Melanoma Screening Clinic

Welcome to the melanoma screening clinic. Every patient that arrives today will be seen provided they come during the opening hours of 1.30 pm – 3.30 pm. Obviously with such an arrangement, patients will be seen on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and therefore some of you may have to wait longer than 30 minutes to be seen.

Melanoma is a type of cancer. When treated early it can be cured. This clinic has been created in order to ensure that patients with possible melanoma are seen as soon as possible so that the disease is diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

Over 90% of the patients seen at this clinic have benign (harmless) moles. This afternoon the doctor will examine your mole and make a diagnosis. If it proves to be benign you will be reassured, provided with information about the lesion (if it is a common diagnosis) and discharged. No treatment or surgery will be offered for benign lesions. If after being told that the lesion is benign you still want it removed please visit your GP to discuss this with him/her. This clinic is not designed to treat benign skin lesions. If after being told that the lesion is benign you still want it removed please visit your GP to discuss this with him/her. This clinic is not designed to treat benign skin lesions.

In a few cases the doctor will consider that your mole is suspicious and recommend that it is removed. This will normally be done that afternoon under a local anaesthetic. After the piece of skin has been removed it will be sent for analysis and you will be asked to return to the clinic the following week to discuss the result.

If your mole is found to be melanoma, further treatment (normally further surgery) will be arranged for a later date. If your mole is found to be benign or harmless you will be reassured and discharged.

A letter will be sent to your GP informing him/her of the outcome of your visit.

If your mole continues to change after you have been discharged and you are still concerned you should visit your GP again. Your GP can then refer you back to the melanoma screening clinic for a further opinion if necessary.

Please note: If you have been a patient of the RVI/Dermatology Department before, please let the receptionist know this as the doctor may wish to see your previous medical records. In this event, you may have to wait a while longer to be seen to enable your records to be found.