Endoscopy service in Bromley

Endoscopy, gastroscopy, colonoscopy and more in our JAG accredited centre.

Private endoscopy services at Chelsfield Park Hospital

If you need fast access to endoscopy services in Kent, our JAG accredited private endoscopy unit at Chelsfield Park Hospital is here for you. Our hospital in Kent offers excellent care to people from Chelsfield, Orpington, Bromley and Sevenoaks, as well as people who travel from further afield.

We see private patients including both self-pay patients and people with private health insurance. We also see NHS patients who have been referred for private care. Our experienced specialists offer colonoscopies, gastroscopies, cystoscopies, capsule endoscopies and more.

Our calm and welcoming endoscopy suite can be found on the lower ground floor of the hospital, within the theatre department. We offer the latest facilities, and our endoscopy suite has been designed with patient privacy and dignity at the forefront of our minds.

What to expect from a private endoscopy procedure in Chelsfield Park

Depending on which part of your body needs to be looked at, an endoscope may be inserted through your mouth or back passage.

You may have a local anaesthetic to numb one part of your body, or you might be offered a mild sedative or General anaesthetic to help you relax.

Endoscopy is an umbrella term to describe a variety of medical investigations that look inside your body. There are different types of endoscopy, and within these different types of examination there are various procedures we can use. What is common among all endoscopy procedures is that an endoscope (a thin optical camera) is used to look inside a hollow organ or cavity of your body. 

Endoscopies can be used to investigate and treat a wide variety of medical conditions, and they are used across a variety of areas of medicine. At our hospital, we have a network of private specialist consultants who make use of endoscopies, including gastroenterologists, colorectal surgeons, general surgeons, and urologists. We also have an experienced nursing team, which includes specialists in all aspects of medical and surgical nursing. Together, they take pride in offering exceptional levels of patient care and support to you and your family.

We have maintained our JAG accreditation this year after our Annual Review. Both our procedure rooms have complete endoscopy equipment, including diathermy (ERBE and  scope guide), Olympus Stack system, foot controlled irrigation system, CO2 regulator and  Argon Diathermy.

A private endoscopy might be suggested if you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty swallowing
• Abdominal pain
• Persistent nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Vomiting blood
• Blood in stools
• Chest pain that’s unrelated to heart conditions

You will usually need a referral letter in order to book an endoscopy at Chelsfield Park Hospital. If you’re not sure how to get a referral or want to speak to someone who can refer you, give us a call and one of our friendly advisors will give you all the information you need.

Some of the investigations and procedures we offer at our endoscopy unit include:

• Capsule endoscopy (Bravo monitoring and PilCam)
• Colonoscopy
• Flexible cystoscopy
• Gastroscopy biopsies
• Sigmoidoscopy
• Polypectomies
• Dilitations – Oesophageal and large bowel
• Barratts Oesophagus monitoring
• Helicobacter screening
• Lactose intolerance screening

You will usually need an anaesthetic of some type when you have an endoscopy. This might be local anaesthetic, conscious sedation, enhanced sedation or general anaesthetic. Your consultant will recommend the best type for your personal needs.

We also offer a number of additional services that our endoscopy patients can access if needed:

• Pathology - rapid results for blood tests ahead of treatment
• Physiotherapy
• Pharmacy - access to take home drugs on the same day
• Onsite diagnostic and imaging facilities - MRI, , X-ray

Our Endoscopy Management System Medilogik is still in use,  offering a live reporting system which sends detailed reports to all patients, GPs, referring clinicians and operating clinicians. This ensures that information is disseminated to all areas of patient care with ease, speed and clarity to all parties included in your care.

If you need a private endoscopy, your consultant will give you instructions to make sure you’re fully prepared before the procedure takes place, including issuing you with bowel preparation for all large bowel procedures.  You should make your consultant aware of any allergies you have, as well as your previous medical history, as these may affect your preparation choice.

It’s always important to tell your consultant about any medication you’re taking. You may need to stop taking certain medication, such as blood thinners. However, it’s important not to stop taking your prescription medication unless your consultant advises you to do so. 

Someone from our team will be in touch to carry out a pre-assessment over the phone before the date of your procedure, and any concerns will be flagged to the pre-assessment team at Chelsfield Park , where a more in-depth set of questions will be asked, ensuring you are well prepared for your endoscopy.

In most cases, you will need to stop eating food or drinking water four to eight hours before your endoscopy to make sure that your stomach is empty. You may also be given laxatives to help clear your system, and an enema on your admission day for lower bowel procedures.  You will be advised to abstain from a high fibre diet, and foodstuff containing seed and pips as they can interfere with the equipment used.

Depending on which part of your body needs to be looked at, an endoscope may be inserted through your mouth or back passage.

You may have a local anaesthetic to numb one part of your body, or you might be offered a mild sedative or General anaesthetic to help you relax.

An endoscopy isn’t painful, but most people experience a little bit of discomfort, similar to a sore throat or indigestion. 

There may be trapped wind after certain procedures, however we use carbon dioxide to inflate the bowels, which is easier to expel and absorb than air, reducing the chance of this. Most people find that their discomfort can be eased by walking around, which encourages gravity to take effect, or by drinking a peppermint tea.

After a private endoscopy procedure, you will need to rest for about an hour to let the effect of any anaesthetic or sedative wear off. Once this has worn off, you should be able to go home. You don’t need to stay overnight for this procedure.

After an anaesthetic or sedation, you will need to be taken home by a friend or relative – you shouldn’t drive for the rest of the day.  Local anaesthetic patients are discharged within the hour of their procedure, but for other types of anaesthetic you may need to stay longer.

Your doctor will advise you on when you’ll find out the results from your procedure. If necessary, you may be referred to a different specialist for ongoing diagnosis or treatment.

Chelsfield Park Hospital Endoscopy unit is open Monday to Saturday 8am –8pm.

Chelsfield Park is an attractive private hospital surrounded by beautiful fields in the rural village of Chelsfield. Just a short drive from both Chelsfield station and Orpington station, Chelsfield Park Hospital is very accessible. For those driving here, there is plenty of parking available for our patients within the grounds.

For more information about Chelsfield Park Hospital and the treatments that are available to patients you can speak to one of our welcoming receptionists on 01689 877855.

How to pay for treatment

Accessing private healthcare is easy, whether you choose to pay directly or use private medical insurance.

If you are paying for yourself, we can usually offer an upfront fixed-price package, which you can either choose to pay in full, or take advantage of our flexible payment options to allow you to spread the cost of your endoscopy or other treatment over a period of one to five ears.

If you have insurance, we can arrange direct settlement with your insurance provider, although you should check in advance to see if your treatment is covered. For more information, visit our private health insurance page.