Welcome to our Minor Surgery information page. We provide minor surgical procedures for patients requiring treatment for skin lesions, cysts, lipomas, and similar conditions.
If you have been referred for minor surgery or would like to discuss a skin concern with one of our clinicians, please contact us today to arrange a consultation.
Minor surgery is a simple, outpatient procedure carried out under local anaesthetic to remove skin lesions or cysts. These procedures are typically quick and require minimal recovery time.
What we treat:
Excisions:
All benign lesions of the face, scalp, trunk and extremities
Examples:
Benign Naevi, Cysts, Skin tags, etc. Lumps & bumps on trunk & limbs <5cm / painful, Bowens Disease
Exclusions:
Lesions >5cm Lesions in hazardous locations- wrist; lesions on the face: minimum distance from the eye for an excision = the margin of the orbit; etc. (Please also see below in “additional procedures”). Removal of ganglion Keloid scar removal
Referral notes:
For all lesions, please include a clear description of appearance, site and measurement in your referral letter.
Incisions:
Cysts
Examples:
Sebaceous cysts. Please inform patients that they should contact their own practice to arrange treatment of any infection. Any patient with an infection should be treated with antibiotics for 4-6 weeks before attending a minor surgery appointment.
Exclusions:
Cysts >5cm. Cysts in hazardous locations- wrist; face: minimum distance from the eye for an excision = the margin of the orbit; etc.
Tennis elbow (refer to physio in the first instance), trigger finger, Epicondylitis, Tendonitis (supraspinatus, biceps, De Quervains), Carpal Tunnel (treat with splint initially; if there is permanent numbness, refer to secondary care), Keloid Scars (limited to 1 initial appointment and 3 follow ups before a clinical review should take place), Plantar Fasciitis (refer to MSK foot clinic in the first instance), Knee Pes Anserinus.
Exclusions:
Achilles Tendons, Facet joints, epidurals
Before your procedure:
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing
Wash on the day
Do not shave the area
Have a good breakfast
Continue all regular medications, including blood thinners, unless instructed otherwise
Bring a friend or family member if you wish
Non-urgent advice: Please inform us if you:
Have allergies (especially to anaesthetics)
Have a pacemaker, joint replacements, or metal implants
Struggle to lie flat for 30 minutes.
Have diabetes or another condition that affects wound healing
Would like a chaperone present.
Non-urgent advice: On the day of surgery
Procedures last 15 to 45 minutes.
Avoid strenuous activity for the rest of the day.
Most patients can drive home but may feel tired.
Please let the GP Surgeon know if you feel faint or unwell
Non-urgent advice: Aftercare & Recovery
General Wound Care
Keep dressings clean and dry.
You may shower after 24 hours, but pat the wound dry
Avoid rubbing the wound or using perfumed products until fully healed.
Apply Vaseline or an unscented moisturizer (e.g., E45) once healed for better skin recovery.
Physical Activity
Avoid heavy lifting, exercise, or stretching the wound area while stitches are in place and for 2 weeks after removal.
Swimming & Sun
Avoid swimming until the wound is fully healed and closed (minimum 4 weeks). Avoid sun exposure on the wound for at least 2 weeks (cover with clothing or a hat).
Non-urgent advice: What to expect after surgery
Bruising Timeline
Day 1-2: Red, turning purple or blue.
Days 5-10: Green or yellow.
Days 10-14: Fades to brown and gradually disappears.
Pain & Swelling
Mild discomfort is common once the anaesthetic wears off.
Over-the-counter pain relief (e.g., paracetamol) is usually sufficient.
Mild swelling and bruising are normal and will improve within a few days.
Stitch Removal Timeline:
Body Area
Stitch Removal Time
Face
5-7 days
Scalp
5-10 days
Arms
7-14 days
Legs
10-14 days
Trunk
9-14 days
Non-urgent advice: When to Seek Medical Advice:
Contact us immediately if you notice:
Worsening redness, swelling, or heat
Yellow or green discharge
An offensive smell from the wound
Severe or worsening pain after 48 hours
Bleeding that does not stop after applying pressure for 15 minutes
Contact us immediately if you notice
Non-urgent advice: Contact us
If you have any concerns following your surgery, please contact the practice directly. Out of hours, please call 111
Should you wish to receive family planning advice, have a pill check and collect contraceptive pill prescriptions, have swabs and a cervical smear or need to discuss and arrange a coil check or removal, then please book an appointment with one of our Practice Nurses by telephoning reception.
For Long term Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) services, please call reception so that they can arrange an appointment at one of four Greenwich Live Well Centres. The centres provide coil fittings, checks & removals plus implant fitting and removal.
The doctors do not provide medical care for home deliveries.
For patients booked in at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, antenatal care may be provided by the Community Midwives on the 2nd floor of the Wallace Health Centre.
For the 6 week postnatal check, reception can arrange for a double appointment with a doctor.
Please bring a urine sample before seeing the doctor/nurse (pots are available from reception) for all antenatal checks.
Pregnancy can be overwhelming with all of the questions you might have. We have devised a sheet that tells you what happens next, your choices, dietary advice etc. this can be downloaded from the link below.
We offer all new babies a health check at 8 weeks. This is followed by a vaccination appointment with one of our practice nurses. We strongly recommend immunisations to protect all babies and young children. We are unable to vaccinate children without parental consent. We would be grateful if you could bring their red book along with you, as it gives details of your child’s previous immunisations.
The doctors, nurses and health visitors are happy to discuss and to advise on all immunisations and any concerns you might have about the development of your baby.
Health Visitors are located on the 2nd floor of the Wallace Health Centre.
Travel Vaccinations
Due to a worldwide shortage of several travel immunisations we are unable to provide a full travel service.
Patients need to go to a private travel clinic or pharmacy who offer travel clinics, we recommend that you seek a travel consultation/advice at least 8 weeks before departure; for further information visit www.travelhealthpro.org.uk.
The practice will provide patients with the following NHS vaccinations provided patients provide the nurse with evidence of a prior travel consultation:
Hepatitis A for adults – free for eligible NHS patients
Hepatitis A for children – free to eligible NHS patients
Typhoid – free for eligible NHS patients
Tetanus (DTP) – free for eligible NHS patients
MEN-ACWY – free for eligible NHS patients
It is advisable to check out the latest information on passports, visas, security issues, flu epidemics etc. for travelling overseas.
Details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website: www.fco.gov.uk/en.
Please remember that when traveling abroad, we are not insured, and we are not in the best position to give you medical advice. As a result, we will be unable to consult with you until you are back in the UK. This includes telephone and online consultations.
Smoking Cessation
If you smoke and would like help and advice on how to give up, please contact our local stop smoking service suing the details provided below. If you have difficulties contacting the clinic directly then please speak with reception who can make you an appointment at a Smoking Cessation Hub.
We can only take blood samples from patients over the age of 16. Please contact the numbers below to arrange a blood test under the age of 16
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
0208 836 5053
Queen Mary’s Hospital
0208 308 3269
Home Visits
If possible please try to telephone reception before 11:00 if you require a home visit.
A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.
House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability.
Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit; there are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the health centre.
