Your Patient Journey – We care

Patients get in touch with us in different ways but regardless we hope to respond to you within 24 hours although usually our response is within a few hours! We receive email and phone enquiries via patient recommendations and GP referrals but also by direct internet search or via Instagram and Facebook. Whichever way you contact us, you will then receive a phone call, message and/or email to ask more about your enquiry and this will give you an opportunity to ask some questions before booking an appointment. We shall ask for personal information (name/address/email/telephone – with your permission according to GDPR) and you will then be sent a confirmatory email with details of the time and location of your consultation as well as further information regarding Mr. Banwell and the Practice. All appointments are subject to a strict cancellation policy as Mr Banwell’s consultation slots are always in demand. For your convenience, reminder texts are also usually sent the day before. It is recommended you arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your appointment as there is always paperwork to fill in at each hospital/clinic location so please do allow ample travel time! Out of respect to all his patients, Mr Banwell always runs to time. Please remember that we are here for you and no question is too small (or too big) – if anything is worrying you at all it is always best to ask.

Rest assured, right from day one, your patient journey is led by your Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Mr Paul Banwell. He is an internationally respected surgeon and receives patients from all over the UK and from abroad; his mission is to provide first rate care and to be as transparent and honest as possible in helping you to make decisions regarding treatments or surgery.

As the world has changed as a result of COVID, the ‘new normal’ will be for remote, on-line video consultations wherever possible in the initial stages of the consultation process.

In the first consultation with Mr Paul Banwell you can discuss your aims and objectives as well as any concerns you may have together with the treatment or procedure. Mr Banwell’s team afterwards can then provide details on costs, potential treatment or operation dates, etc.

During your initial consultation (on-line or face to face) Mr Banwell will take detailed medical notes about what you are hoping to change, tweak or modify and why. He will talk over the kinds of treatments and procedures that will be best suited for you and outcomes you want to achieve; sometimes this will not be what you are expecting and it will be necessary to go away and think about things carefully to ensure expectations are met.

There will be plenty of opportunity for you to ask questions during the process but please remember that Mr Banwell sees all his patients at least two or three times so if you forget to ask something there will be opportunity to ask at subsequent meetings. We do also usually recommend you bring a family member with you for moral support and to help with any questions that you may have forgotten (although this will be dependent upon national guidelines in the COVID era). It is also a great idea to bring a list of questions because it can be easy to forget things and whilst you may consider your question trivial they are all important – hopefully most of them will be answered by Mr Banwell during his explanations of the treatment or procedure but sometimes these questions may need to be addressed at second consultation. Please note that there is never any pressure to proceed with treatment or surgery and as mentioned above, we always advise a second consultation routinely, just to go over things and to make sure that you are ready for treatment/surgery and that all your questions are answered. Mr Banwell’s team are also always on the end of the phone or email to help too!

It is recommended by the Keogh report and our national plastic surgery associations that we respect the so-called ‘cooling off’ period which allows you to take your time to think about your options.

We recommend that all of our prospective patients take their time after the initial consultation with Mr Banwell to think about surgery. Indeed we recommend at least two weeks. Any form of cosmetic surgery or treatment should not be taken lightly as they are medical procedures which will always be associated with risks and complications. Mr Banwell and his team advise you to talk it over with family and friends and if you still have questions ask them at your second consultation. There is no charge for subsequent pre-operative consultations.

Your pre-assessment with the hospital or clinic staff is an important final check to make sure that you are fit and healthy for the procedure. Sometimes you may have forgotten to tell Mr Banwell important information so this is a great opportunity to highlight anything of note. Increasingly, many clinics are performing these pre-assessments by patients submitting online forms.

Prior to your surgery, Mr Banwell will go through your previous medical and surgical history and in particular note any risk factors (eg. Varicose vein surgery, smoking, current medications, etc). One of our experienced pre-assessment nurses from outpatients will organise any tests that you may need in good time and if required you will also be seen by the anaesthetist prior to surgery. If you have any questions that the pre-assessment nurse is unable to answer, then Mr Banwell’s team or another member of the hospital team would be delighted to help.

Led by Mr Banwell and his team of professional nurses at the hospital, you will have 24/7 hour care at one of our prestigious institutions in East Grinstead & Tunbridge Wells or luxury day care services at the famous Harley Street Hospital in London (day case surgery only).

You will be admitted on the day of your procedure to one of our high quality private hospitals in Sussex, Kent or London. All of our hospitals are fully registered with the Care Quality Commission and for overnight procedures offer the full spectrum of medical care, hotel services (with excellent food!) and 24 hour nursing and medical cover together with a resident medical officer (RMO) on-site.

You will meet Mr Banwell on the morning of surgery for another chat to go over the procedure, answer any questions as required, sign the consent form, be marked up and have photos taken. You will then meet your anaesthetist at this time; interestingly it is the anaesthetic that often causes the most consternation for patients rather than the surgery itself! This is completely normal and your anaesthetist will allay any concerns your may have. All of our anaesthetists hold, or have held, consultant posts in the NHS and work very closely with Mr Banwell; he trusts them implicitly and would be happy for them to anaesthetise any of his friends or family! During your stay in hospital you will be looked after by our dedicated nursing teams and all of your care will be overseen by Mr Banwell. In the case of patients who are staying overnight, our hotel services will also serve delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners as required (but remember not to eat or drink anything before your procedure on the day of surgery). You will be reviewed daily by Mr Banwell and/or the RMO who will go through your discharge arrangements before you leave.

Your first post-operative appointment following surgery will be after about a week. This appointment is booked by the outpatient or hospital staff, in advance, before you leave hospital. Your dressings may be removed at this time and your wound checked but for most cosmetic cases, your brown micropore tape will remain in place until week two. Mr Banwell and the nurses would have already explained about showering protocol, patting the tape dry and using a hairdryer on a warm setting. After this initial check up, Mr Banwell will normally see you at 2 weeks following surgery and this visit will be to make sure that all of your wounds are healing satisfactorily. If there are any problems with your wound healing, you are able to contact the hospital 24/7 or  Mr Banwell’s team during working weekday hours. The hospital RMO is always available.

Your scars will initially be red and there will always be some post-operative swelling – normally this takes several months to settle. Your next appointment will be at 2 months postop when Mr Banwell will assess your progress and reinforce the importance of massage. Remember it can take 6, 12 or even 18 months for everything to finally settle and therefore Mr Banwell will see you as required in the following months and years to make sure that everything settles to your satisfaction. Please remember that if you have any problems at any time, you can contact the Banwell Clinic. It does not matter if this is a week, a month or years after your initial operation – Mr Banwell’s commitment to patient satisfaction means that you will always be able to make an appointment to see him if you have any concerns. Mr Banwell and his team will always do everything that we can to make sure that you get the best outcome that you possibly can.

• Comprehensive pre-operative consultation
• Pre-operative concierge service
• Fixed Price Packages
• Pre-assessment, MRSA screening and bloods included
• Technologically advanced implants (if applicable)
• Comprehensive implant warranty (if applicable)
• Hotel Services including all meals (if applicable)
• All dressings and post-op care included
• Complete ‘peace of mind’ aftercare package
• Lifetime Follow-up Policy