urology, Simon developed a tertiary referral practice for patients with complex lower urinary tract dysfunction. Simon has served on the Council of the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), been chairman of the BAUS Section of Female, Neurological and Urodynamic Urology, and was chairman of the NICE Guideline Development Panel for the guideline on Urinary Incontinence in Neurological Disease.

National review of urology services highlights workforce and service configuration

The GIRFT national report on urology services in England highlights the need for a better career structure for specialist urological nurses, to extend their role and help deliver more treatment in an outpatient setting.

It also recommends greater consultant focus on emergency care, helping to provide definitive diagnosis and treatment for patients who are admitted as an emergency with conditions such as urinary retention and urinary tract stones, which result in an estimated 6,000 patients a year being admitted to hospital.