Duke of Kent Opens State-of-the-art Urology Centre at the Royal Surrey County Hospital

Published on: 5 Mar, 2019
Updated on: 6 Mar, 2019

HRH the Duke of Kent meets Professor Stephen Langley (left), watched by Tim Sharp (centre) of the Prostate Project.

By Alice Fowler

A new £6 million state-of-the-art urology centre was opened at the Royal Surrey County Hospital today (March 5, 2019) by HRH The Duke of Kent.

Touring the brand-new facility and unveiling a commemorative plaque, the Duke praised the tireless fund-raising which has enabled the centre to open. Some £3 million has been donated through the Prostate Project, spearheaded by chairman Colin Stokes MBE, who was treated for prostate cancer at the Royal Surrey 23 years ago. The rest of the £6 million cost has come from the NHS.

The commemorative plaque unveiled by the Duke of Kent

Also present were the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Michael More Molyneux; the High Sheriff of Surrey, Jim Glover; the Deputy Mayor of Guildford, Richard Billington; and the hospital’s chief executive Louise Stead.

Professor Stephen Langley, one of the world’s leading prostate cancer specialists, told an audience of local dignitaries, fundraisers, patients and staff that the opening of the centre was a dream come true.

A Da Vinci robotic platform that allows minimally invasive surgery.

“This centre is going to inspire patients to have confidence when they are at a most anxious time in their lives, facing a potential cancer diagnosis.

“We will be able to treat more patients, more quickly, using the latest techniques, in the type of surroundings in which we would all like to be cared for.

“This building is a beacon to the NHS and to what can be achieved when the community and the local hospital work together.”

The entrance to the new state-of-the-art Stokes Urology Centre.

The new building, named the Stokes Centre of Urology in honour of Colin Stokes, features a cutting-edge theatre for brachytherapy, which uses tiny radioactive seeds to treat prostate cancer. It also includes ultramodern consulting and treatment rooms, as well as a small laboratory for research.

Staff were on hand to demonstrate equipment, including a Da Vinci robot, a robotic platform that allows minimally invasive surgery. Operated from a console, it gives surgeons 10 times magnified 3-D vision. Delicate operations are carried out via wristed instruments that mimic the movement of the human hand.

Among the guests was Paul Higgins, 66, of Rudgwick, West Sussex, who last week became the first patient to use the new centre. “It’s a beautiful building, everything is top notch,” he said. “The treatment is first class. To come through the doors and have such amazing treatment is a privilege.”

Mr Higgins, who has a family history of prostate cancer, is waiting to hear the outcome of a biopsy. “Often men don’t like to go to the doctor: they may be embarrassed or don’t want to think there’s anything wrong. In fact, there are lots of success stories out there. If you can catch it early, that’s a good thing.”

Tim Sharp and Colin Stokes of the Prostate Project, tireless fundraisers for the new Centre

Prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer among men in the UK, with over 12,000 men dying of it each year. Symptoms include frequent urination and weak urine flow.

The Royal Surrey County Hospital is already one of the largest centres for the treatment of prostate cancer in Europe and among the top centres in the world.

Share This Post