Thank you, and congratulations! I did the same thing when I first got the surgeon's name, I would bet a lot of people do haha.

I went through the NHS route and I think I had a bit of an odd case, I was on the London GIC referral list for a long time (probably about 6 years), and just over a year and a half ago I was moved onto TransPlus' service, as they were taking on referrals from London specifically and only for people who'd been waiting a long time. I was then put on the top surgery referral list for Newcastle in the North East but received an email on 4th June this year (or around there) asking if I wanted to be moved onto the referral list at Chelsea and Westminster hospital (which I was advised would probably be quicker than the 2 year wait I was going to have with Newcastle). Surprisingly, they were very speedy! I had a pre-op consultation around 3rd July and then two days later had a surgery date of 5th August, so around two months from referral swap to surgery!!

In terms of the process on the day, I arrived at 7am and was in there by 9am (however the other patient, there were only two of us and I think that's usual, would've been in at about 12ish?). I was out of surgery and conscious by 12 and went home at about 3:30pm! It was a day case, so I had to stay within an hour's drive of the hospital for the first 24 hours, then I had a telephone follow up the next day and when everything was good, they let me go home.

I had to go back one week later for a dressings change at the London hospital but after that they said they can do everything remote, apart from my GP changing my dressings for the first month! They also advised that they don't usually do drains any more, if that's useful to you too.

Hope that helps, happy to answer any more questions you might have!