Infant male circumcision
Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin. The foreskin is the roll of skin that covers the end of the penis. The risks are small and most boys recover well with no problems.
The NHS does not fund male circumcision unless there is a medical reason, but the General Medical Council has said that male circumcision can be carried out for religious or cultural reasons.
It is really important that the operation is carried out by someone who is trained so the operation has less risks.
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Age
It is best if your son’s circumcision is done when he is as young as possible.
Consent
Both parents and/or carers with parental responsibility must give consent before the operation happens.
At least one parent must consent in person and ideally both. Consent means you want to have your son circumcised, and that the operation and potential risks have been explained to you.
Don’t be afraid to ask any questions that you might have.
The practitioner should ask you about your son’s health and your family’s health history before doing the circumcision. Your son should be in good health before the circumcision.
Being present
If you want to be with your son when the circumcision is performed, you need to talk about this with the person who will be doing the circumcision. Some, not all, practitioners are happy for you to be present, so discuss this when you first contact them.
Clean and sterile
Circumcisions should be performed in a clinical area registered with the CQC for minor surgery, with proper infection control measures in place. The place should be clean and sterile instruments should be used in order to reduce the risk of your son developing an infection. A good practitioner will use equipment and techniques designed to make the operation as safe as possible.
You may want to make the circumcision part of a family celebration, but remember; circumcision is an operation and needs to be performed in a suitable place that is quiet and clean with sterile equipment.
Pain management
Having a circumcision may be painful for your son. You should be told about how the pain will be managed during the circumcision, and how to reduce his pain at home afterwards. Pain relief should be given according to the age and weight of baby.
After care
Your son should not leave the place he was circumcised for at least 30 minutes after bleeding has stopped. The staff should talk you through what happens next and how to care for your son.
When you go home you should be given a leaflet about how to look after your son, including when and where to get help and any signs to look out for. You should also be given a contact number to use if you have any concerns.
If you are worried about your son after the circumcision, you should contact the practitioner. If you cannot get in touch with them, or are not happy with their advice, you should take your son to your local A&E.
Remember
If you arrive for the circumcision and you are not happy with anything or worried about your son’s health for any reason, you do not need to go through with the circumcision at that time. Any good practitioner should listen to your worries and rearrange or cancel if that is what you wish.
Complaints
Improving circumcision services is important and relies on families sharing when they are not happy.
If you are unhappy about the service you received, first speak to the person that did the circumcision. If you are not happy with their response you can contact your local NHS Patient Advice Liason Service (PALS).
If the provider isn’t a CQC registered/GMC registered person, then please follow the following link to contact the Care Quality Commission to let them know. Report an unregistered service Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)
How to find a qualified, safe provider
The following providers of infant male circumcision in Greater Manchester have been voluntarily assessed against a set of quality standards.
Manchester Circumcision Clinic, Thornely Medical Centre, Thornely Street, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 1J.
- Tel: 07737742913 and 07785251919.
- E-mail: contact@manchestercircumcisionclinic.com
The AMS Clinic, Cheetham Hill Medical Centre, 244 Cheetham Hill Road, Cheetham Hill, Manchester, M8 8AU.
- Tel: 0161 464 4562.
Walmersley Road Medical Practice,110 Walmersley Road, Bury, BL9 6DX.
- Tel: 0161 764 6100.
Chequers Health Centre, Rushlake Drive, Bolton, BL1 3RL.
- Tel: 01204 928850.
- E-mail: info@chequershealth.co.uk
Updated
This service was created on 23/12/2024 and last updated on 23/12/2024
Find information for parents and carers on the Greater Manchester Infant Male Circumcision page. This includes information in other languages.
Guide for parents – circumcision services for boys in Greater Manchester.
The NHS website also has information about circumcision in boys.
