A private urologist typically charges £250–£350 for an initial consultation and £150–£250 for follow-ups, usually within days of referral. The NHS urology median wait is 12.7 weeks, with 1 in 12 waiting over 38 weeks. Common add-ons: a PSA blood test (£40–£100) and a flexible cystoscopy (£1,000–£2,000).
- ✓Initial private urology consultations typically cost £250–£350; follow-ups £150–£250.
- ✓NHS urology median wait is 12.7 weeks; 1 in 12 wait over 38 weeks.
- ✓A PSA test adds £40–£100; a flexible cystoscopy £1,000–£2,000.
What a private urologist costs
A consultant urologist typically charges £250–£350 for an initial consultation of 20–30 minutes and £150–£250 for follow-ups, with London at the top of the range. Urology is a practical, test-led specialty — most pathways involve a blood or urine test, a scan, or a camera check of the bladder, each billed separately.
| Appointment or test | Typical private cost |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | £250–£350 |
| Follow-up consultation | £150–£250 |
| PSA blood test | £40–£100 |
| Urine flow study + bladder scan | £150–£300 |
| Ultrasound (kidneys / bladder / testes) | £150–£350 |
| Flexible cystoscopy | £1,000–£2,000 |
| Multiparametric prostate MRI | £800–£1,500 |
The waiting picture — and why men sit on symptoms
The NHS urology median is currently 12.7 weeks from referral to treatment, and 1 in 12 patients wait over 38 weeks. But with urology there's often a longer, invisible wait before the referral even happens: men are consistently slower to present to a GP in the first place, and urinary symptoms, erectile problems and testicular concerns are among the most-delayed of all. By the time many men see a urologist, the symptom is months or years old.
That's worth saying plainly, because most urological problems are very treatable — enlarged prostate, infections, stones, overactive bladder — and the serious ones reward early diagnosis more than almost anything else. A private consultation within days removes both the queue and, for some men, the excuse.
Insured vs self-pay
With health insurance, urology consultations and diagnostics — PSA, ultrasound, cystoscopy, prostate MRI — sit under your outpatient benefit, while procedures like prostate surgery, stone removal or circumcision move to day-case or inpatient cover, generally paid in full. Get authorisation first; the clinic bills your insurer directly.
| Insured | Self-pay | |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation + first-line tests | £0 beyond any excess, within outpatient limits | £500–£750 |
| Cystoscopy / prostate MRI | Usually covered as diagnostics | £800–£2,000 |
| Surgery (e.g. TURP, stone removal) | Covered under core inpatient benefit | £6,000–£12,000 |
| Watch for | Capped outpatient limits; symptoms already seen by a GP excluded as pre-existing | Diagnostic costs stepping up sharply at the camera/MRI stage |
Stop putting the symptoms off
What happens at a private urology appointment
Expect a matter-of-fact 20–30 minutes. The consultant takes a history — urinary symptoms, flow, frequency, pain, sexual function, family history of prostate cancer — and examines you where relevant, which for prostate concerns includes a brief rectal examination. It's routine for them, over in seconds, and you can ask questions or decline anything. If embarrassment is what's kept you from a GP, it's worth knowing the appointment is far more ordinary than the dread — urologists spend every clinic on exactly these conversations.
- Before: you'll usually need a GP referral — insurers require one, and it brings your history and any existing PSA results with you. Digital GP services on many policies can issue one within a day.
- Same-visit tests: urine dip, flow studies and bladder scans are often done on the spot; bloods including PSA the same day.
- Next steps: reassurance, medication (often transferable to your NHS GP), or targeted tests — ultrasound within days, cystoscopy or prostate MRI within a week or two.
- After: a letter to you and your GP with findings and the plan, plus a written quote before any procedure.
- Preparation: arrive with a comfortably full bladder if flow studies are planned — the clinic will tell you — and bring a note of your symptoms, medication and any previous PSA results.
If tests point towards surgery — an enlarged prostate needing a TURP, or stones needing removal — you're at a decision point: proceed privately on a fixed-price package, or take the diagnosis back to the NHS queue. Our prostate surgery guide compares that trade-off in detail.
Is a private urologist worth it?
For the money, urology delivers one of the clearer private-healthcare value cases: symptoms men have often already delayed for months, a 12.7-week median queue on top, and a diagnostic pathway that privately resolves in one to two weeks for £500–£750. Most work-ups end in reassurance or tablets. And because the consultant writes to your GP, everything you pay for travels back into your NHS record — going private for the diagnosis never locks you into paying for the treatment.
- Ask for a fixed-price work-up. Many private hospitals bundle consultation, flow studies and ultrasound; packaged pricing usually beats itemised bills.
- Get medication moved to your GP. Standard treatments for enlarged prostate, overactive bladder and ED are routine NHS prescribing once a specialist has set the plan.
- Use video follow-ups. Results reviews rarely need an examination and sit at the lower end of the £150–£250 range.
- Insured? Authorise before booking. A phone call to your insurer confirms cover, a recognised consultant and direct billing — and avoids paying out of pocket for a claimable pathway.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a private urologist cost in the UK?
Typically £250–£350 for an initial consultation and £150–£250 for follow-ups, with London at the top of the range. Tests are billed on top: a PSA blood test runs £40–£100, ultrasound £150–£350, and a flexible cystoscopy £1,000–£2,000.
How long is the NHS wait to see a urologist?
The NHS urology median is currently 12.7 weeks from referral to treatment, and 1 in 12 patients wait over 38 weeks. Privately, a urology consultation is typically available within days, with first-line tests often done at the same visit and camera tests within a week or two.
Do I need a GP referral to see a private urologist?
Usually, yes. Insurers require a referral before authorising a claim, and consultants prefer one because it carries your history and any previous PSA results. Some men's health clinics accept self-referral for specific services, but the referral route is smoother — a digital GP can typically issue one within a day.
How much is a PSA test with a private urologist?
The blood test itself costs £40–£100, on top of the £250–£350 consultation if a urologist reviews it. A raised result is usually followed by a multiparametric prostate MRI (£800–£1,500) before any biopsy decision — a sequence that privately completes in one to two weeks.
What happens at a private urology appointment?
A 20–30 minute consultation: history of your urinary symptoms, flow, pain and sexual function, then an examination where relevant — including a brief rectal examination for prostate concerns. Urine tests, flow studies and bloods are often done at the same visit, and a letter goes to you and your GP.
How much does a private cystoscopy cost?
Typically £1,000–£2,000 for a flexible cystoscopy, where a thin camera checks the bladder under local anaesthetic — commonly used to investigate blood in urine or persistent infections. With insurance it's generally covered as a diagnostic; urgent investigation of visible blood in urine belongs on the fast NHS pathway.
Does health insurance cover private urologist appointments?
Yes — consultations and diagnostics sit under your outpatient benefit, and procedures such as prostate surgery or stone removal move to core inpatient cover, generally paid in full. Symptoms you've already seen a GP about will be excluded as pre-existing on a new policy, and routine PSA screening isn't covered.
Should I see a private urologist for an enlarged prostate?
It's one of the most common reasons men book privately: urinary frequency and poor flow, a consultation plus flow studies for around £400–£650, and either medication — often transferable to your NHS GP — or a discussion of surgery. Against a 12.7-week NHS median, the diagnosis arrives months sooner.
Is it worth seeing a urologist privately for erectile dysfunction?
Often, yes — ED is a common private urology referral, partly because men delay raising it. A consultation (£250–£350) checks for underlying causes such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or hormone issues, which matter beyond the symptom itself. Treatment is usually straightforward, and ongoing prescriptions can often move to your GP.