Referrals from international patients are carefully reviewed by our clinical team to ensure you are matched with the most appropriate consultant oncologist for your specific needs.
Proton beam therapy is not suitable for all patients; therefore, every referral is individually assessed. We aim to offer proton beam therapy to those who will benefit the most from it.
How to refer
We accept referrals from international embassies as well as directly from patients. To assess suitability for treatment, we ask for clinical letters and relevant medical imaging.
If you’d like to find out whether proton beam therapy may be appropriate for you, please visit our ‘Get in touch‘ page and complete our Contact us form. This allows you to share your personal and clinical details so our team can review your case thoroughly.
Steps to proton beam therapy for International patients
This guide outlines the general process for International patients seeking and receiving proton beam therapy treatment at Proton International London, helping you understand what to expect at each stage.
Who can make a referral?
Referrals can be made by you, a child’s parents or guardians, a healthcare professional, embassy official, or a family representative—with the patient’s consent.
What do we need to progress your referral?
To proceed, we must receive a medical report or a letter from the doctor/surgeon who has cared for you or the patient you are referring on behalf of. This can be submitted through our contact form or directly to our Patient Administration team.
What happens next?
After your referral is submitted, one of our helpful and friendly Patient Administration team members will contact you within 48 hours to discuss the next steps.
Who decides which consultant we will see?
Once we receive your referral, our clinical team will assess your case. If you are deemed suitable they will assign a Consultant Oncologist who specialises in the treatment of proton beam therapy for your type of cancer.
We will schedule a consultation with your assigned Consultant Oncologist via a video link or if you are in the UK, an in-person appointment at our centre or a nearby private hospital, to discuss treatment details and costs for treatment. We can also assist with travel to the UK and accommodation arrangements.
What can you do to help?
To ensure a prompt assessment of your eligibility for proton beam therapy by our clinical team, please provide all relevant clinical documentation.
When you arrive in the UK, you will meet with your Clinical Oncologist who will discuss your treatment pathway. Following this we will undertake a range of CT and MRI scans to allow for the planning of your treatment. This initial part of your treatment will be at University College Hospital where Proton International London is based.
Careful and precise treatment planning is crucial for the success of proton beam therapy. Our highly experienced radiotherapy team of radiographers, dosimetrists, radiotherapy physicists and radiation oncologists will create a proton beam therapy plan tailored to your tumour.
This plan determines the directions and intensity of the proton beams used to target the tumour area. This complex process typically takes about three weeks to finalise and then your treatment can begin.
Your treatment will take place as an outpatient at University College Hospital (UCH), home to one of the UK’s most advanced proton beam therapy centres.
Most patients have proton beam therapy every day from Monday to Friday, for around four to six weeks. If there is a public holiday or you are ill, sessions are sometimes moved to the weekend.
Treatment appointments last around 60 minutes. The actual proton beam treatment takes approximately 20–40 minutes, and the additional time is used for positioning you correctly on the machine and conducting imaging checks.
We aim to deliver proton beam therapy without interruptions wherever possible. If a break is needed due to illness or technical issues, your clinical team will carefully review your situation to determine the best course of action.
In addition to treatment sessions, you will have regular check-ups with your radiation oncologist and another member of the team (typically, a radiotherapy nurse, specialist radiographer, or fellow proton beam therapy doctor) to review your progress and discuss any side effects.
Your family or a friend are welcome to attend all your appointments and treatment session and we have comfortable waiting areas for them to make themselves at home.
To fully understand what happens during a session visit ‘What to expect when having proton beam therapy’.
Your next steps
To ask a question or enquire about private treatment:
Please complete our contact form or call us on 0203 9255 885. One of our friendly Patient Administration Advisors will be in touch as soon as possible.
To refer yourself for proton beam therapy treatment:
Please fill out the contact form and select ‘self-referral for a private consultation’. Kindly note that you will be asked to upload relevant medical documents to support your referral.
If you are an NHS patient seeking a referral:
Consult your care team and oncologist to discuss your suitability for proton therapy. Read more about getting a second opinion here.