People in the Harrogate area can now access NHS plastic surgery – including the removal of skin lesions and soft tissue lumps together with management of complex wounds and scars – on their doorstep with the launch of a new service.
The Plastic Surgery Service is now up and running at Harrogate District Hospital, offering a range of high quality services for those people who are eligible for them on the NHS. Patients will no longer have to travel to Leeds or York for a range of NHS procedures as they have previously had to.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is a branch of surgery aimed at the restoration of appearance and function for both congenital defects and following the treatment of acquired conditions.
The Plastic Surgery Service covers:
- Removal of skin lesions
- Removal of soft tissue lumps
- Paediatric plastic surgery
- Scar management
- Complex wound management
- Breast reconstruction following breast cancer surgery
- Abdominal wall reconstruction
- Body contouring following bariatric surgery
The service will allow patients with conditions amenable to plastic surgery to be seen and assessed locally in Harrogate. It is hoped that for the majority of patients requiring surgery, can have this provided locally at Harrogate District Hospital.
The service is led by Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgeon Mr Thomas MacLeod. He qualified from the London Hospital Medical School in 1993 and has trained extensively in plastic and reconstructive surgery in the UK. Towards the end of his training he undertook fellowships in breast reconstruction and all aspects of cosmetic surgery. He moved up to Yorkshire in 2012 to take up his post as a Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgeon at York Hospital.
People who are interested in this service need to make an appointment with their GP to discuss their eligibility for a referral. They will then be referred to Mr MacLeod’s Plastic Surgery Clinic at Mowbray Square Medical Centre, Westmoreland Street, Harrogate. This currently takes place every week on a Thursday.
Mr MacLeod said: “I am really excited about developing a plastic surgery service here in Harrogate. We have an excellent surgical team and aim to provide a high quality, safe and professional service for those people who need it.”