Concierge head & neck surgery · UK
Head and neck surgery in the UK, MDT-led and function-first.
A single sub-specialty spanning ENT, oral and maxillofacial, plastic and endocrine surgery — for cancer, benign lumps, thyroid and parathyroid, salivary, skin and reconstruction. We route you to the right consultant, in the right MDT, in the right UK centre.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A named consultant, in a real MDT
Head and neck surgery is a team sport. We introduce you to a consultant who sits in a proper BAHNO/ENT-UK/BAOMS MDT — not a solo operator.
- 02
Function alongside cancer control
Voice, swallow and appearance are planned from day one, with SLT, dietician and reconstructive surgeons in the room — not tacked on later.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic and no centre, so the recommendation of where to be treated is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private head and neck surgery costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner centres. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options, with insurer cover checked.
In short
A day-case hemithyroidectomy in our network: £7,500–£12,000, home the next day.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Inpatient stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consultant head & neck clinic + nasendoscopy | £300–£600 | 45 min | Same visit |
| One-stop neck lump clinic (US + FNA) | £600–£1,200 | 60–90 min | Same visit |
| Hemithyroidectomy (day-case) | £7,500–£12,000 | 90–120 min | 1 night |
| Total thyroidectomy ± central neck dissection | £9,000–£16,000 | 2–3 hours | 1–2 nights |
| Superficial parotidectomy | £8,500–£14,000 | 2–3 hours | 1–2 nights |
| Selective neck dissection | £10,000–£18,000 | 2–4 hours | 2–4 nights |
| Oral SCC resection + free flap reconstruction | £35,000–£75,000 | 8–12 hours | 10–14 nights |
| TORS for oropharyngeal cancer | £20,000–£45,000 | 2–4 hours | 3–7 nights |
Cancer resections with free flap reconstruction sit at the top of the range and reflect a long operating day, HDU/ITU care, and a full multidisciplinary team. Benign day-case work is very predictable. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
The right sub-specialist, the right centre, the right MDT.
Head and neck disease sits across four surgical specialties and needs a real multidisciplinary team. The wrong centre or a solo operator is quietly one of the biggest risks patients take.
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Not sure it is cancer?
A one-stop clinic with nasendoscopy, ultrasound and FNA sorts benign from suspicious quickly — days, not weeks.
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Worried about voice or swallow?
SLT, dietician and the surgeon plan function together before you consent. Not a phone call after the operation.
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Want it done in the right centre?
For advanced cancer, only a handful of UK centres do the volume that makes results reliable. We know which.
The journey
From enquiry to long-term surveillance — what happens, in order.
One concierge from first message to review, with a named consultant and MDT team behind them.
Phase 1 · Diagnosis and MDT
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · Surgery and admission
Days in hospital, planned
Phase 3 · Rehab & surveillance
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Lump, hoarse voice, sore throat, mouth ulcer, thyroid nodule — or an existing scan or biopsy already done.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: the right sub-specialist (ENT, OMFS, plastics, endocrine), the right centre, and how the MDT will handle your case.
- 03
Before
One-stop clinic where possible
Flexible nasendoscopy, ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration in the same visit for a neck lump or thyroid nodule — days, not weeks.
- 04
On the day
Staging and MDT discussion
CT, MRI or PET-CT as needed, then your case is discussed at MDT before any treatment is agreed with you.
- 05
On the day
The operation itself
From day-case thyroidectomy or parotidectomy to a full resection with free flap reconstruction — always in a centre that does the case regularly.
- 06
On the day
Ward, HDU or ITU as planned
Most benign cases go home the next day. Major cancer resections use HDU or ITU for the first night, with the CNS at the bedside.
- 07
After
Rehab, surveillance and review
Speech and swallow rehab, dietician input, physio for shoulder function, dental care, and a clear surveillance schedule from your consultant.
Typical benign end-to-end: 2–3 weeks from enquiry to surgery. Cancer pathway: MDT within 2 weeks, treatment within 31–62 days per NICE.
When it helps
When head and neck surgery is the right step.
The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means an emergency rather than an appointment.
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Persistent neck lump
Any adult neck lump present for more than three weeks needs a one-stop clinic — most are benign, some are not.
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Hoarse voice for over three weeks
Persistent hoarseness in an adult, especially a smoker, warrants urgent flexible laryngoscopy to look at the vocal cords.
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Mouth ulcer not healing
An ulcer or red/white patch in the mouth that has not settled in three weeks needs biopsy — early oral SCC is treatable.
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Thyroid nodule or goitre
Ultrasound, Thy classification and FNA sort the small minority that need surgery from the many that just need watching.
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Parotid or salivary swelling
Most parotid lumps are benign pleomorphic adenomas, but they still need imaging, FNA and a discussion about surgery.
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Skin cancer on face, scalp or ear
BCC, SCC and melanoma of the head and neck often need excision plus reconstruction — a local flap, graft, or free flap.
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HPV-related throat cancer
Tonsil and base-of-tongue cancers are increasingly HPV-driven and may be suitable for TORS or de-escalated chemoradiotherapy trials.
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Red flag: stridor or airway noise
New noisy breathing, stridor or a rapidly enlarging neck mass is an emergency — 999 or A&E, not a clinic booking.
Procedure options
One sub-specialty, many operations.
What each operation actually involves — and which sits at the benign end versus the major cancer end of the pathway.
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Thyroid & parathyroid surgery
Hemi/total thyroidectomy, central and lateral neck dissection for cancer, focused or bilateral parathyroidectomy for hyperparathyroidism.
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Parotid & salivary surgery
Superficial or total parotidectomy with facial-nerve monitoring, submandibular gland excision, sialendoscopy for salivary stones.
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Oral cavity resection
Partial or total glossectomy, floor-of-mouth, buccal, alveolar and retromolar SCC resection, with sentinel node biopsy where indicated.
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TORS & transoral laser microsurgery
Transoral robotic surgery and TLM for selected tonsil, base-of-tongue and early laryngeal cancers, avoiding open resection where possible.
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Laryngectomy & pharyngectomy
Partial or total laryngectomy and pharyngectomy for advanced laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer, planned with SLT for voice rehabilitation.
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Neck dissection
Selective, modified radical or radical neck dissection to remove lymph nodes involved by cancer, preserving accessory nerve where possible.
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Reconstruction
Local flaps (paramedian forehead, nasolabial, submental island), skin grafts, and free flaps (radial forearm, ALT, fibula) for large defects.
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Benign lump excision
Thyroglossal cysts, branchial cysts, dermoids, lipomas, sebaceous cysts and neuromas — day-case surgery under LA, sedation or GA.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of head & neck consultants, we picked them.
Consultants across Guy’s and St Thomas’, the Royal Marsden, UCLH, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Cardiff, Sheffield and Nottingham. Introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every head & neck consultant in our network.
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Consultant surgeons (ENT, OMFS, plastics or endocrine) with BAHNO or ENT-UK head & neck subspecialty practice
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Cases discussed at a proper multidisciplinary team meeting — not booked from a solo clinic
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Access to a head & neck CNS, SLT, dietician, dental oncology and lymphoedema therapy
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Reconstructive microvascular surgeons on the same team for complex resections
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards — honestly.
Head and neck surgery — particularly for cancer — can be life-changing. Voice, swallow and appearance are prioritised alongside oncology, and a full MDT sits behind the surgeon.
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This is often life-changing surgery
Head and neck cancer treatment can alter voice, swallow and appearance. Honest counselling before you consent is not optional — it is the point.
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Voice and swallow are planned upfront
A speech and language therapist meets you before surgery to plan voice, swallow and tracheostomy care — not after the operation.
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Nutrition matters through treatment
Most people having chemoradiotherapy or major resection need a PEG or RIG feeding tube — a dietician plans this before treatment starts.
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Neck and shoulder function after dissection
Even with accessory-nerve preservation, shoulder stiffness is common after neck dissection. Physiotherapy from week one prevents long-term problems.
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Dental clearance before radiotherapy
Osteoradionecrosis is a serious complication of head-and-neck radiotherapy. Pre-treatment dental review is essential and non-negotiable.
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Thyroid surgery has specific risks
Voice change from recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and low calcium from parathyroid injury are the two risks to understand and monitor for.
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Facial nerve in parotid surgery
The facial nerve runs through the parotid gland. Intra-operative nerve monitoring and a surgeon who does the case regularly are the safeguards.
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Psychological support is standard, not extra
Body image, swallow anxiety and adjustment after head-and-neck cancer are real. Clinical psychology is built into every good MDT.
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Red flags after surgery
New airway noise, heavy neck bleeding, spreading redness, high fever or sudden facial weakness after surgery all need same-day medical review.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever operation was done, the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Diagnosis, stage and MDT decision
What was found, the TNM stage, and the treatment plan the multidisciplinary team agreed with you before surgery.
- 02 Technique
Operation performed and reconstruction
Which resection was done, whether a neck dissection was included, and which flap or graft was used to reconstruct the defect.
- 03 Findings
Margins, nodes and pathology
Whether the tumour was fully removed, how many lymph nodes were involved, and any pathology that changes the follow-on plan.
- 04 Impression
Adjuvant plan and surveillance
Read this first: whether radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy is needed, when SLT and dietician follow up, and the surveillance schedule.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Head and neck cancer treatment is generally funded by major UK insurers when medically indicated. We confirm cover, excess and pre-authorisation before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about head and neck surgery.
Quick answers on MDTs, specialist centres, TORS, free flaps and what happens to voice, swallow and appearance.
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What does the head and neck surgery sub-specialty cover?
It covers cancer and benign disease from the skull base to the collar bone: oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, nasopharynx, sinuses, salivary glands, thyroid and parathyroid, skin of the face and scalp, and the lymph nodes of the neck. It sits across ENT, oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) and plastic surgery, with endocrine surgeons for thyroid disease.
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Do I need to be treated at a specialist centre?
For head and neck cancer, yes. UK practice concentrates advanced cancer surgery in tertiary centres such as Guy’s and St Thomas’, the Royal Marsden, UCLH, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Cardiff, Sheffield and Nottingham. Benign day-case work — thyroid nodules, small salivary lumps, benign neck lumps — is safe in a wider range of CQC-regulated units.
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What is the two-week-wait (2WW) cancer pathway?
It is the NHS urgent suspected-cancer referral. A GP who suspects a head and neck cancer refers you to a specialist clinic to be seen within two weeks. Most people referred do not have cancer, but the pathway makes sure the ones who do are diagnosed quickly. Private referral often runs alongside or ahead of a 2WW referral.
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Why do I need an MDT?
Head and neck cancer decisions are rarely made by one person. Surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, a clinical nurse specialist, SLT, dietician and dental oncology sit together weekly. NICE guidance (NG12, NG36 and the site-specific TAs) is built into how the MDT weighs surgery, radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy for your case.
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What is TORS and who is it for?
TORS — transoral robotic surgery — uses the da Vinci robot through the mouth to remove tonsil and base-of-tongue cancers without splitting the jaw. It is used for selected early oropharyngeal cancers, often HPV-driven, and is available in a small number of UK centres. Not every patient is a candidate, and the MDT decides.
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What is a free flap reconstruction?
When surgery removes a large area — tongue, jaw, palate or throat — a plastic or reconstructive surgeon takes tissue from elsewhere in the body (forearm, thigh, fibula) with its blood vessels, moves it to the head and neck, and joins the vessels under a microscope. The head and neck reconstructive team and the resecting surgeon work as one operating team.
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Will my voice, swallow or appearance change?
Often, yes — the honest answer. The degree depends on where the cancer is, how much tissue is removed, and whether radiotherapy is added. Speech and language therapy, dietician input, dental care and clinical psychology are built in from the start so that functional outcomes are planned, not chased afterwards.
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Is thyroid surgery a big operation?
A modern hemithyroidectomy for a benign nodule is a day-case or one-night stay with a small neck scar and quick recovery. A total thyroidectomy with neck dissection for cancer is bigger — a two- to three-night stay, careful calcium monitoring, and often lifelong thyroxine — but still routine work in an experienced unit.
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