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Patients & Visitors

Dermatology Clinic

C42

Skin Cancer

One Stop Skin Cancer Clinic (OSC)

We hold a daily (Monday to Friday) morning clinic in the dermatology unit which is dedicated to the review of patients referred from their GPs with potential skin cancers. There are between 20 – 30 patients reviewed every day.

What to expect

We will generally ask you to sign a consent form on arrival to the clinic to allow a clinical photograph of your skin lesion to be taken during your consultation. The photograph will be kept in your electronic medical record and shared with other members of the medical team who might be involved in your on-going treatment.

If the patient we are seeing is unable to give consent, we ask that their next of kin or person with power of attorney for their health could attend the clinic with them. However this is not mandatory.

Next steps

After assessing the skin lesion, we will either let you know that no further action is needed or inform you of the next steps in your care.

  • If a non-surgical treatment is recommended this can usually be carried out in clinic or a cream treatment may be recommended
  • If a surgical treatment is required, the team will endeavour to carry this out on the day of the clinic attendance (dependent upon staff skill mix in the clinic that day).

Surgical procedures are performed under a local anaesthetic injection. It is sometimes necessary to ask you back at a later date for your treatment or to arrange referral to another team who will be able to treat the skin lesion (this may be at the RUH or possibly from other providers of skin cancer treatment in the area).

Once we have the results of any biopsies performed we inform you by letter or telephone call within 6 weeks of the surgery date. Any plans for further treatment will be also given at this point.

Advice leaflet for patients undergoing minor surgical skin operation

Follow-up of patients with Skin Cancer

If there is an urgent issue that you are concerned about, please contact the Skin Cancer CNS service and you will be advised on next steps.

For patients who have had a Squamous Cell Cancer (SCC) or Malignant Melanoma (MM) you may find the following video link on how to examine your lymph nodes helpful (this should be what was explained to you in the skin cancer specialist nurse clinics).

Further information for skin cancer patients

Free Pocket Medic information films

Pocket Medic 'Life after cancer' films

Remote service for cancer patients

A new remote service FREE to anyone in the UK with suspicion or confirmed diagnosis of cancer.

Macmillan and partners cancer exercise specialists offer patients advice, support and resources to maintain and improve their physical and mental well being.Initially during the COVID19 response phase and intended to become an enduring national offer, subject to evidence of impact. Patients can self refer here:


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