The referral for vasectomy

The referral

My GP put the wheels in motion and within about 10-14 days I received a letter through the post to phone a number to discuss whether I wanted to be referred to a different GP trained/experienced in the procedure under local anaesthetic or to go to the local District Hospital to be done under general anaesthetic. I chose a doctor close to Bideford as recommended by my own GP, which was more convenient, the general anaesthetic did not appeal to me, and less time off work potentially.

I had to ring the surgery's secretary directly to arrange the appointment for the vasectomy which was set for sometime in October 2018. I received a letter and accompanying notes to "warm me up" to the procedure.

The particular doctor was a surgeon before turning his hand to being a GP as I understand it and has carried out over 2000 procedures over his career with a higher than UK average success rate. In his letter his "way of doing things" was to reassure, do as much within his power to genuinely reduce and stop pain, sometimes humorously, to set expectations (clipping back the bush, shaving the area and obtaining some comfy tight fitting ever so sexy y-fronts) and reiterate what I had discussed with my GP originally.

From the phone call to the appointment was 3 weeks.